Only Child Syndrome Symptoms

Number 1: Love and Attention
It's impossible for me to tell if someone likes me unless they pay me lots of genuine attention. But it has to be real. Not the fakey crap you get with daily chit-chat. Not, "how's the weather" kind of conversation, but true focus and care. Of course, not getting that attention immediately makes me question my worth, at least until I reason my way out of the psychotic downward spiral of my self-esteem, which is often accompanied by an equally psychotic determination to hate everybody.

Number 2: Misanthropy
It's easier to turn from people, to be solitary, than it is to socialize. Now, we all need a combination of socializing and solitude, all I'm saying is that singletons turn towards solitude more often than most. It's our healing place, the place from which we examine our interactions and sort out our feelings and opinions. People often times are surprised to see us at parties telling jokes and having fun; generally we're seen as antisocial. Sometimes we are. Sometimes we hate you. But not just you; we hate everybody.

WARNING: If you're an only child and reading this, you probably think--oh that's so true, we're so alone and different. Look, we may experience particular social anxieties more acutely than others, but our thoughts and feelings (no matter how INTENSE) aren't unique to us. Everyone has a hard time working in groups, socializing, sharing, cooperating. I'm sorry to burst your victimbubble, but you're not an alien. You're not unique. You're just as human as the people with siblings. If you get out and tell people your feelings about your social awkwardness, you'll start to realize that. By all means, enjoy solitude, but realize that it's by socializing that you learn most about what makes you human. And it's by practicing social skills that the intensity of group settings becomes lessened. Also, drinking and drugs help. Just kidding. Sort of.

Over and out.