Wednesday, February 17, 2016

What am I supposed to say?

Caroline has seen her social life deminish over the past couple years. She still has friends, but she goes out and sees them less and less. It's not because she doesn't want to, she does. But all the reasons she doesn't share makes people invite her less and less. So Caroline is thinking about what she's supposed to do, because she can't tell them all.

She can't tell her friends that she isn't being lazy, or stand-offish, she wants to go to the bar after work for a drink. Or dinner to chat. But she's broke. Somehow with three jobs, she is always broke. It depresses the hell out of her and she needs friends more, but she can't say, "sorry, I can't afford the gas it would take to drive to your place, I need to save that for work."

She can't tell friends that sometimes it's the fact that she doesn't have the money to buy a side/dessert/drink to bring to the party, and it makes her uncomfortable to not bring anything,  so she just doesn't go.

She can't tell them she doesn't invite people over anymore because she was told that her house is small. Even when her event was outside.

She can't tell them that sometimes the anxiety that developed a few years ago is sometimes stronger than the pep talk she gives herself to go out.

She can't tell people that her migraines drain all the life out of her now. She feels so boring.

She can't tell people that she's sure now she suffers from depression. But she can't affort to get that verified by a doctor.

She can't tell people all that because it is embarrassing. And what would it change?

She misses her friends and doing things, but not sure what she can do about it.