Dear Prudence,
I have a friend who can be socially awkward in group situations. She means well and is a kind person, but she can rub people the wrong way and I struggle bringing her around my social circle. She wants to be included, but I don’t think she realizes how she comes off. She does not have a lot of friends, so I think it stems from insecurity; she overcompensates by talking a lot and will interject with a story (sometimes relevant, sometimes not) while a conversation is happening. I think it is her way of trying to connect to others, but the stories fall flat, she overshares personal information (health issues, family drama, money), and it’s nonstop throughout the course of the entire time we are together. She wants to be included in things, and often says she wants to be better friends with members of my social circle. My friends are gracious and will accept her coming time to time, but it’s also been made known to me her comments can be insensitive and insulting to them. And to be frank, she is just annoying at times with being overly chatty with her nonstop stories and not letting others finish their conversations. Is there a polite way to address her behavior? I feel awkward and uncomfortable when she is around.
—Awkward Friend