Feeling isolated

Even with supportive friends and family, I still feel isolated. Part of it is because my 20s was spent first ignoring and then treating my PTSD (veteran here). I didn't want anyone to know what I was going through so I'd wear that mask every day and act like everything in life was fine. I have a great group of friends who I know would be there for me through thick and thin, and a father who is always a veteran that I could talk to if I ever needed it.

Still, I was reluctant to talk because I didn't want to burden others with my problems. I'm now in my early 30s. While I've been able to get to a healthy point with my PTSD, the habit of isolating myself still lingers. I want to let it go but I'm having a difficult time doing so. Partly because I've grown to like the solitude, but mostly because it's been such a big part of my life that it's hard to let go.

I don't expect anyone to understand or relate, but I would like to hear opinions or general feedback. Thanks in advance ALL.

I know a lot of people that have a tendency to isolate themselves, myself included. It's hard to get out of the habit of keeping things to yourself and letting people in.
If you want to not feel so isolated and start opening up to people, I would just start off small. When you talk with your friends and family, just take it a step further and throw something in that you haven't told anyone and see how it goes. That will get you a little more comfortable in opening up to them and therefore feel less isolated.
I'm not sure if you mean letting go of the isolation or letting go of the issues that resulted in the isolation, but either way, you don't have to completely let them go. Personally, it's healthy to isolate yourself occasionally, as long as you don't take it to extremes. And for the reasons for the isolation, sometimes it's nice to let someone in to help carry the burden of your emotions and past. Them just knowing about it will help ease the heavy load that is likely weighing you down.
We all go through problems, there's no shame in admitting them to people we care about. Those that care about us won't judge us for what we're going through.

I don't know if that will help you at all or not, but I hope you figure out what you need to do to find a balance between letting people in and isolation. Also, thank you for your service.

It's strange, because I don't have a problem opening up. What I do have a problem is finding people I trust enough to open up to. I do well in a social setting, it's just that a lot of the time even when I'm around people I love and care for I tend to retreat within my own mind and kind of just go on auto-pilot. I think I've just been so used to hiding my feelings from my friends, going back to age 13, that it's going to take some work to get past that. meh. lol

It's helpful, thank you Callie.