Its a good article. I have the same access to family and friends as I did before my injury and yet, since my injury have had and continue to have many issues with social interactions and maintaining and making friendships.

I kinda wish there was more to the article, help wise or suggestion wise. I know in my case that fatigue plays a huge role, there's just never enough energy to go around and social interaction takes a huge amount of energy.

Plus keeping up with conversation (like others mentioned) and being able to stay focused and remembering conversation details is very hard when your memory is affected the way mine is. People think you don't care what they've said, when in fact you DO, but its nearly impossible to remember a fact AND continue to listen to ongoing conversation. I can maybe do one or the other, but absolutely not both.

But I know there's more to it too. After over 2 years of head pain without any breaks or relief, the chronic pain has made me cranky and withdrawn, sometimes I get short with people when I'm forced to interact. Its difficult to be patient and tolerant with others when your head is under so much pressure that you almost throw up from pain if you dare bend over to pick something up off the floor.

I mostly live like a hermit now, I rarely see other people than my husband and health care providers and honestly, I don't care that much. Interacting with other people is mostly just exhausting and upsetting.

Starr