I can relate to getting so emotional attached to your therapist that it wasn't good. I didn't have friends and might have sort of felt like my therapist was
my friend. She sent me to a man therapist for several months until I could
see reality and then took me back as her patient. I bought a book on how
to have a conversation. And tried to use some of the advice from the book.
I was extremely shy and never learned how to be social. I also joined a few
singles social groups. I was in my twenties then. Maybe try volunteering
or joining a group that has a special interest in something, or take a adult ed class or exercise class?

I too don't really have a lot of friends and sometimes I wish I could just meet my therapist at a bar for an hour and we could just kick back and relax and vent. Maybe I would even hear about some of her problems and try and help her lol.

I agree with the above suggestions and especially volunteering. I've never volunteered but I have often thought it is probably one of the best things to get out of your own head and focus on someone else's problems for a bit. Perspective. I don't know but I feel you and rock on xo

Hello,
I’m so sorry to hear this. Do you have a life group in your church? If you don’t have yet, I want to encourage you to join, it will help you to feel less lonely and alone. It is a good feeling to be surrounded by people who will pray for you and uplift you when you are feeling down. Your life group can be your circle of friends as well. I have a friend who is going through some medical condition and his life group is a huge help to him. He looks forward to their weekly meeting because listening to others' life experiences helps him to be encouraged. I hope this helps.

I pray that you will get the support you need to stay well. Please keep us posted. God bless.

I'm so sorry you are so alone. I feel it sometimes too but not as bad as your describe. How about talking to the pastor at your church about what groups they have. Some churches do evening bible study, and.....frankly I don,t know. But I'm sure there is more than just the weekly service. Have you prayed for guidance from god? I don't know how old you are but can you go to a senior center? They have activities. How about a book club that meets to discuss the book?

Missing? Like vanished? I hope she's okay.

Thank you so much everyone for your encouragement! This group is making me feel less lonely! I've joined a women's Bible study, which is nice and I found a new therapist which I'm seeing tomorrow. My old therapist sold her house, closed her practice and bought an RV and planned on traveling for a season, but she said we could have Skype sessions. She never responded to my text and email in December. So, I do not know where she is and if she is ok. I'll keep you posted in how things go tomorrow. Thanks for the blessings Eli_mom!

the only solution I can think of is for you to make friends with appropriate people. If you have clinical issues in doing that, turn to the medical profession. Can;t 'get' friends if you don't 'make' friends.

How did it go with your new therapist today? Hope it went well! Were you able to discuss the grief of losing your other therapist? I did that when I started with my present one. I had been with my other one for 3 years and even though it was kind of mutual about me moving on,(no longer beneficial), it was extremely difficult since he had seen me through the worst time of my life.

Thank you for sharing. Many Mental Illnesses cause a deep rooted feeling of shame, that we can feel even subconsciously. That shame makes it hard to open up to others. Without opening ourselves, we can't expect others to open up to us, as that openness is the root of friendship. It is why many Therapists or Counselors feel like friends. It feels scary to open up, but remember that you are worth knowing. You are in my prayers. God Bless.

I’m so sorry you are feeling lonely. I myself am a very lonely person. I have no friends and understand exactly what you are saying. I’m so very sorry for the loss of your sister. I have a sister but due to her mental illness she chose to walk away from her family years ago. I think it’s great that you joined a bible study class and hope you make some friends there. I also understand how difficult it can be to put yourself out there to try and meet people. Most just don’t understand depression and how difficult it is to deal with. I pray you find some relief from your loneliness. I think your class is a good start.

I felt very alone today too. It was because I needed someone to talk to. I think when people suffer from depression, there is a feeling of loneliness whether we are surrounded by people or not. At least that's how I feel. I'm extroverted, but when I'm depressed, I feel alone even with people around me. It's an extremely painful feeling to feel alone yet surrounded by people. But when I'm not depressed and I'm by myself, I feel far from being lonely. So ultimately, it's a peace inside that I feel like I have to find.

Thank you everyone for sharing. Your support lifts my spirit! Bethelbee, I'm happy to say that my appointment with my new therapist went well. You can't tell much from your first visit, but she seemed very educated in her field and very understanding. I did get to talk about the situation with my old therapist and she was very compassionate about it. It's different, but I'm willing to try. The Lord must have me there for some reason. She did recommend 2 new psychiatrists also. So, I'm scheduled to see them in the near future. I am feeling a little hopeful. Though I am still concerned with what happened to my old therapist and if she is ok. Thanks for all your support!!

Glad to hear your appointment went well with the new therapist; hope it continues to go well. Of course you are still concerned about your last therapist, but hopefully the new one will help make things a little easier. And glad they found a new doc for you. Keep us posted. Hugs!

First good luck. One nice thing about churches and non-profits is that they need volunteers for various projects. So consider working on a project and meeting people in the course of that.

I have a unique perspective- I was not particularly popular but have a family member who was. I can now see a lot of what is involved in being popular which includes,

1. Be a good listener and talk to people about what interests them. Try to understand what makes them tick.

2. Smile and dress well.

3. Greet people when they come into a room.

4. Do not try to lead without consensus. Let people talk, express their views.

5. Try not to be overly sensitive. This person had gotten some minor slights but does not let it bother him.

Someone wrote, "I too don't really have a lot of friends and sometimes I wish I could just meet my therapist at a bar for an hour and we could just kick back and relax and vent."

Respectfully, that is not friendship and that is the problem. A friendship can't be one-sided with one person talking. Like a marriage, if you think you are giving 70 and taking 30, the reality is probably 50/50. So you have to be a good listener, sincerely interested in other people's problems and concerns, and the relationship has to be reciprocal.

So if your therapist were your friend, she'd tell you about problems with insurance reimbursement, client's who don't take her suggestions, and stresses in her life. For friendships, you have to be attentive to the other person's needs for it to continue.

I had an uncle who was incredibly popular. But it was not fake. If you were hospitalized, he would give you a call, going through a divorce, he'd see how you're doing. While he may have had his own political views, he had a wide variety of friends, and could deal with many different types of people all of whom called him friend.

He had a lot of positive energy, so I'm not saying I could do it. But in terms of popularity, which involves being a genuine friend and good person, he was it.