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Apr 30, 2012, 04:46 PM
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Member Since: Sep 2011
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lynn09
I've been dealing with Major Depressive Disorder, ADHD/ADD, PTSD, Social Anxiety, and some chronic medical conditions my entire life, and am well-acquainted with the difficulties you are having. I live alone, have no children or family, can no longer work, am pretty much house-bound now, and do not have the opportunity to interact with or meet new people other than online. So, please believe me, I hear you and am not unfamiliar with how you feel and the difficulties you are experiencing.
That being said - if the lots of friends you used to have just vanished, I have to wonder how you are defining "friend." We all have many acquaintances who drift in and out of our lives throughout our lifetimes, and even those precious few true friends come and go, as well. If we rely solely upon others present in our lives to make us feel better about ourselves, our self-esteem is going to fluctuate with the ebb and flow of the tides - the comings and goings of others in our lives. What you really want to develop is consistently healthy self-esteem so that your feelings about yourself and your fellow humans are not tossed about by every change in the breeze and scene.
The bottom-line being just this: you must first be your own best friend. You are the one person who is always with you when no one else is no matter the situation or circumstance. Learn to treat yourself the way you would want good friends to treat you; learn to treat yourself with the same care, compassion, respect, and trust you would show a friend and you want your friends to show you. Learn how to enjoy the time you spend with you - when you are comfortable with yourself, other people will be more comfortable with you, and will be drawn to you.
We humans are more alike than different, so you can be certain that there are many, many other people feeling just as you do and experiencing the same difficulties as you - perhaps even some of your former and present friends. Use your experiences to further develop your empathy for others so you can connect with them on a deeper and more meaningful level. Relationships of any kind are more about who those involved are being rather than what everyone is doing.
Hoping for more fulfilling days for you in the future.  lynn09
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how can i learn to do that though...sounds dumb but i have no clue on where to start
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