Advice and help needed

Hi @MrD

A warm welcome to Sane. There are lovely people on here you can talk to and gain support and friendship to ease the loneliness a bit. Especially under the "enjoying time with others thread".

Ideas on how to make friends and socialise? Have you tried support groups such as "grow"? There you can not only access support for your depression but this group has social outings where you can mingle and make friends. You can google the one in your local area. Also joining groups where you have a common interest, volunteer work and/or helping at your daughter's school may be a good way to also make friends.

Good luck with finding part time work - I am sure something will come your way if you keep persisting. Sending my best to you 😊

Hi @MrD

I'm sorry to hear you are feeling so socially isolated. Loneliness really sucks! I am in a similar pickle, although I am no longer looking for friendship. I've been burned one too many times and thus I am done with the friend thing. I do value aquaintances though and that is what has brought me to the forums. I've only been here a couple of weeks, but I have already found the forums to be a safe and supportive place to hang out.

I don't know what sort of opportunities you have in your area, but I have found volunteering a good way to meet new people. I have a volunteering gig one day a week during school terms which I really enjoy. I know one of the reasons I struggle so much over the long Christmas break is because I don't have that bit of social contact. Certainly where I live, there seem to be volunteering opportunities to suit all sorts of interests/level of time commitment etc. Perhap's there might even be a volunteering opportunity at your daughter's school? I don't have kids, but I've heard that schools are crying out for volunteers for various programs because so many parents work these days and it is hard to get them to volunteer like they used to in years gone by.

Anyway, welcome to the forums

Hi @MrD, another welcome to the forum. 🙂

As others have indicated, the best way to meet people may be to join in community activity of some kind.

For example, where I live there is a community mental health hub that runs various activities throughout the year, such as craft groups, coffee get-togethers, walking groups, etc. There are other local community groups, not directly related to mental health, that I have also been a part of, such as a ukelele class, a meditation class and the like. These kinds of things have not, in the past, exactly been my 'cup of tea'. But because I had become so isolated prior to this, I started joining in on some things like this. It has enhanced my life since I've been doing this over the past year or so. Prior to that I was spending almost all of my time at home. I now have a small friendship circle local to where I live. This has helped raise my confidence, which had been so damaged by a social anxiety that had taken over my life previously.

I too have heard that the 'Grow' organisation provides good social connections. However, it's worth knowing that this organisation is based around a 12-step program, something I have personally tried before and felt was not helpful to me. It may help you though.

Kind wishes.

Yes it is something that you want to do,my mental health nurse suggested grow group,I did not have any interest in it.I am worried that job provider will make me volunteer.My mind is not there at all.Its not for me.I admire people who do it but I'm not in the right mind.Do whatever works for you.Myself I like to do things that don't remind me that I have a mental illness,am unemployed,etc.I enjoy the relief of the moments when you think you are normal which is a rarity.

Hello @MrD, Schools are always looking for parents to help out, weather it be reading groups or for tuckshop, uniform shop etc. Being the beginning of the year they, you may be able to ask you daughter's teacher if he/she needs help in the class room or ask at the office. When my son was at primary school they were alway screaming for help.

Give it a try.

Take care