The alarm clock sounds off a mournful, foreboding echo of distant days. A lost excitement. You used to meet the morning with a sense of purpose, or at least obligation. Now, all you feel is pressure – paranoia – in your chest.
Going out among the people, trying to do it all again, and the fear of failure are just some common thoughts socially withdrawn people have. There are many signs you are becoming more socially withdrawn, so read on to see what it means and how to turn the trend around.
1. Low self-esteem
Sometimes the world makes us feel terrible about ourselves. So many people are being discriminated against or shamed for looking or behaving a certain way.
This reflects back on your self-esteem, and soon you do not feel like being the world that shows you nothing but anger, fear, or scrutiny. In turn, you withdraw into the shadows of your room to hide away from your own reflection.
2. Discomfort in social settings
Low self-esteem, as well as discomfort in more lively, intensely populated places, can cause people to become seriously socially withdrawn. Even if you never considered yourself the life of the party and would rather stay at home with your cat and a box of pizza, sheer terror and panic from being amongst others could be a sign of agoraphobia. Dreading attending parties, meeting up for dates, or even going to work where you might have to say hello is not a good sign.
3. Refusing social contact
If your fear of interpersonal relationships or outings gets to such a point that you refuse to answer calls or attempt to answer the door, you pretty much have reached the point of voluntary social isolation.
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4. Depression or anxiety
Having a history of depression or anxiety or both is often a driver in making people socially withdrawn. Depression plays into low self-esteem, feelings of personal resentment, and apathy for all things social and exciting.
Depression often leaves many confined to their beds, not because they do not want to deal with the world, but because they are so emotionally and mentally spent that they cannot. Anxiety, however, taps into fear.
One too many anxiety attacks in public places can condition you to want to stay indoors, away from people, where it is safe. If lonely spaces and closed windows are more comforting to you than an afternoon in the park, you may be on the brink of social withdrawal.
5. Abandonment fears
For those who had someone special that did everything social with – such as going to the grocery store, meeting up for drinks, exercising on the beach, or celebrating events – to suddenly disappear is a huge blow. This generally happens to siblings who were close, lovers, or elderly couples who lived together for most of their lives.
When the person who made the world incredible vanishes, the days grow dim. If this happened to you, you may be feeling a lack of desire to form new relationships out of the fear of abandonment and loss.
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Becoming socially withdrawn is often a sign and symptom of something else happening in your life. If something terrible happened that you feel the need to isolate yourself, do the exact opposite. Seek out help. There are caring people out there who can guide you through depression, anxiety, and sadness and regain your natural comfort for socialization.1