PREFACE
My sister is in two groups which have meetings regularly. I don't join clubs or groups or associations. I'm not a joiner. I hate things done by committee. I had to be IN some groups due to my job as a teacher/instructor but I wouldn't have invited most of the members to my home, or been friends with them if I hadn't had to. It's not like I haven't tried some groups willingly.
STORY
Before I had my incident causing PTSD, depression and anxiety, I could minge with the best of them. I have always been "shy" but made myself overcome that so I didn't get pushed around. I stood up for myself. I gave class reports. I took public speaking which helped when I became a Boy Scout Leader, a Webelos Leader, and eventually, The Cub Scout Pack Leader. I got the BEST leadership training in the Boy Scouts. All this prepared me for being a college instructor/professor. I could stand up in front of 15-30 students and lecture. I could stand up in front of a whole gathering of professors at meetings. I still didn't like to but I COULD.
Back to joining groups. I never liked not being the leader in groups. I also didn't like the responsibility of having to lead and make all the decisions in a group. I've been an artist all my life but I can't deal with artist groups. I think it's maybe because I think that most of the other artists are really full of themselves. And there are so many people out there that if given a little bit of power, they let it go to their heads and spoil everything for everyone else.
CONCLUSION
Now that I have anxiety about groups (along with PTSD), it will be a long time (if ever) before I will consider joining any group or club or guild. Although I am in a "guild" in my online game and I chat with people from all over the country and the world. I don't have to be in the same room with them though, and that makes all the difference. We cope how we cope.
