Hi, I’m Tom, a therapist at Good Therapy SF, and I’m going to help you understand why socializing can feel so exhausting.
First, it’s normal to feel drained after socializing, especially if you’re introverted, highly sensitive, or navigating social anxiety. Even positive interactions require some emotional energy, attention, and self-monitoring. So if you’re constantly trying to say the right thing or read the room, it can feel like mental overload.
So what can help? First, give yourself some downtime after social events. This is not avoidance, it’s restoration.
You can try practicing self-compassion instead of being critical and wondering what’s wrong with you.
You can also try to learn to set more boundaries around social time so that it works more with your energy.
So it’s okay to need recovery time and understanding your limits is part of staying mentally healthy. If you have any more questions about this, please feel free to reach out to us here at Good Therapy SF.
