lonely and scared to reach out for help.....

[angeldore]

Hello, I'm a 50yr old woman, divorced, with four grown children. I live alone with my two cats, I have no friends, I go to work everyday and that's it......that's my life. My kids rarely reach out to me, bc they have their own busy lives now. I never go anywhere unless its to the grocery store, bc my anxiety wont let me. I hate being alone but I am too scared of who knows what to leave. I want to call the two ppl I do have in my life (my mother and ex), but who really cares about what I have to say? At least that's what I tell myself. So I don't call them. Im so depressed all the time, so sad, so lonely, but I don't want to reach out bc who wants to hear about it again and again? So, here I am.

[gajh]

Hello and Welcome. I am glad you are reaching out here.

[Downinil]

Hi angeldore! I’m here if you need a friend. Reach out to me anytime.

[Dolphin14]

angeldore

Welcome to the community.

We are here to support you

🐬

[Wildchipmunk]

I care about what you have to say! I am alone and also have a cat-child! ( He bit my little toe last night. I'm thinking about disowning him!). You aren't alone. I'm not a sparkly conversationalist, but I'm here for you. I'm only a text away! And I care about you. So glad you've joined us!! 🙂😊😺

[CatsandCheese]

I don't say much, but reading the posts every day helps a lot. 61 years old with depression, anxiety and OCD with health issues. My fur babies keep me going. Would like to send you a hug. Such nice people here!

[car67]

I do! Every one here is amazing and can support you. It’s really positive you go to work as you are possibly able to mingle with your colleagues? Even if you try and take a walk around the block to ease some anxiety it will help, unfortunately kids don’t reach out to their parents when they hit a certain age when they feel they need don’t us , but they always need us , reach out to them. Maybe you are presuming your mum doesn’t want to hear about anything but maybe she is? Don’t feel down, we will support you, maybe journal, meditate, enjoy reading a book or listening to music you enjoy. Take care of yourself☺️

[punkster]

My therapist listened to the same things over and over again for about three years. Do you have a therapist?

[Kinlay]

First of all, I am so sorry you are feeling so down.

Do you have a pet? You may want to consider adopting a cat or dog from your local shelter or rescue organization to keep you company. Having a pet has an incredibly positive impact on mood and mental health.

I know you say your kids hardly ever reach out, so maybe it's time for you to reach out to them. You don't need to make it about your loneliness and sadness if you don't want to share, but let them know you miss them and want to know how they are doing. That might pave the way for a visit or a stronger relationship in the future. As you said, they are busy, so while they may not reach out, that doesn't mean they wouldn't love to hear from you!

As for feeling lonely, most communities have senior centers that offer everything from free meals to new friends and great activities. I encourage you to look into yours. It just might help you build a social network. There are also a lot of online groups, from Meetup to Facebook and more, that offer places to meet people with similar interests. That's another great way to find a social network. Just make sure you meet in a public place the first time!

Most of all, hang in there and know that you are not alone!

[Bamafan1]

Hey there. Glad you reached out. I for one don't mind hearing about it. I'm your age and have a cat as well. They really do become our family. They are lucky to have you. One thing I started doing was volunteering at a animal shelter. It evolved into me helping plan fundraisers etc and the feeling I had was like no other. Just being a part of such a wonderful cause and to undo the trauma they've experienced by providing food, shelter, love and a home makes me feel like I accomplished something. Plus the fact these animals let us even touch them let alone still try to please us is a true testament

[Cathy63 in reply to Bamafan1]

We adopted our cat from a shelter. Poor guy has anxiety. I sometimes wonder what led to it and why he was given up. Maybe his owner passed away. He's a sweetie, and the most important thing is he has a loving home with us.

[Bamafan1]

Hey there. Glad you reached out. I for one don't mind hearing about it. I'm your age and have a cat as well. They really do become our family. They are lucky to have you. One thing I started doing was volunteering at a animal shelter. It evolved into me helping plan fundraisers etc and the feeling I had was like no other. Just being a part of such a wonderful cause and to undo the trauma they've experienced by providing food, shelter, love and a home makes me feel like I accomplished something. Plus the fact these animals let us even touch them let alone still try to please us is a true testament

[boojiboo]

Research fostering with a local animal rescue possibly?

[Cathy63]

Having to go to work every day makes it so hard to have a social life. I know because I've been there. It's good you have cats to come home to. I do too. This is a great group to reach out to. I have three grown children. My youngest lives with me. The older two don't get in touch as often as I'd like, but we get together every now and then.