I've tried to force myself to socialise, but I always leave early (I cannot bear it), stressed and sweating through my blazer armpits, and just happy to leave the occasion.
Family seems so much more important to me now, and only somewhat stressful.
I guess I'm an introvert. I don't think that's ever going to change, and I've come to accept it. I lose energy when I'm with strangers. I don't want to do that anymore unless it is absolutely necessary.
Also, I am happy. I do not feel lonely. I may also be a bit of a hermit.
uh, you're sweating and freaking out when you're interacting with people. that isn't introversion, that's social anxiety or some other undiagnosed condition.
Socializing with strangers is boring and stressful, and I choose not to do it if possible. I don't feel like this is a condition that needs to be diagnosed and fixed :)
Of course, I'm not a trained psychologist and neither are you probably, so neither of us are qualified to say either way.
I blame things like instant messaging for making those baseline friendship interactions too easy and too disposable and too convenient.
My response is to get out there and I socialise anyway. If someone makes efforts to be friendly to me I man the fuck up and return in kind and I recognise the way I feel for the fault that it is. It's a dead end that leads to unhappiness. Hanging out with people (not just your friends, ANYONE) is like exercise for your mental health. The more you hate and dread it the more you probably need it so it's best to just get it over with because it'll become easier with renewed practise.