Sigh. I don’t know where to start or what do I need to ask here even at all.
So, I have joined a new workplace and I just don’t know how to interact with people. Most of the time I don’t feel the energy to interact. But being shutdown feels not very socially acceptable behavior nor I feel it would do any good to me.
First two weeks, I didn’t talk with anyone at all. Only one or two interactions here and there that’s about it. After I did manage to get into small group of employees who’ve joined recently and they allowed me to join their social circle.
At this point, I thought I was gonna be okay and will improve at socialising. But even after a month, I still feel this feeling of being subhuman level at socialising. I feel so different, I feel so not normal. I feel everyone are just better at socialising. They got this nailed down somewhere down their lives but somehow I just missed it.
I just don’t know what to do. I don’t have confidence in my voice either so most of the time I try to end conversations with few words. Idk anything really.
Edit: Wow, I didn’t expect this much reception to this post especially since it was very messy how I explained my problem. But you guys surprised me, haha. Thank you all for your advice. I’m reading every one of your replies! I love this community.
I have a few questions. How old are you? Are you male or female? And exactly what do you do for work?
This is vital context. Big difference between like working in a kitchen with a bunch of people and working a software remote job.
How did OP get hired with such poor social skills?
It happens! It can be really hard or sometimes they’re able to mask for an interview or the interview is with someone who complements their awkwardness.
Anyway, very often it’s someone making the hiring decision is able to see past the awkwardness or even see it as an asset. Like I work in computing and whenever a neurotypical comes on our floor it’s like they’re the odd ones out and that’s how the manager likes it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, whether I worked in restaurants or office buildings there was always a basic level of competence required that OP seems to be struggling with.
You’d be surprised what you can get by without
The gender part is sus, but the type of work you and your coworkers do is absolutely relevant. And in which country/culture.
The gender part isn’t “sus”, it helps in understanding context. Nothing else. But country and culture is important too