hi at my worst i do this do not feel alone! maybe start w/ one person and pick something u are comfortable doing. i am more at home in my house but duh then that defeats the purpose. maybe go w/ them on a walk,something simple at first. then build up when u are up for it. trust me,when u do it is nice. i still go back and forth depending on my mood/ed etc. but it does help. take care!

I did this. I isolated myself from everyone because I was depressed and didn't want to be around them, but it only made me more depressed. Then one day, I realized that I didn't really have any friends anymore, and I was so upset, I couldn't even think. I saw all my friends gather outside of my dorm and leave to eat. I was sitting in my dorm and no one bothered to even call me. I had isolated myself so much that they had given up on me. It was the worse feeling in the world. Since then, I have made myself get out and do things with my friends. I am trying to reconnect with them. And you know what, I am so much happier now. Don't isolate yourself. You need the love and support of your friends. It doesn't have to be anything big, but just make a point to go out with them every once in a while so they don't give up on you.

I still do that. I really just hate going out... It is a mixture of anxiety and their expectation. Going out often involves eating out and I just don't want to deal with it. Then I get anxiety because I am always worried something will happen.... I always hate it. I know it is part of the disorder but it is a part I kind of like.. which is weird... I never was a very social person anyway.

i did that today. i told my friend i was sick so i wouldn't have to go.
i guess i dont have any advice since im in the same boat as you.

i don't go out with friends anymore period. it's too much work (are we eating, etc..). i go to school but i have no friends there because i'm too wrapped up in my own little BS drama going on in my head.

you're right, life will undoubtedly pass you by. if you have the ability, seize the moment, and go out!

i ALWAYS find ways to stay home or get out of things, mostly with friends.. but sometimes its even family things, and i really hate it! i have been pushing myself lately and going out, just to the extent i feel comfortable... i did go out, but only for like an hour this weekend and it was as much as i could handle. so i went home, and atleast i went out.. i came home feeling good about myself.. maybe you could try going out for little periods of time.. its really hard,a nd i always want to be alone too... i feel better that way, but we should go out, its life you know..

I thought for a while that I was the only one. I have isolated so much that my friends have given up on me. But the main thing that everyone seems to want to do is go out to eat. You'd think there's nothing else to do. So I do find it much easier to stay at home by myself.

I isolate myself all the time. I have no friends. My husbands family thinks I hate them because I don't go to any of their get togethers. I drop my husband and kids off at their parties and go to the mall by myself. I only feel comfortable around my immediate family. I have been trying to do more with my sister and mom. they are my best friends and the only friends I have. If I stop doing things with them I will have no one other then my husband and daughters and I don't want that.

Great post Missy, I know it's pretty old. Still an awesome reminder for me to get out there, be with people. Be a human doing instead of just a human being. xo

I'm so good at hiding it's scary. But it's easier than dealing with stupid people who don't or won't understand what I'm going through. I'm now3 out more due to a temporary job but after that I come home and hide, sometimes even turn the phone off. I know I should be more active but it's too tough most times.

I'm with ya Missy!! A few weeks back I missed my best friends B-DAY party because I hate my body so much, I could not bear to be around a crowd. I told her I had the Flu!!! I spent most of the night with ED. I am a crappy best friend!

i really struggle with this---you're not alone

this is probably the main thing that i have real trouble with, except for my eating.

don't push yourself into social situations that make you very uncomfortable. every once in a while just try and put yourself in a small social situation that you can handle.

i think that being comfortable around others will take time, so don't rush yourself

idk, I love going out... It's my escape.

It's one of the tell-tale signs of an eating disorder. I understand the vicious cycle of it, though. You wanna get out, but you don't wanna get out. I think a lot of the issue is that your entire focus is on the eating disorder- you feel like your whole identity is wrapped up in doing behaviours, obsessing over the ED, etc. "Why go out if I can just sit here, in my "comfort zone," and think about the ED in this "nice, safe" environment?" You see what I'm saying. You really DO have to challenge yourself to find something ELSE that you enjoy, that has nothing to do with mental illness, and then DO it. Have you tried a community centre? They have some cool classes there sometimes, like scrapbooking or photography or whatever...

Also, it's nearly impossible to get up the energy to go out when you're not giving your body fuel. So that's probably 90% of the issue, as well.

community center? like i have time for that...try working 40-65 hrs a week and school full time...o maybe ill give up sleeping and showering and attempt this "community center" thing....