I feel invisible in medical school and incredibly lonely, what can I do?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in medical school, and lately I’ve been struggling more and more mentally. From the outside, everything might seem “fine,” but on the inside it feels very different. I often feel completely invisible to others, like I’m there but no one really sees or notices me.

I think part of it is that I’m just a quiet person. I’m not someone who easily puts themselves out there or starts conversations. Because of that, in lectures and group sessions I often feel like an outsider. It seems like everyone has already formed their own groups, conversations pass me by, and I don’t really know how to join in.

It makes me feel insecure and causes me to withdraw even more, which only makes things worse.

Honestly, it’s making me feel really lonely. It’s starting to affect my motivation and the way I see myself.

Does anyone else relate to this? How did you deal with it? And what are some concrete things I can do to improve this?

Any advice or experiences would really mean a lot.