I want to open up more to people and feel socially connected but when people ask me questions such as “where’s home for you” “are you close with your family” “what’s your occupation” I get really anxious and then I feel irritated. I find that when people ask these questions they start to ask more questions. I have a hard time answering these types of questions because they bring up bad experiences. In the past, I have answered people’s questions but then they get kind of weird because of how depressing my life has been. It makes me not want to answer these questions because I can’t help what has happened to me and I don’t want a negative reaction from someone. Like how do I casually just tell somebody that my childhood was terrible, that I don’t identify the place where I grew up as “home”, or that I don’t enjoy my job but I am in fact stuck because I signed a contract?
2 comments
i relate, what helps me is to have some vague answers, and ask about them. i also try not to have emotional evaluations to these answers. however, unless you truly see yourself becoming close friends, have discretion with who you share your life story with
>Like how do I casually just tell somebody that my childhood was terrible, that I don’t identify the place where I grew up as “home”, or that I don’t enjoy my job but I am in fact stuck because I signed a contract?
Exactly like this. Don’t worry about how they’ll react to it. That’s on them. Say your part and let them deal with it. If you don’t want them to ask any follow up questions, add “let’s leave it at that”, or “I don’t like going into details” and then switch the subject to something else.