I have noticed a cycle in my social life.

Most of the time I'm quiet &amp; reserved. I have a very young face and reflexively find myself smiling a lot (some kind of defense mechanism, I guess?). All this adds up to people developing a positive initial impression of me. Being shy and having a friendly, youthful face seems to make people assume the best.

So, people try to make friends with me. Their interest in me tends to boost my confidence and I start opening up a bit. Invariably, whether it's days, weeks, or months, these new friends realize I'm actually an asshole who has very little to offer in a social dynamic. And then they move on to better things, interacting with me even less than the typical acquaintance.

This, naturally, damages my self-confidence and I revert to being quiet and reserved. And the cycle starts again.

Kinda sucks, TBH.