Ever since I could ever remember I have always been incredibly shy. I didnt talk to anyone at school until the 2nd grade. My mom would try so hard to get me to talk to someone, even telling me that if I would just say hi to 1 person she would buy me any toy i wanted. Of course I would never do it.
When I was 5 I went through a huge change in my life and unfortunately I am pretty sure I have PTSD from my traumatic childhood.
Thankfully things changed for the good again, but I still always had a very hard time talking to ppl. I am an adult now and have grown, went through many experiences and have had friendly, work related, and romantic relationships but I still struggle with meeting new people.
Im 26 now and have been single for years, i havent been in any kind of intimate relationship in 4 years, i only have 1 friend that i see frequently. In this time of my life I want to meet new people, I want to meet people with similar interests as me, I dont drink and obviously wouldnt be comfortable meeting people at clubs or bars. What are some ways I can overcome this? What kind of alcohol free environments could I meet adults my age and have a good time?
Any advice or comment is greatly appreciated!