What's the biggest obstacle to socializing for you?

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1. When others are talking, I'm usually not interested in what the others are talking about. If I am, I usually get interrupted or talked over.

2. I don't always understand body language or social cues. I don't half the time.

3. I often 'zone out' if I socialize for too long. ("Too long" is about 2 or 3 hours.)

4. In group, I'm often forced to socialize--whether I want to or not.

5. People aren't interested in what I want to talk about sometimes.

6. I don't fully trust anyone outside of my family.

7. I'm slightly paranoid about people and their intentions.

8. There are a few other things I can't think of right now. But I can relate to people here because I deal with similar issues.

Yeah that is probably why I get so upset when people accuse me of things like that, because it's so against what I'm about I just cannot stand the thought of people thinking that about me.

I can pretty much relate to most of what's been said here, but my biggest problem is that it's hard to get myself to actually go out the door, get on the phone, or send out an e-mail, even if I think I want to. Once things get started, I just do the best I can with the other issues. But I have a great deal of difficulty taking the initiative to cause myself to be social in some fashion. Maybe I'm too afraid of just plain being a dud. Maybe it's fear of all the other stuff that can go wrong. Sometimes I just really don't want to do it, as others have said in their posts, even if I initially think I do. In any case, getting started is a big stumbling block, and I think it both keeps me from getting there and also makes me late to act by the time I finally do get underway to that social setting, phone call, or e-mail exchange.

Some people are deterred by my 'wackiness' and try to avoid talking to me (still talk to them though )

^THIS^

ME

and I should add at one point during socializing, this happens:

- Being accused of things I didn't do
- being accused of having malevolent intentions

I'm the most harmless guy in the world, and I end up passing for the bad guy

(for some reason it happens a lot with women)

Not knowing how often to give eye-contact; worrying about giving "too much" or "too little"....

Trouble in social situations that don't revolve around an activity, game or external focus of some sort (e.g. movie)

Get intensely uncomfortable when the only focus is conversation itself. I get so anxious that I often blurt out something stupid