Ptsd affects socialising and life 100%. Everything purdyamos has written I relate to also.

It is exceedingly difficult to be yourself in society when the levels of mistrust are very high in yourself and also in others (about anything different or deeper than 'usual'). Unless it's within the bounds of a forum like this, or somewhere that equally you feel there is understanding, I don't feel it's easy at all to be open or yourself. Personally I find it too painful to pretend, especially as this often means feeling more and more divided within and distant from yourself, so I decided to limit as much as possible being in situations where there was no option but to wear a mask.

If someone has to be outside a lot, having others in life who do understand (whether that's a counsellor or otherwise) and who they can be congruent with has to be a centring thing, or otherwise, being very centred with who you really are yourself. But that last one doesn't cover the social side of things! The only way to become social I think must be with the right mixing and/or enabling via the right counselling.

Cat