I am dealing with that very thing right now and totally feel you! My day is spent waiting until it is time for me to go to sleep again. It is a very lonely and isolating life that I live, though I go to prayer every day.
There is only so much that you can do...that I can do, anyway. I don't have the energy or strength to be out of bed the majority of the day and I am usually too weak to do much while I am in bed.
I read my bible and pray and listen to praise and worship music. That helps a lot...but then the loneliness creeps in again. It's a hard thing to deal with.
I usually talk to my sister during her breaks in the evening while she is at work, but that only lasts so long. (And I don't have the energy to be on the phone for very long, anyway.)
I wish I had some good advice to give you. I don't, because I deal with this every day and it is hard to keep from getting discouraged when I feel bored to tears so much of the time.
Hang in there and know you are not alone.
Gentle huggggsssss to you.

P.s. Maybe we can chat sometime. That would kill two of our birds with one stone.LOL

By instinct human beings are social. Maybe you can join a support group where you physically can have some connection to the outside world.

Hang in there deputy.

Gabriel2012 - I know exactly how you feel. When all this first hit me, I thought I would lose my mind. I became so depressed that I had very dark thoughts of life.

What helps me are my DS friends and online text chats, and I made a really wonderful friend here and we are now like sisters.

You take care and know you have lots of friends here on DS to help you.... XOXO - TD

The reason I'm on this site today is because I'm relapsed, it helps me to chat with others with CFS during a relapse. I watch TV after the news or listen to audiobooks. Reading takes too much out of me.

I've had this for 18 years and I believe it has taught me to appreciate small things, which I overlooked when healthy. Illness is a teacher.

I want to be alone in this relapse. The last thing I need is somebody here to drain my energy.

I do meditate but I'm so relapsed right now my mind can't even handle that.

So your posts are entertaining me during this relapse.

hollie

Agree with Hollie totally "the last thing I want is somebody to drain my energy". At the same time though, I'm a real people person and want to socialise, it takes a lot of discipline to tell people, don't call, don't visit. I slept 24/7 at my worst, so I guess its not such a problem then. But just beyond that, ahh so boring. I spent most of my time switching between music & talk back radio. Not sure that its a lifestyle I'd really recommend, but it got me through. Hopefully you'll recover again and have the energy to get out there again soon.

Well, don't we just gradually work our way out of the relapse and then do something social, remembering not to overdo?

These relapses are temporary, for me, I blew it by overdoing. It's hard to remember that once in one. I swear there is a depression component that descends upon me with a relapse. It makes me think this is the way it will always be.

I got a couple things done today, so am working my way out so slowly.

hollie

I can also relate to the loneliness although I have family here at home. I'm so tired all the time even conversation exhausts me! Hard though because I was always a people person. I was a nurse for 25 years working 12 hour shifts and most of that time was spent communicating in one form or another.. My days are spent usually laying down because of both the fatigue and the severe pain.. Not much of a life I don't think... Doctors need to question why you are feeling a bit down when you see them in the office...lol...All we can do is listen to our bodies, if we need rest then we rest... I'm sorry you are all going through this but I'm kinda glad I'm not alone with this.. I pray we all get well one day and can go back to doing the things that once gave us so much pleasure... hugs to all!!

I spend a lot of time on the couch and I am so tired of it. I got really sick and tired of tv and started reading good literature again. So that makes me feel like I am stimulating something in my brain. I have bee working with yoga nidra meditation recordings and I am hoping they will help on an energetic level as they work on the subconscious mind and have helped someone I know recover from bipolar disorder and alcoholism. Because the meditation encourages deep breathing, I sometimes feel I get a bit of energy when I am done and my mind is clear of all the debris that keeps building up - stuff about how behind I am in my work and my goals and ambitions. I have a few good friends I talk on the phone to and I also get out here and there as much as I can stand. If I can get out at least once a week or once every other week, I feel better for it.

My heart goes out to all of you who are suffering from this AWFUL disease. I spend most every day in my home alone until my husband gets home.
I listen to a lot of relaxtion music and guided imagery and keep up with the news.
One thing I have began doing that passes the time and also stimulates my brain is watching documrntaries (of all types) on NetFlix on my laptop,
I can lie or sit and can watch pretty much whatever I feel like that day for only $8.00 a month.
I used to be so active and a straight A student and I was very much a "social butterfly".
However, after months and years of CFS I have found there are few "true" friends who keep calling when you can no longer do NORMAL FUN things with them. That hurts a llot some days but I guess their lives go on.

Watching movies on NetFlix passes a lot of time but since I have been watching the documentaries I feel I am learning new and interesting things that if I was living TOTALLY NORMAL life I would not have time for.
I have 2 friends who also have CFS and are usually a phone call away. I have come to accept and be content knowing they are at home like me.

Some days are way worse and much longer than others.I hate the days when I beat up on myself for not being able to clean like I used to.

I'm glad I found this place and would LOVE to make any NEW friends!

It just makes me feel "CONNECTED" to know you are only a few "clicks" away in your own home (maybe tucked in your bed or lying on a couch.)

I'm currently relapsing also, been housebound for the past 2 months. Ready to pull my hair out I'm so lonely and bored. I'm a very person and while the on-line connections are great I would just really love to have actual face to face people time. I've looked for a support group in my area and there are none, so I'm completely grateful for this site and the wonderful people who share with us. My day consists of making my breakfast, browsing ebay, facebook, lunch, then watching my Judging Amy DVD's, then dinner, take a shower, then sit and read until bedtime. How exciting! Hang in there Gabriel! We all go through this and must be patient and allow our bodies to heal so we can get out in the world. Hugs! Genie

I've learned to like my solitude. Before I had so many pressures from family and friends telling me I had to get out more and that kind of stuff. Forcing me to do things that were too much for me just made me worse in health.

Find a hobby is my best suggestion. Reading used to be mine but I can no longer focus on that. I was thinking of purchasing some type of model that I could build with my 10 yr old grandson whom I see once a week or every other week.

I feel lucky to have pets also. I have a cat and a hamster and that's almost too much for me but they are very entertaining. I have 3 litter boxes and 2 cages for the hamster. If I'm feeling particularly sick and weak on cleaning day I can just switch them out until I feel good enough to clean.

It's nice to be able to come here and talk to others who go through the same thing and understand what its like.

Before I relapsed I never sat still. (sound familiar) After about 10 months I started to be able to do some art on the computer. I do dog portraits on zazzle. It takes weeks to finish as I can only spend about an hour a day, on good days, but at least I feel I am accomplishing something. I used to get so much done. Cooking healthy food takes most of my energy. I do pray and recite outloud what I am grateful for to stave off depression and lonliness. I have 2 dogs that keep me company. I lost a beautiful great dane puppy, Gunner, right in the middle of this relapse that I still mourn for but dont dare get another. I watch a lot of HGTV. We are all in this together. If I can do it, you can too. We can all get through this by sharing our days. Today Im putting Gunner's littermate photos on a purse on Zazzle. Giving to others when you have the energy also can take away the lonliness. I know its very painful. Hang on.K

If you are brave, invite someone over. I put it that way because my place is always messy because I can't keep up with housework. Perhaps your friend that is lonely that you call might like to come by. If someone understands before they arrive that you will be laying on the couch but would love to chat they might like that. Also could work for anyone who seems to want to help but doesn't know what to do.

It also wouldn't hurt to reach out to some sort of organization, explain you are a shut in, and ask if someone can visit you for company. If you know anyone with a teen you can "bribe" them by signing off on their volunteer hours, now required by a lot of high schools.

If you are lucky enough to still get invites from people and maybe you can't go because you don't feel well, use that as an opening. Explain that while you are not up to the outing, you would love it if they would come by to visit....and try to pin them down to a day.

I adopted a couple kittens from the humane society. Cats are very social but are also independent. If they need attention they will seek you out, and since you are homebound that works out rather well. It helps that they don't need to be walked or bathed.

The cats really helps a lot. It took away tension I didn't realize I had. It is so nice when I am all worn out to have a cat come visit me. Cats take a lot of naps so they are likely to visit often. Also if you put cat toys nearby they may play where you can see them. It just does so much good to laugh! One of my cats has decided I'm the best person in the whole world. When I'm having a bad day her being happy just to be near me goes a long way.