Hi, I'm 40. I've been depressed most of my life. I don't have any friends where I am and I'm not working right now so I feel completely alone and isolated. I'm also an introvert with some social anxiety so joining a group is OUT OF THE QUESTION!! I've been on antidepressants before and they didn't help much. I'm not sure how antidepressants will help anyway when my problem is I feel completely alone and have no friends.. Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a forum somewhere for 40+ year olds? I get the feeling this is mostly younger people on here.. I'd love to find someone I could just email back and forth for support and friendship. But I don't know where to do that. Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[plumapplepear]

You can talk to me i am 52 and have had depression all my life also bipolar depression depression makes you lose the bondings you would have i have never developed the social skills that others have what do you want to talk about? How do you deal with your depression?

[Leed]

I'm an OLD lady of 63. I've been depressed since I was a small chiild. In fact I don't remember ever NOT being depressed. I've been on antidepressants for at LEAST 40 years, if not more. I've never had problems with side effects -- I guess I'm built like a tank. LOL

I too have no friends. I've lived here for over 16 years and have NO friends at all. Where I live, they don't like outsiders, and I wasn't born or raised here, so I'm considered an outsider. They don't like me. I'd move but I can't afford to -- there's no WAY I'd get what I paid for from this house the way the economy is. I just can't afford to move, and I don't know where I'd go anyway. My sister lives on the other side of the country, and I do NOT want to move way out there. I love the state I live in -- I just wouldn't know where to go IN it. LOL

Anyway, I can sure relate to you. Being depressed and lonely is a dangerous twosome. Thank God my meds work "fairly" well. I think I need an increase in dosage tho, as I've been feeling pretty crummy lately. I see the doc next week so we may have to have a talk.

I wish you the best -- you can message me any time you'd like. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

[TheWell]

I'm 41. Depression, Borderline, I'm with you on the lonliness. It's hard.

[Crazy train]

I'm 42 and having a real hard time right now. I have 1 1/2 year old twins and a stay at home mom. I have the same loneliness and just feel lost. Why isn't there a cure for this? I am manic depressivve and bi polar. I'm a mess too.

[shezbut]

z123,

I'm 41 y.o, and I've been struggling with major depression and self-hate for as long as I can remember. I, thankfully, have some days and weeks better than others. But, for the most part, every day involves a significant struggle or two.

Most people that I have become involved with, over the years, haven't truly understood the severity of my depression until they've seen it right before them day after day after day again. I do have 2 young children, which I use as self-motivation to stay alive. That works for me. Other than my daughters, I focus on the beauty of nature. Very simple nature ~ not people! Just birds, trees, flowers, tall grass, clouds, and rocks. Bringing people into my thoughts always brings me into darker side of my thoughts and emotions.

I wish that I could blame one particular cause of my problems, like anxiety or depression. But, it isn't ever that simple. Not in my world.

Best wishes to you...

[plumapplepear]

There is a whole community of us out there that are prone to depression I think our neural network is rigged different and we return to depression. I do not want I t to be the mainstay of my life but I do not believe it will ever go away. My father is in his 80 and still has depression.

[layla11]

Hi, I'm 50 and have no friends either. I ve lived in Texas for 30 years and have no friends. I dont get out much to make friends. Alot of people I just dont like.
I do like it here on the site. I'm new, but cant beleive how much better I feel. I'm not working right now so I get on the site alot. I was up this morning at 2:00 until about 7:00 on the psycentral. People are so kind here. They care about you, isnt that great. You are in the right place.

[Aphelia]

Originally Posted by plumapplepear

You can talk to me i am 52 and have had depression all my life also bipolar depression depression makes you lose the bondings you would have i have never developed the social skills that others have what do you want to talk about? How do you deal with your depression?

I am through depression 51 going through depression also. I've researched and found depression could also be related to/caused by mid-life crisis,or menopause.

[Aphelia]

Hi there.I read your message and feel we are on the same boat. I am going through the same thing as you are, would love the support of another who understands. Can you share more about you? I am female,fit,and depressed suffering an identity crisis after years of being a productive member of society,all of a sudden find myself,jobless..a shattered person

Depression has no age limit.
We may not be the same age, but we feel and experiance the same things.
To me, we are all the same...

I am 50+ y/o, I feel 140...

[underwhelmed]

I am also in this group of "older depressives." Feel free to talk to me.

I am afraid that because I am older, there is no time to recover from the mess that exists (unlike the young people that have a whole life ahead of them). I too am jobless and without friends. I spend the days in isolation. I have tried to find work but have failed consistently. Financially and psychologically I am basically in a disaster. I do not know how to get through each day. The boredom is overwhelming. I used to be a productive part of society and now I am a lump of nothingness. How does one cope with this? I am on meds that take away the "sting" of depression but do not solve the underlying problem of not having a real life. Is this the way it was meant to be? I am scared that every day of my life will be like this and that I will not recover from this life of emptiness and pain. What should we all do to fight this unhappiness? How do you get through the fear?

[regretful]

One of my first threads was going to be titled 46 and depressed, but I thought that would give away my age...and there...I just did it...I'm46 and depressed. Feel free to PM me. I have some thoughts on antidepressants.

Originally Posted by z123

Hi, I'm 40. I've been depressed most of my life. I don't have any friends where I am and I'm not working right now so I feel completely alone and isolated. I'm also an introvert with some social anxiety so joining a group is OUT OF THE QUESTION!! I've been on antidepressants before and they didn't help much. I'm not sure how antidepressants will help anyway when my problem is I feel completely alone and have no friends.. Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a forum somewhere for 40+ year olds? I get the feeling this is mostly younger people on here.. I'd love to find someone I could just email back and forth for support and friendship. But I don't know where to do that. Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[whimsygirl]

I'm over 40 years old too..... Been suffering from depression since childhood.

Originally Posted by Leed

I'm an OLD lady of 63. I've been depressed since I was a small chiild. In fact I don't remember ever NOT being depressed. I've been on antidepressants for at LEAST 40 years, if not more. I've never had problems with side effects -- I guess I'm built like a tank. LOL

I too have no friends. I've lived here for over 16 years and have NO friends at all. Where I live, they don't like outsiders, and I wasn't born or raised here, so I'm considered an outsider. They don't like me. I'd move but I can't afford to -- there's no WAY I'd get what I paid for from this house the way the economy is. I just can't afford to move, and I don't know where I'd go anyway. My sister lives on the other side of the country, and I do NOT want to move way out there. I love the state I live in -- I just wouldn't know where to go IN it. LOL

Anyway, I can sure relate to you. Being depressed and lonely is a dangerous twosome. Thank God my meds work "fairly" well. I think I need an increase in dosage tho, as I've been feeling pretty crummy lately. I see the doc next week so we may have to have a talk.

I wish you the best -- you can message me any time you'd like. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

Hi Lee, that sucks that people treat you like an outsider there since you've been there so long. You'd think by now they wouldn't! Good that you found meds that work for you though. I wish I knew what would work for me, I feel like I don't want to waste my time trying and it does nothing. I'm most worried about side effects I guess, I think most of them have some kind of side effects. I read about the different ones, they don't sound pleasant. What state are you in by the way??

[Travelinglady]

We do have social groups for people who are older....I am in the over 50 one! I wasn't diagnosed with bipolar until I was in my forties, but I have been depressed a lot during my whole life.

[optimize990h]

Originally Posted by z123

Hi, I'm 40. I've been depressed most of my life. I don't have any friends where I am and I'm not working right now so I feel completely alone and isolated. I'm also an introvert with some social anxiety so joining a group is OUT OF THE QUESTION!! I've been on antidepressants before and they didn't help much. I'm not sure how antidepressants will help anyway when my problem is I feel completely alone and have no friends.. Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a forum somewhere for 40+ year olds? I get the feeling this is mostly younger people on here.. I'd love to find someone I could just email back and forth for support and friendship. But I don't know where to do that. Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

i understand the isolation issue and find it hard as I am experiencing the same lack of contact I would if I was at work.

Hi z123, I am in my 40s (ish ) I do understand (I was off work and felt very alone and isolated)

It's such a catch-22. It is soo depressing to not have a social life; yet, the main reason for lack of a social life is because of the anxiety and depression

I work full time, and I am still working very hard on improving my comfort level outside of the office (to expand my social circle).

I do enjoy my colleagues very much (most of the time), but we do not socialize outside of the office: 1/2 of my colleagues are right out of college and the other half is married (or divorced) with children.

Please feel free to write anytime

[missbelle]

I am 40 plus and add 28!...Yes you're right thats 68!! Still on meds since 46 and now very, very stable and happy.No, it was not always that way but retirement has a way of taking some of the stress out of life...not all of course!

[zygo]

Originally Posted by z123

Hi, I'm 40. I've been depressed most of my life. I don't have any friends where I am and I'm not working right now so I feel completely alone and isolated. I'm also an introvert with some social anxiety so joining a group is OUT OF THE QUESTION!! I've been on antidepressants before and they didn't help much. I'm not sure how antidepressants will help anyway when my problem is I feel completely alone and have no friends.. Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a forum somewhere for 40+ year olds? I get the feeling this is mostly younger people on here.. I'd love to find someone I could just email back and forth for support and friendship. But I don't know where to do that. Any help/suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Im just over 40 and have had depression since I was a child. I know the intense loneliness it causes and how friends seem to just drop off the radar. I also have social phobics which make groups or even meeting new people very difficult. I was very sick with D during the time you naturally learn the social skills. I would give anything for it to be different. I am currently in a bad patch with D. I just wanted you to know that I hear you and you are not alone. I know the sadness and isolation you experience. Im here if you want to chat.

Originally Posted by missbelle

I am 40 plus and add 28!...Yes you're right thats 68!! Still on meds since 46 and now very, very stable and happy.No, it was not always that way but retirement has a way of taking some of the stress out of life...not all of course!

Love the kitty picture!! Lol!! That put a smile on my face!

[me532012]

You all seem to be living my life. For so long, it seem that the depression has been my only friend that I don't know that I would know how to live a "normal" life. My husband and I retired to a secluded area and he has recently passed away and I am sooo alone. I am glad to have found some kindred spirits.

[Marla500]

I am 52 I have also been depressed since childhood and have a difficult time making friends but I really would like to do better

[zygo]

Originally Posted by shezbut

z123,

I'm 41 y.o, and I've been struggling with major depression and self-hate for as long as I can remember. I, thankfully, have some days and weeks better than others. But, for the most part, every day involves a significant struggle or two.

Most people that I have become involved with, over the years, haven't truly understood the severity of my depression until they've seen it right before them day after day after day again. I do have 2 young children, which I use as self-motivation to stay alive. That works for me. Other than my daughters, I focus on the beauty of nature. Very simple nature ~ not people! Just birds, trees, flowers, tall grass, clouds, and rocks. Bringing people into my thoughts always brings me into darker side of my thoughts and emotions.

I wish that I could blame one particular cause of my problems, like anxiety or depression. But, it isn't ever that simple. Not in my world.

Best wishes to you...

WOW these exact words could have come straight from my mouth except I have 2 boys that are all that keep me alive. I too am 41 and the only thing that calms me is simple nature.