Inate biological requirement for human contact

I’m a bit hesitant to post a thread, since it seems to always result in getting randomly tagged in various flavours of good mornings and cuppa tea threads for the next six months. Which I do not want

But I (45M, Diagnosis Schizophrenia, Seasonal Affective Disorder and Complex PTSD, Differential Diagnoses include Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Other Specified Dissociative Disorder, Autism 1 and probably others which I forget) have become quite profoundly isolated following the pandemic, the death of my mother who I shared a unit with, and potentially other factors

I have just started the SANE Guided Service and attend via zoom a group on connections next week

For a multitude of reasons, I have never been a social butterfly. But I have generally had more connections than I currently do. The connections which I do have often tend towards trite platitudes and superficiality. That shift towards that has been particularly evident with my 2 sisters who I maintain contact with

My current existence revolves around healthcare. Almost everything which I do is some form of homework for Therapy, or appeasing my GP with dawn beach walks and diets, or just pandering to health professionals

I have stuff all interest in anything. I’ve discussed with my psychologist that Therapy is a potential Special Interest related to Neurodivergence, where obsessing about Therapy is symptomatic of some of the symptoms which I am in therapy for to begin with

I was a Western Bulldogs silver member for years. But I lost interest when we finally won a flag. The dream kind of resolved and left nothing to strive for. So I no longer purchase memberships

I have an honours degree in Visual Arts. But in my middle age, I have realised that Art was never MY passion It was just giving into pressure by family of what THEY thought I should do/study. And to cater to my own passion, I should have studied a STEM subject, likely a science

I did a postgraduate certificate (Actually the first 6 months of a Masters, but my housemate burned my house down. So I took an early exit point and moved) in Information Technology. But lost interest and my information is outdated and no longer valid with modern systems

A few of my Dx and Ddx include symptomology which effects my will and ability to socialise. But to some extent, human contact is an inert biological requirement. And health outcomes in it’s absence are poorer