What's your definition of being social?

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Some of my past therapists might have saw me as antisocial when I was younger. Therefore, they made efforts to bring me "back" into society by modifying or attempting to modify my behaviors, something that typical ABA therapy (though not all types of ABA) seems to focus on today. Unfortunately, I either didn't know how to or didn't have the courage to say "no" during ABA. I believe ABA was one of the major causes of my GAD.

Currently, my definition of being social is exactly what you think it is: getting involved with other people. I think even smaller actions can count as being social. Unfortunately, some of my therapists don't think I'm being social enough, and they want me to have a larger amount of friends, specifically more than 2. They want to see the giant leaps and not the tiny baby steps that I'm taking. I think my obsession with my past is what is preventing me from fully fitting the therapists' model of being social.

What is your definition of being social? Could you also give advice on how to let go of the bad things in your past?

Are you comfortable where,you are at socially?

People like to say that I'm anti social because I have no friends and I never have plans. I want to have friends, but I can never get beyond the acquaintance stage with anyone. I am pretty much done wasting my time with people.

I am, but if some of my therapists take my mom's word too seriously, they'll try to make me fit into their model of social behavior without considering how happy I am first. Being an introvert, I give my energy to people while socializing. I get distressed if I spend too much time socializing and will need alone time afterwards. And I recharge my social batteries very slowly.

During get-togethers with my friends, I function best with minimal talking involved. It seems counterintuitive, but believe me, it actually works. Talking to people drains my energy, but it drains faster if they are talking about something I am not interested in or a highly emotional subject.