Depressed mood related to aging issues, chronic illness, and loneliness

Hello. I am feeling really low these days.

I don't see to have much to get up in the mornings for any more. I am going to be 60 tomorrow. Which is fine.

But I also struggle with chronic illness (ME/CFS and long COVID), so every day my body is sore and weak and my energy is low.

I work two afternoons a week to keep engaged with the world but it taxes me.

I do not have children and I do not have many friends. My husband is busy with his life. So I feel quite lonely most days.

I'm not close to my family. My two siblings live far away and we talk maybe every few months. And when we do it is very casual. My parents are both gone - I was close with them.

I do have two dogs who I love very much and who I know love me. I think they are the only two living beings who motivate me to get up out of bed.

I go through this cycle regularly. It's like the pain and fatigue wear me down and I sink into a depression. It's hard to lift myself out of it but I do, and things are okay for a while, until I get worn down again.

I guess I'm posting this because I don't want to feel so alone with these thoughts. Thank you for reading this. Hope you all are having a fairly good day so far.

Hello and welcome.

I’m 65 and yesterday I struggled with those kinds of thoughts. I have a bad back which keeps me from doing things I’d like to do, like traveling or going for walks. I used to have the most wonderful cat companion but he passed a few months ago and I can’t see ever having another one like him. But this morning despite the rain and dark clouds was a better day. I’ve been listening to old music and reading.

I'm sorry to hear this. I feel like I'm in the same position as you are. My health is OK for now but it's not perfect like it used to be. I'm thankful for it, but I feel that it can all change in a day. I had prostate cancer about ten years ago and I was surprised to get that diagnosis as I didn't feel like anything was wrong. I had surgery and recovered. That process lasted lasted a few months but it was a dark period in my life. And since I had the surgery, it hasn't been the same as I've had to have some side effects and taking medications for it.

I've never been married and no kids. At least you have a husband. I know he may not be much of anything but at least it's more than what many others around your age have. I have a brother and sister but I don't hear much from them. My brother would rather not have any contact and my sister is bogged down with busyness and she seems to have some health issues. I don't have any good friends except for one who was an old college friend and he lives over 3000 miles from me.

It's a wonder I have any kind of positive feelings left in me. It gets more difficult being older with health challenges and losing wonderful people in your life from the past. I don't have any suggestions for you. I've done things that have been suggested for me to make my life better and nothing worked, so it makes it difficult. Best to you.

Hi will19. I appreciate your reply. It's okay that you have no suggestions. sometimes there are no feasible suggestions to make. It's the isolation I feel and having a reply from someone who can relate helps. So thank you. It means a lot to hear about others' experiences. Things don't feel so lonely and I think loneliness is the worst.

I hope some easier moments come to you. I wish things weren't so darn difficult for you.

Aw, I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your cat companion.

And thank you for your reply. It meant a lot.

I am hoping better moments like this morning come again soon to you.

Me either. My "brother" threw me under the bus and I don't need any contact with him. And he has the nerve to ask me for money after treating me so cruelly for years now!!!!!!!

People have told me what to do to make friends too, and it never worked out either. People suck and are shallow, and unless they also want a real friendship, it will just be superficial.

I know you mentioned your sister but didn't know you have a brother.

It does help to read that other people experience this, whether on this site or elsewhere. Actually I come across this a lot, how lonely people are in this world and not just us older people. Yet what's the solution? I don't know.

All I know is that if it weren't for this site (or the Internet period, which I didn't grow up with), I'd think it was just me.