Hi. I'm new.

[Guest_65097678]

I'm Marian.  I've never married and am 69 soon to retire from very part-time work.  I have no friends or relatives that I see regularly so it's going to be a challenge given my history of anxiety/depression.  I shall keep as busy as possible and try out some different things.  I've never so much as had a boyfriend so it's been a very lonely life which has contributed to my depression.  I'm very religious but feel that God is deaf sometimes!!

[quirkywords]

 Marian

Thanks for writing your post. Welcome to the forums. 
I am close to your age but I have a few long term relationships and a family but I still often feel alone. I have not found relationships ships easier. 
also is there a group you can join at your church .

After I retired I started part time. Volunteer work and I met people and kept busy doing something worthwhile.

just a thought to think about volunteer work. 

[Happylife]

Hello Marian,

Warm welcome to the forums, thank you for sharing your story.

Glad to know you are always willing to try different things. Engaging and doing something new will help build flexible thinking, improves mood and mental wellness. Feeling lonely sometimes is a pretty common feeling but there are few things you can try to feel more connected.

You can try joining your local community group or library where you might find like-minded people. Book clubs are a great way to connect with people in your area.

As mentioned by quirkywords, you can try volunteering and doing something nice for other people which will help you feel better and more connected to the community.

Is there any particular hobby you are interested in?

If you are struggling with feeling alone all the time, it's very important to seek some professional help if you haven't done yet. Talking to someone or a therapist might help you find strategies for coping with loneliness in a healthy way.

Happy to listen if you want to chat more...

Take care

Happylife