I am a 56 year old divorced mother of 3 adult daughters. I have social anxiety. My life revolved around my husband and children. I am extremely lonely with no friends. Recently, I was involved with someone I had been friends with for over 40 years. He was the love of my life but it ended badly and now I have nothing. I feel I will be alone for the rest of my life. I don’t know how to move on. I have lots of issues I am dealing with. I’ve been in therapy in the past. Feeling so lost. Don’t know what to do or how to move on. I only know I need help. strong text
Look at what groups are , see if there is something you might like to go to . usauly there are other people just like yourself.
Welcome to the site @Lana319, first of all, good for you for going after this friend, yes, it didn’t end as planned, but you went for it! Maybe in time hurts will heal and you can go back to being friends. Do you want to date? What are some goals for 2024 if you could shoot for the stars? -SG
Hi Lana, really sorry you are going thru so much pain. It really does feel sometimes like nothing will change. Even tho I’m in a long term marriage, it’s not all wine & roses. The loneliness still happens. I have grown kids who of course have all moved so far away and you know they are really busy and distant.
I gave up several friend-relationships at the time I was insanely busy raising kids, dealing with all the chaos & trauma of dying parents, house payments, major job-loss, heavy heavy medical problems, trying to work PT evenings & wknds, trying to connect to siblings…my g*d…kept putting out ‘fires’ constantly…friends? I feel only those who flippin have the LUXURY of ‘time’ to maintane and KEEP those relationships reciprocal and alive.
Now, I’m suffering bc I’ve had to move and I have no idea where irl all the females reaching out even went. Asked my therapist to help me locate proper meeting ‘groups’ so I could reach out to new friends and start creating bonds…umm NOPE, even SHE could not locate any ‘in-person’ groups.
I know the pandemic screwed up a lot of ‘getting together’ but I feel my generation have just decided they are fine with isolating and sitting around the house drinking or something?
No one has any inspiration to DO anything.
Where have older women gone?? It’s baffling.
sorry for the rant
Just checking in, how are you doing? -SG
I won’t go into details about my life here but suffice it to say the only thing that me eventually was to go to church any church doesn’t matter which one and get the book Un agoraphobic and start reading it. It will help you with your social anxiety too. Get the book Unagoraphobia. I am very serious about that. The church thing will tak care of itself
When I thought I had social anxiety, someone sent me a link to a video about it on youtube by Noah Elkrief. It helped me tremendously and I would recommend you watch it. He has also made other helpful videos on other issues too.
I want you to know that you’re not alone. It’s tough when everything feels like it’s falling apart, especially when it feels like there’s no way forward. It’s important to reach out for help, whether it’s therapy, talking to others, or even finding support groups where you can connect with people who understand. Healing takes time, but each small step counts. Don’t give up on yourself, and keep looking for ways to move forward, no matter how small they might seem right now.