Hi!!! everyone, M29 here. I moved to NYC in mid-2024, working in LIC and living alone since then. Honestly, I don’t talk to people much unless I have to, and even then, I feel super overwhelmed, whether it’s with coworkers or even my boss. Loneliness has been hitting me hard lately, and it feels like it’s messing with me.

When I’m comfortable with someone, I can get really talkative, but since I’m introverted, I barely talk to anyone IRL. Not gonna lie, I feel intimacy-deprived too, like no one would actually want to connect with me, which just makes me retreat even more.

I’ve been going to the gym four times a week just to release some dopamine, and honestly, it helps a bit. But still, how do you deal with living in a massive city like this, surrounded by so many people, and yet feel so alone and full of anxiety?