No friends.., a lonely single mum.

[ConcreteRose]

So here I am at 36, a single mum of 4 kids & I nolonger have a social life. Friends" started to fade away from my life several years ago, just the usual with people moving, & people growing and changing and taking different life paths etc. I was finally down to 1 friend who was very toxic and I found the strength to end that 2 years ago, & since then I've had no friends 😞 I don't really have family either apart from my children. We visit my parents but I'm not close to them.

I feel extremely lonely and isolated. I have depression and social anxiety which doesn't help matters, although nobody could pick it as I'm good at hiding those things.

I have my youngest child with me 24/7, so joining activities etc I enjoy to meet people is not doable. I have tried playgroups etc and found them to be like high school, with how mums have their groups and can be very nasty etc unfortunately. I talk to mums when my youngest is playing with their child at parks, but nothing comes of it.

I started telling myself I don't care I'm alone, but I do care, it really hurts that I have nobody.

How am I supposed to make close friends at my age, especially when I don't get any child free time etc?

Does anybody else feel like this? I feel like I'm the only woman my age who doesn't even have 1 friend.

( I currently do not work & just study online at home until my youngest is old enough to start prep)

[Sad_Otter]

Bluebelle Rose and Concrete Rose, both of your stories resonate with me. I am 50 with 2 children ages 13 and 8. The mum's group thing faded, friends have changed over time and for some reason since my mum passed they changed and I changed and I'm now only connected to 3 lifelong friends that I don't see often but one I speak to on the phone quite a lot. Very small family and I feel so sad my kids don't have lots of aunts/uncles or any cousins. The school thing is just terrible. I feel your pain Bluebell Rose as the mothers can be very cliquey but I find because I'm quiet and not interested in gossip and hanging about that I'm excluded and this impacts on my children as they are excluded from the park plays/play dates as well. I try not to let this get me down but it is very hard. Be kind to yourselves, stay interested in the things you get joy from and hug your kids lots.

[PandaMama]

I wish we could make friends through this forum.

[Coffeelover1]

Concrete rose I feel your pain I understand what it’s like to feel so lonely,

im 40 2 kids & a wife but My life is just work & family time

I long for someone who wants to hang out & chat , exchanging messages & asking how your day / week went . sometimes I think of myself like the lonely little fat kid from school desperately trying to make friends.

Maybe start a conversation with. Stranger they could be as lonely as you are

[Oddball]

Hello, I am also in a vulnerable situation. It is somewhat of a comfort to know that I am not the only one who is alone. I have one friend that I can rely on but he is on disability pension and has enough to worry about. Sadly, I am an immigrant. I have no one to put on my next of kin form, should the need ever arise. I'm just looking for friendship - someone who checks up on me once a while. Does anyone have any suggestions? This forum is great but what if I'm wanting to celebrate the birthdays and grief with a human being?  Are there housing options where vulnerable people who are all alone can rent living spaces so that they have social lives (different to what the government offers). I know there's flatmates/etc but it would be good to be among people who understand the pain of involuntary loneliness and who value human company. I'm 44 male. Thank you all for listening and for sharing your pain.