u/AdorableRice478

This is a women’s only post. Men stay away.

So I’ve had multiple conversations and spent multiple days wondering about socialising and what not and I found that I’m not the only woman going through this, so here’s the plan

DM me and we’ll plan something, painting at a cafe or whatever idk we’ll figure it out.

After my last post which was only a few hours ago, several men have DMed me asking to date or hangout or whatever.

Men who DM me this time will by all means be reported, so men stay out of this.

Hi. I’m a 26-year-old woman living in Bangalore, and I feel very lost right now.
I’ve been crying for hours while writing this because I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
I’ve posted about this before from another account, and I know people usually say “go to therapy.” I have been going to therapy. For a while now. I’ve worked through a lot of my trauma — family stuff, childhood stuff, all of that.
My parents did give me exposure in some ways, but emotionally, I had a very sheltered and fear-inducing childhood. I was never really allowed to have a normal social life. I wasn’t allowed to freely go out, make close friends, visit people’s houses, just be carefree and exist like other kids did.
I also got bullied very badly growing up, and honestly, a lot of that bullying started at home. My parents constantly pointed out my flaws, compared me to other people, mocked me, made fun of me, and made me feel deeply ashamed of myself for years.
So now, even as an adult, I struggle in ways that feel embarrassing to admit.
I can be around people. I can even talk to them during events and workshops. But when I hear groups talking and laughing together, I want to join in so badly and I just become insanely scared. My brain immediately starts telling me I’ll sound stupid, annoying, unwanted, too much, not enough — all of it.
And the frustrating part is that I am trying.
My therapist keeps telling me that at this point, healing also means building a life outside my trauma. Making friends. Having fun. Experiencing connection. And I really am trying to do that.
I go for events and workshops. I go out alone. I’ve even started creating content recently and made a new Instagram page from zero followers just to push myself into the world more.
And honestly? I do enjoy being alone sometimes. I like cafés, music, wandering around the city by myself.
But I don’t want to be alone all the time.
I want female friends. I want people to laugh with, talk nonsense with, send reels to, maybe travel with someday. I want people I can call at the end of the day.
The thing is — I don’t understand how friendship actually happens.
At events, I can talk to people. I’m not completely socially awkward or incapable. I make conversation. I participate. But after that, nothing happens. Meanwhile, I keep seeing the same people becoming closer and forming groups over time, and I genuinely feel like everyone else knows some social rulebook I never got access to.
How do adults make friends?
Like genuinely:
How often are you supposed to text someone after meeting them?
What do you even say?
How do you go from “person you met at an event” to an actual friendship?
How do you know if someone wants to be friends with you too?
How do people build closeness naturally?
I know this probably sounds stupid or pathetic to some people, but I’m genuinely asking for help.
Because I am trying very hard, and I still feel incredibly alone.

Hey everyone,

I’m restarting my Instagram from scratch and trying to actually understand how it works beyond the usual advice.

Initially, I was just posting based on trends audios, formats, hooks but it didn’t really work out for me. I thought it’d help get reach and views so I’d be able to start posting what I wanted to but The reach was inconsistent and nothing stuck.

Now I’m being more intentional with my niche: marketing + reviewing books, movies, food, TV shows, etc.

Before I go all in again, I’m trying to figure out:

If someone starts a new account with 0 followers, how do they get initial views? Isn’t reach tied to followers?

If the niche is clear but there’s no audience yet, does consistency actually help or does content just sit there?

Do trial reels actually reach non-followers or depend on early engagement?

How helpful is it to boost posts early on if the content is genuinely value-driven?

Also, if you’ve grown an account recently, what would your content strategy look like from scratch today?

Would love real, practical insights.