Some here do talk about the need to meet new people and maki.g friends. (Relates to me possibly becoming more active in myocal photography club.)

However as far as pushing oneself to be where there are more people and, to see more strangers: I see that as neither here nor there for health.

But maybe I don't undersfand your question.

I seem to isolate at home because going anywhere usually takes $$$ and I am not flush with $$$ all the time....but then I do notice that when I go to my AA meetings I sit down early and I usually am sitting by myself and seems nobody comes to sit by me either...sucks to be me!

I like to be alone. I live with my parents, but I like to do things alone. I enjoy it. I use to have a lot of friends. Now I do not see them because I do not want to talk. I am depress.I think it is ok to have no social life as long as you are happy.I enjoy going to the dance club alone. I talk to people who works there. .

Isolation is only bad if it makes you unhappy. Not everyone is a social person nor should they have to be. Do what makes you comfortable and what drives you towards what you want out of life for yourself.

I'm a very limited social person. When I go out and there's a huge crowd of people somewhere, it doesn't make me feel included or part of society. I just feel like one person swimming in a sea of other people.

I get the most out of going out when I'm with people I care about and am close to. So it's just me and them and the rest of the people don't even matter. Otherwise, if I'm in a store by myself, I get what I need and I get out. I'm not making friends or enjoying myself. I'm shopping.

I do isolate but only for a few hours, I have to it's my nature. I need to be alone sometimes, because if I don't I can't think straight and just can't concentrate.

I have a whole family 3 kids, a fiance, and 2 dogs, my house is always busy, busy, busy. Most of the time I close the door because I just want to be left alone. Sometimes I'm right in the middle of it, cuz I have to be cook, help with homework, monitor make sure kids are doing chores, dogs are getting fed, and yes I love my family but most of the time i am a hermit. I don't like to go anywhere unless i absolutely have too.

Maybe it's not healthy but I find it comforting, I know in my own little world that I build, people are not going to come into and disrupt it. I'm not going to be hurt, things are controlled by me. Pretty selfish i know, but it keeps me from getting hurt, over and over and over again.

My kids took care of the isolation for me.....

Yes I do isolate. As I have gotten older I find I'm a little agoraphobic. I live in a small town, the city is to much for me. When I go there to shop I'll pull up to the store and often decide to not go in. I'm pretty comfortable alone most of the time, but need to get out once in a while.

I do isolate as I don't trust anyone

There is nothing wrong with being alone. I love it. I know that all those deep thinkers say that it is unhealthy. But they cannot know us as we know ourselves. If it feels good and you are happy about it. Great. It is what you feel and want that counts. Not someone in an ivory tower, looking down at us. I go grocery shopping either very late at night or very early in the morning. My daughter hates crowds too. I am never alone. There is always three people in the room with me. Me, myself and I. Pretty good company.

maybe you should check this out: http://giftedkids.about.com/od/socialemotionalissues/tp/introverts.htm if this describes you it not isolating yourself its just simply being you but since you haven't gave thought to they why you see it as a form of isolation. if this does not describe you alone then take time to think about the reason why, you may already know but you haven't realize it as of yet. i find there are things that i may know about myself but don't realize until something happens or out of the blue i get an epiphany. once i know the why then i am able to adjust, accept or make changes if need be from there.

Isolation is a very scary word and place for me. I want no part of it. I need to be around others. That seems to be my security blanket.

If you are comfortable with it, then that's a different story. Some ppl are known to be "loners". But, they prefer to be alone than around others.

for 3 years I had a routine work go home sleep and i did this every day. it was like it was nice for a while then oneday i got tired of it so. i tried my hardest. basicly i would come home play video games eat and that lasted for about a year then after that i just did random things in the house. never left. I can honestly say now i hate myself for it idont really know how to talk to people any more.normally when im talking what im thinking gets jumbled up with what im saying so it comes out randommly and twice.

also The loneliness is harsh basically you cant call anyone because they don't remember you. or its some sort of embarrassment. trust me as good as being alone can be in time you will regret it. eveything can change around you without you even knowing it.

I've always isolated myself, from an early age. & The more years that went by, the more isolated I became. To the point that, after ending a 12 yr relationship, I had no friends at all that I could go & do things with. Realizing that, I started spiraling down into a very dark place. So, I've made the decision that the fear of being alone & lonely out-weighs my social anxiety. It's hard as hell to put myself out there. Even just interacting in forums like this. But, it's a matter of being stuck in a pattern that hasn't been working for me, or trying something different.

Thank you for your post Cukr. Thought provoking
and encouraging.

Seems to me lots of quiet can bave its purpose. (Getting better acquainted with ourselves?) But when our ability to converse w others begins to go downhill....