Psychologist Anna Heal

I’m a 28-year-old freelance graphic designer who moved to a new city six months ago for a remote job. At first, the change felt exciting-new cafes, coworking spaces, and the freedom to work from anywhere. But lately, I’ve noticed a creeping sense of loneliness that I can’t shake. I live alone, and my days are structured around client calls, design sprints, and the occasional trip to the grocery store. I’ve tried joining local meetups for creatives, but I often leave feeling more disconnected than before. The conversations feel surface-level, and I struggle to articulate my thoughts in group settings. Even when I do speak up, I worry I’m coming across as awkward or uninteresting. I’ve also noticed that I overanalyze small interactions-like a coworker not replying to my Slack message quickly-and assume it’s because I’ve done something wrong. My sleep has been restless, and I’ve started canceling plans last minute because the idea of socializing feels exhausting. I miss the deep, effortless conversations I used to have with my college friends, but I don’t know how to recreate that in this new phase of my life. How can I break out of this cycle of isolation without forcing myself into situations that make me feel worse? I want to build meaningful connections, but I’m not sure where to start or how to quiet the voice in my head that tells me I’m ‘too much’ or ‘not enough.’