Loneliness

[ladybyrd]

Hi, I'm new here, hello everyone. I've wrestled with MMD and Anxiety most of my life, I am 61. I've tried Counseling, read many books on MMD, Groups, medications, TCS and Ketamine therapies. I'm still treatment resistant. I'm a Christian women so my faith has been a very important part of my life. Unfortunately, the Christian community isn't accepting or educated on these kinds of things. Loneliness plays a big part in my life. I haven't been able to overcome it yet.

[litethatnevergoesout]

hello ladybyrd, welcome. there’s other people in the community here much better at welcoming and supporting than I am. I’m glad you made it here. you’ll be needed and you’ll find others that will be a blessing for you. how are you doing tonight?

[ladybyrd in reply to litethatnevergoesout]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm okay tonight. Today, I decided that I needed to reach out to a community that understands the struggles with these kinds of illnesses. I did some research and this one seems to be a better fit that I was looking for. Thanks again for the welcome 😊

[litethatnevergoesout in reply to ladybyrd]

You’re welcome. I’m glad you are doing okay tonight. you made a good decision coming here.

[ladybyrd]

Thank you!

[gajh]

Welcome. I am sorry that loneliness plays a big part in your life. You don't have to be alone anymore. There is always someone here.

[ladybyrd in reply to gajh]

Thank you gajh, I'm new here and trying to find my. Loneliness is very painful even when your around others I still feel alone. Thank you for being here it means more than I can say.

[Divii]

You’ll find friends here; welcome 🤗

[ladybyrd in reply to Divii]

Thank you Divii, I'm trying to find my way here since I'm new. Thank you friend for the welcome. It means more than I can say.

[sabres4love]

I just signed up a few weeks ago and I have found this site to be very helpful. Everyone is very encouraging and provides lots of support.

[ladybyrd in reply to sabres4love]

Thank you sabres4love for the support. I'm new here too and just now finding my way with the community. I'm so glad I've found all of you. It means more than I can say.

[80sDreamer]

welcome!

[ladybyrd in reply to 80sDreamer]

Thank you 80sDreamer for the welcome. I'm new here and trying to find my way in the community. All of you mean more than I can say.

[plaganon5]

Welcome

[ladybyrd in reply to plaganon5]

Thank you plaganon5 for the welcome. I'm new around here and just beginning to find my way In the community. All of you mean more than I can say. Thanks for being their.

[plaganon5 in reply to ladybyrd]

Im mostly new but i've been around a bit, it can be hard to get used to new social situations but with practice it gets easier. Most people here are always ready to help however they can.

[Chico49]

A big hello and welcome. We are all here to help each other on our journeys. I hope you’re having a good day today. Much love sent to you

[ladybyrd in reply to Chico49]

Thank you Chico49 for the warm welcome. I'm new here and still trying to find my way in the community. All of you mean more than I can say. Hoping you're having a good day.

[WhydidIgetthisway]

I know firsthand what you're talking about in some churches... it's very sad... I had started with a women's small group who said they accepted everyone just as they were, and that this was a place to feel totally safe expressing yourself... ha... It took me a long time to work up the nerve to even go - but I did and felt good about it until that evening that we were broken up into groups of 7-8 and one woman was sharing about therapy, she was near tears talking about her divorce - I felt empathy for her. One of the members who'd been in the group a long time said that there's absolutely nothing that reading the bible and praying can't help. I piped in that that was not always so for everyone and talked a little about how some have problems understanding the bible and even prayer - some people DO need extra help and that I thought it was perfectly fine to go outside of the church for that. Well, I received a call the next day from one of the 3 leaders saying the 3 wanted to meet with me in person. I asked what this was about and she said she could not say over the phone but it had to do with some things I said in the group!!! I was beside myself in disbelief! Wow... I refused to meet with them in person and refused to ever go back to that church. Unbelievable... I had been very respectful in all that I said that night, no cuss words even! Not all churches are like that, but I do believe I will forever steer clear of all women's groups - women can be so bitter and manipulative. Hang in there - I finally got up the nerve to ask my neighbor to go to lunch with me, from there, we went to a craft night at the library - and now we do a NAMI support group once a month - I feel now like I can talk to her whenever I need to and vice-versa. For the longest time, I was afraid to reach out for help... maybe you're in that place - I'll be a part of another depression support group starting next week... I'm slowly coming out of hibernation and it feels good.

[ladybyrd in reply to WhydidIgetthisway]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the church lady's group. Just know you said nothing wrong to this other lady. You spoke truth into her life. Hopefully, she went outside the church to found the healing she needed. I have had to go outside the church to get most of my healing. Unfortunately, the church seems to be for the well and not for the sick. You did the right thing about not going back to that women's group. I had moved my family to be a part of a women's ministry group that was not connected to a church. I had already been a client with them for years. I traveled an hour and a half to be part of their study groups every week. They had trained me to be a volunteer counselor. They appeared to be accepting but when things got hard and they didn't know how to or want to help, you were pushed out. That's was my experience personal with them. I still to this day struggle with what was already their and on top of my experiences with the church, feelings of rejection.

How awesome! you've found a friend you can trust and do thing's with. You decided to keep trying and not give up, I admire that! Keep going🤗

[WhydidIgetthisway in reply to ladybyrd]

Yes! And I'm older than you! I'll be 65 next month! Would've been easy to just throw in the towel and say this is just my life... die early and be done... but I cannot ignore sparks - the sparks that open my eyes to beauty around me even in the midst of pain and sorrow and horrible things going on in the world today... Good luck to you to in your journey!

[MollyMarie in reply to WhydidIgetthisway]

To WhydidIgetthisway, You are amazing and an example of how persistence pays off. I am a Christian, baptized when I was 8 yo, however the attitude of some of the people that attend church, saying that they are Christians, "really" literally and figuratively, do not know the meaning of the word "Christian". A Christian tries to emulate Jesus Christ in thought and deed, never being unkind or thoughtless, etc. Have hope and look for the 'real' people.

[ladybyrd in reply to MollyMarie]

Amen to that sister!

[bethelbee]

Welcome! Hope you find the support you are seeking on this site! It's been really helpful for many of us. I don't understand any religion that is not accepting of all people. I'm of a different faith but thought that being a 'true Christian ' you accepted all people. My religion does.

[WhydidIgetthisway in reply to bethelbee]

Yes, it is supposed to mean that - but of course people are imperfect and don't always reflect the truth of what they are following. So then we look for other imperfect people who rub us the right way - lol...

[ladybyrd in reply to bethelbee]

Thank you bethelbee for the welcome. I'm still trying to find my way in the community. I know sister, so much hypocrisy in the churches now. Sharing some of your experience mean more than I can say. Hope you're having a good day.

[jeanpuppy]

Sorry you feel lonely, I do too, I have MDD and Anxiety. Try the zoom groups at livewell-foundation.org/sup...

[ladybyrd in reply to jeanpuppy]

Thank you for the link you sent. I most definitely will look into their web site and what they have to offer. I know the struggles with loneliness, the pain from it is close to rejection. For me, it seems to go hand and hand with my lived experiences.

[bethelbee in reply to ladybyrd]

I have recommended LiveWell Foundation to many, including jeanpuppy above. I was on their Zooms about 2 years ago and really liked them. Want to get back on when I get a chance. They're well organized and have great peer moderators.

[ladybyrd in reply to bethelbee]

Thank you, I'll look into it. Sounds interesting.

[jeanpuppy]

Sorry you feel lonely, I do too, I have MDD and Anxiety. Try the zoom groups at livewell-foundation.org/sup...