When an extroverted friend leaves you with their friend for a moment and you don’t know what to say to this new person.

When you are feeling high among a group of people and you are one of the chatty types, and as time drags on you feel drained and someone asks that dreaded question, “Why have you become quiet?” and you think, I was doing so well.

When you are in the elevator with one another person you don’t connect with for quite some minutes. Awkward.

When your long seen family member visits… with someone you didn’t know and weren’t expecting.

When your junior sibling(s) and their friends are around and you want to act cool and sort of advice them like the adult but they end up talking way more than you do and can handle.

When you’re having a one-on-one chat, just like you prefer, but…

Heyo,

Saying no has always been a problem for me. I feel terrible whenever I tell someone that I can’t do something because they want to know why.

Because I need some freaking me time before my head explodes.

Well you should come have “me time” with us. At the bar. During karaoke night. And you should sing. Alone. Ok, fine, with the group. Then we can head back to so and so’s house and hang out.

How about I go home and play my video games for a while (not socially) and read about your escapades on facebook in the morning? That sounds like a much better plan.

Have I mentioned that I also have social anxiety? Yeesh.

Or: Text comes in:

Friend: Hey! You wanna go for coffee or something so I can unload my problems on you?

I literally just crawled into bed after a day of work…

I miss me. That free spirit I used to be. That wacky girl everyone called weird because they didn’t know how else to describe my ups and downs, my quirky interests.

I used to, for brief manic periods, grab like by the throat and live it to the bone, my way, even if it meant months indoors writing. I LIVED life and sometimes even loved it and the contentment I felt.

I miss those fleeting periods of joy, even if it was without reason. I did stupid things, I was irresponsible, I was hurtful to others, I made a mess of my life. Still..I had a life. I miss me.

It was nice to find an explanation for all the wackiness that did not stay in keeping with my normal character. Bipolar. Up and down. Unfortunately, since mood stabilizers, I have few ups and live most of my life in…