How do I make myself WANT to be around people, to be sociable, and talkative? I think I do marginally well in social situations now, but there's some baggage from my past (feeling unwanted, rejected, not competent, embarrassed). So I stopped having friends in order to "protect" myself emotionally I guess, but now I really feel the SHEER LONELINESS weighing down on me. The worst part is, the stress of life gets magnified x20 when you don't have friends. I'm sick and tired of it, but I'm also (still) terrified of putting myself out there. Please help, I need it desperately.