Lately I've been feeling really lonely. I've always suffered with self esteem issues since a child which have got better but I feel so disconnected from everyone around me. I don't tend to hang out with other people often, apart from a night out every now and again. I don't really speak to any members of my family anymore and since my parents separated everyone has their own life, so I don't really have a family element. When it comes to meeting new people, sites like ******/ occupied are just getting me hookups and no substance. I guess I've been stuck in a rut for a while and have no idea what to do.
so why not ask a co-worker, neighbor, or classmate out for a cup of coffee? they don't have to be love interests, just someone you feel comfortable with. good conversation can be a terrific antidote to loneliness. and who knows, it might just lead you to more. important thing here is YOU take the initiative. don't make a big deal out of it, keep it low key and informal. it's not a date, it's a cup of coffee. a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. in your case this step might help get you out of your rut. please give it a try, and good luck to you ~Milan
I have also been struggling with loneliness. It's tough :/ Fortunately I have a fairly close family relationship though. I'm here for you. If you ever want to chat, feel free to add me and post on my wall.
I am also struggling a little with feeling lonely lately.. I do have a wonderful family so I try to fill that loneliness in with family time but I do feel lonely for someone who can give me love and companionship like family can't, so I understand and know exactly where you are coming from as well. I think do as MilansMele mentioned.. Just ask a friend or neighbor or work mate out for a friendly coffee or to just hang out.. I sometimes feel lonely just for my best friend and when we spend time together, I feel a lot better.
Loneliness, for most people isn't simply about lack of human contact, it's about lack of significant people to share life's ups and downs with. It's about lack of close friends sometimes, but more often it's about having no-one to love who will love them in return. Loneliness hurts, but it needn't be a permanent feature of one's life. It can be changed, but it will take a bit of time and effort to see results. You need to persevere and work at it and be prepared to try different things. It's something we all have to do - we all have to make the effort to foster good and meaningful relationships with other people, otherwise we'd all be rather lonely. You mentioned low self esteem, and this, with things like depression can make feelings of loneliness much worse. Instead of walking tall and having the confidence to meet and speak with new people, you're more likely to shrink away from those situations and miss opportunities. If you need help with self esteem or depression, do consider speaking to someone about it. We're not born with bags of self esteem and confidence; sometimes we need support in bringing it out. It's nothing to be ashamed of. If you have specific hobbies or interests have a look online to see if there are any clubs or classes that might support your interests. Often, there are LGBT groups aligned to specific hobbies, so that might be a useful way forward. Another thing to consider is volunteering. Is there a cause you are passionate about? It's well known that many people from the LGBT community are passionate about supporting good causes and volunteer many hours of their own time. Volunteering is a good way to meet interesting people and will give you a sense of purpose, which will help boost your self esteem. The main thing is to keep trying and push against the rut.
