Depression Hurts

I got this question today and I have a lot to say about it.

Anon. asked: Do you have any advice for someone who finds it hard to make friends?

My response:
"As another person who finds it hard to make friends I'm at a little bit of a loss as to what to tell you. The biggest thing I need to change (personally) is that I stay home and don't try to go out. You have to get out of your own comfort zone and live your life. Take a class, or pick up a part time job somewhere. Co workers end up being some of the best friends you'll have. You'll certainly see them more than anyone in your personal life. Just don't tolerate people not treating you well. Bad friends are not worth having. It's better to be happy on your own then brought down by a bad friend."

If you don't know anyone struggling with depression or anxiety, I would be very shocked. For a lot of people it's very hard to talk about, mostly because few people understand it. It's very difficult to communicate your feelings to people who have never experienced them. and can often make you feel even more isolated than depression does on it's own.

Anxiety about connecting with people and having them accept you is terrifying. Having spend 20+ years being looked at funny, has shown me that I don't really have anything in common with most people. and most people will not bother to try to connect with another person these days.
I Recently went to a bar with a friend. Our monthly date to a pub to be social butterflies and make new friends. This usually consists of the two of us only talking to each other and sitting as far away from other people as possible.
We made some friends. I thought I'd done a great job, Really funny, smart English/Scottish guys that played pool and told jokes I understood and laughed at my desperate and numerous attempts to be witty and get laughs ( I'm always on, it's exhausting for everyone around me, I swear) I thought I had done well. Boyfriend picked us up and I told him all about my new friends and how they didn't know anyone and I would invite them over to our house for the next party we had. I was over the moon
The next day I get a message on Facebook very angry with me for "leading a bloke on" while I had a boyfriend the whole time. I was completely confused. I wasn't flirty or dressed provocatively I didn't even get out of my chair the whole time. How could I have given the wrong impression? My friends swore I did nothing inappropriate and that is all people are looking for. So it wasn't my fault. But I'm completely baffled by people. I don't understand anything about interacting with people. Being really smart and somewhat isolated as a child severely stunts your social skills.
My mom and I had an exact scene from The Big Bang Theory play out when I was about 11 and my cousin gave me a bloody nose. She explained to me that while I was above average and special and gifted, nobody really likes hearing about it. I didn't understand bragging because I've never really had much to brag about. Now I'd found something that made me special and I couldn't even tell anyone. I realized very early in life that I don't understand anything about human being. Why they do anything at all is a total mystery to me. In their defense, nobody has ever understood anything about me either. So I guess it's not their fault, or mine really.
I do however think it's very important that we all try to understand and accept everyone that we share the planet with while we're here. Sometimes that means stepping outside of your comfort zone, either for yourself or for someone else. and that is not a bad thing. We should embrace and understand each other and we'll all be happier with open minds :)