[andersjbe]

First off, definitely go to a therapist. Talking 1on 1 with someone about deep personal topics might be a lot, but it does help. Group therapy can also help, and it can improve your listening and empathy.

Aside from that, I’d evaluate your behavior, personally I’ve always struggled with food addiction and often used that as a crutch to deal with loneliness. Be honest with yourself and check your coping mechanisms- playing video games, doomscrolling, alcohol, etc.. It’s easy to think of these things as relatively harmless ways to blow off steam, but over relying on them can change how you interact with the world, and thus how you’re perceived by others.

As for more practical suggestions, if you’re into listening to music, see if any of the local venues have shows you’d be interested in. Finding people who are passionate about the same music you are is a great shortcut to finding potential friends.