@Averly Wow, couldn't have said it better myself. Lonely when I'm alone, and when I'm around others I can't wait to be by myself. A vicious, self-feeding cycle, like you said.

The past few years, I've fallen into my imagination for company. Writing, art, places I can be on my own terms. Before that, it was a balancing act between living without fear, or finding a way to just get out. A scary place to be, as you know. Creativity gives me something bigger than myself and my problems.