There are many different reasons why someone might feel like they do not belong. If you don’t feel comfortable in groups, you may start to feel like an outcast. It might frustrate you to see how easily some people seem to get along in group situations, while the dynamic feels entirely different to you.
You might start to experiment with drugs or alcohol to try to fit in. If you do, addiction becomes possible. Some people who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community have an even more difficult time fitting in and finding acceptance.
Gay sober living homes are available for individuals who are a part of this minority and who want to get away from a drug or alcohol habit. You should consider one of these facilities if you’re a member of this group and you want to change your drug or alcohol-related behaviors.
You should also know about three of the most common psychological effects that you can be subjected to if you feel like you don’t belong. Let’s talk about those right now.
You May Feel Lonely
If you feel like you don’t belong, you might make overtures toward groups of people who you would like to be your friends or colleagues. However, if they shun you, or if their reception is not what you’d like it to be, that could make you withdraw and stop trying to engage with them.
When that happens, you might feel lonely. You may eat lunch by yourself at work or stay at home during your downtime instead of spending time with friends.
You Might Feel Angry
You might also start by trying to fit in with the various groups of people with whom you interact in your life, such as coworkers or your fellow students. If that doesn’t work out, and you begin to spend more time by yourself, you can start to feel angry.
That anger can manifest itself in harmful ways. You might resort to drug use, but you may also get into a habit of self-harm. Some individuals who get too angry if they feel social groups have rejected them even commit acts of violence as a way of getting revenge on those who they believe have wronged them.
You Might Feel Depressed
You may feel either lonely or angry if you try to reach out to people and to be part of the group, but then they reject you. However, what you may feel more than anything else is depression.
Some people are already more inclined to feel depressed because of hereditary traits. If such an individual is also experiencing what they believe to be personal rejection by their peers, that can quickly exacerbate the situation.
In such instances, you might hardly feel that you’re able to conduct yourself in a normal fashion in your day-to-day life. You might have to seek out a mental health professional who can speak to you about some solutions. Maybe they will prescribe some medication that will elevate your mood.
