Trigger warnings: bereavement, illness.
Trying to keep this short.
Six years ago one of my teen children passed suddenly from a previously undetected medical condition. After this, one of my other children were found to have the same condition. The shock of it all has led to one of the surviving children having mental health difficulties. I work ten hours a week to enable me to be there for medical appointments and support for the child with mental health issues.
I live a full life again and have lots of things I enjoy. Of course there are stresses with the children but I deal with them as needed. I find
I am no longer interested in socialising much. I often don't have the energy or interest. Almost no-one can relate to my life. I have one good friend who does relate, who I met at a hospital group in the year after my loss. She had lost a child too. I enjoy being self contained. I enjoy doing the things I do. I don't feel I need anyone other than my family but make myself go to social groups because I feel like I should. I know isolation isn't good, or so we're taught. Is it really wrong to choose a high degree of isolation where I feel content? Or should I keep pushing myself even when, most of the time, I would rather just stay home?