Totally alone with APD

[Andy Pierce]

It was always inevitable I'd get Avoidant Personality Disorder due to my traumatic childhood. I do not have Thanksgivings nor Christmases. I do not celebrate birthdays. Not one friend nor relative in the world.

I occasionally text my mother. That's all the social interaction I get. Most of my coworkers are immigrants who don't speak English as their first language. It looks like I'll be like this forever. No happy ending.

 

[ripple the car]

I am the same way. It’s ok. To be honest, I feel that labeling almost everything psychologically unique about a person as a “disorder” can be deeply damaging. You are different. That’s ok.

I, too, shrink from people. I don’t have friends. I have also had very negative experiences as a kid, and it’s had an effect on how I am. That’s ok. Christ loves you. He can use you. He has used Desert Fathers who rarely saw a soul, yet were prayerful, mortified (in the sense of they put to death their own desires and passions), and faithful. He can use you, too.

Don’t compare yourself to others, Sir. Look at yourself for who you are, and give all of that to Christ.

 

[Andy Pierce]

I am the same way. It’s ok. To be honest, I feel that labeling almost everything psychologically unique about a person as a “disorder” can be deeply damaging. You are different. That’s ok.

I, too, shrink from people. I don’t have friends. I have also had very negative experiences as a kid, and it’s had an effect on how I am. That’s ok. Christ loves you. He can use you. He has used Desert Fathers who rarely saw a soul, yet were prayerful, mortified (in the sense of they put to death their own desires and passions), and faithful. He can use you, too.

Don’t compare yourself to others, Sir. Look at yourself for who you are, and give all of that to Christ.

I most certainty have a disorder. In the past I've had physical reactions to stress. It's like an untreatable disease that will never go away.

 

[Petros2015]

I occasionally text my mother. That's all the social interaction I get.

What happens if someone tries or wants to be your friend (even online) - does that trigger stress in you? I'm not familiar with this disorder. Part of the joys of friendships though are sharing things that bring you delight or interest and finding someone similar with similar appreciations for those things. I saw from another post you made you have an interest in church history - this was one of my favorites; send me one of yours?

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-West-Forgotten-Byzantine-Civilization/dp/0307407969

Belisarius was flipping amazing I like military strategy boardgames, it would be fun to reproduce some of the campaigns he fought. Pretty amazing what it takes to get us from There to Here in history.

 

[Andy Pierce]

What happens if someone tries or wants to be your friend (even online) - does that trigger stress in you? I'm not familiar with this disorder. Part of the joys of friendships though are sharing things that bring you delight or interest and finding someone similar with similar appreciations for those things. I saw from another post you made you have an interest in church history - this was one of my favorites; send me one of yours?

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-West-Forgotten-Byzantine-Civilization/dp/0307407969

Belisarius was flipping amazing I like military strategy boardgames, it would be fun to reproduce some of the campaigns he fought. Pretty amazing what it takes to get us from There to Here in history.

Nobody has ever seriously tried to be my friend. Not without being turned off by the fact that I have no extended family or friends already.

 

[Petros2015]

Nobody has ever seriously tried to be my friend. Not without being turned off by the fact that I have no extended family or friends already.

Huh. Well, I'm happy to be your forum friend and Christian brother, even though we'll probably never meet in this life. It's a step up from occasionally texting your mom, and I'd encourage you to take it. There are others here who I'm sure would feel the same. Christianity IS an extended family after all, or at least it is supposed to be. Theory and practice are often two different things, but practice makes perfect.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.