Hi Dreamsnshadows. I'm 56 and have been divorced 3 years now as well. I always had friends until about 5 or 6 years ago. Then I got really bad with this disorder, couldn't use the phone, so couldn't answer when they'd call, couldn't return their calls, couldn't accept invitations any longer (but even before it got that bad, I would quickly come up with 'reasons' I couldn't do this or that with them - or I'd force myself to accept and try to come up with reasons to cancel). After my H and I separated in '99 is when it became the worse. I stopped going anywhere I didn't have to.
But, noone ever understood what it was like for me either. Certainly not family. For a long while, I stopped telling people about the SAD. Now, on occasion, if I feel the person is understanding and I feel fairly safe, I will tell them... but I don't risk my emotions any more than I have to. I get so tired of them thinking it's that I'm just being stubborn, rude, selfish, lazy or intentionally anti-social.
Do you have a counselor, Dreamsnshadows? Someone that specializes in this disorder, or general anxiety disorders, might be very helpful for you.
But, noone ever understood what it was like for me either. Certainly not family. For a long while, I stopped telling people about the SAD. Now, on occasion, if I feel the person is understanding and I feel fairly safe, I will tell them... but I don't risk my emotions any more than I have to. I get so tired of them thinking it's that I'm just being stubborn, rude, selfish, lazy or intentionally anti-social.
Do you have a counselor, Dreamsnshadows? Someone that specializes in this disorder, or general anxiety disorders, might be very helpful for you.
