Hi EJ and welcome to the boards, I'm glad you found us.

As everyone here already knows, I can relate 100% to your story. Although I was still confident at age 30, I am now 43 with health issues including arthritis, as well as depression. I believe that it is mostly the depression that causes me to feel so hopeless.

Since I am in therapy for the depression, we talk about that issue as well. While I was in group therapy we even did some "role playing exercises" on some days to help boost my confidence and work on new social skills. We even had an assignment that in the cafeteria we should go and meet two new people. It sounds corny, and it felt corny doing it, but it did help.

Do you feel you may be suffering from depression, and that might be causing your lonliness and hoplessness... or do you feel that being lonely is causing you to be depressed?

I do believe that there is someone out there for every one of us, we just have to keep ourselves open to it. I firmly believe that "early thirties" is still pretty young to be in the game. I know that doesn't help much to hear though... people older than me say the same to me but I just don't feel it.

I'm working on it though. I hope you will and also continue posting here for support and maybe even some better advice

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