Do you, or have you ever lived alone?

[velvet24]

I have not, home, uni, then home briefty and moved in with then bf now dh. I sometimes think how I would have liked to have my own apartment at some point and lived by myself, not get settled down at 21. Now it probably wont happen of course, just one of those things....i watch these dramas and feel a tiny ping of envy seeing someone going back to their own apartment, pouring their wine and just doing what they like! Of course wouldn't change my house of teens and pets and comings and goings but the thought of my 20's in my own apartment, would have been nice......

Have lived alone for half the week for almost 7 years (DC with exH 50/50 so we do 5 days / 2 days alternating). Love it. Would never ever live with another man again (although would consider female housemate when kids have flown). My DP of 4 years said at abut 8 months into the relationship...'ooo I think we would be compatible living together'. I replied with 'FUCK NO' so quickly he's never mentioned it again 😂 we were even talking fantasy escape life the other day and he said and we could live in the woods in remote Scotland...in mud huts...next door to each other. He gets me. He can sleep over maximum of once per week 😂

@AsanteSana

Like mjf982 I am an introvert and have lived alone for most of my adult life - knocking on the door of 60 now. Much of the time I am happy alone, but, periodically, I am overcome by a desperate, overwhelming, crushing, soul destroying sense of lonliness and failure; particularly on birthdays and at Christmas, and try to make peace with the fact that it will be ever thus now

I could have written this post @AsanteSana. I've lived alone since I was 25 and I'm now 53. And I'm while I'm fine with my own company, I'm definitely an extrovert and lockdown was absolutely brutal for me. I think everyone should live on their own at least for a while, but I'm not sure decades is good for a lot of people, me included.

I’ve never lived alone. I’ve been a single parent but I’ve never lived anywhere where I’ve been the only resident.

I live alone and love it.

I'd find it hard to share now.

Yes for a short time, just over a year after splitting with my ex, until my sister had to give up her flat and moved in with me. When she moved out, my now-husband moved in.

I absolutely loved living on my own.

I lived alone between 26-29 and I loved it!

Yes, since 2005. Love it. Will never share a house (especially the bathroom!) again.

I live alone (with cats) and love it!

I'm very happy in my own company. I am in a relationship, but don't want to live with them as previously married and been burnt before.

After splitting from my ex & a few years of lodging / house sharing, I finally got back to having a rented flat to myself & then bought last year. I spend plenty of time with friends & family, I get on with the neighbours, so social life is fine & I never want to live with ANYONE ever again. Just the idea is suffocating.

I always lived in shared houses until my late 20's - where I had a blissful 6 months in a run down old flat in a big house..... at that point I met exH and moved in with him when my landlady sold up. Then followed 35+yrs of family and kids.

Post divorce the DC were backwards and forwards to uni, but we stayed in the old family home so one or more of them were usually "back home" - IIRC I had a 3 month period on my own at one point. Bliss.

Anyway, now the DC are adults, I'm retired, I've downsized and moved. 6 months on my own so far and LOVING IT. Buy and eat what I want, the Sky box isn't full of crap, just the stuff I want to watch, if I leave something out then it stays where I leave it, all the kitchen utensils are where I expect them to be...... and no, never lonely.

I've lived alone for over 20 years, and would hate to have to share with anyone again. The only downside is when it comes to things like moving house - which I have to do soon - and I have to do everything by myself.

I've lived alone for ten years since my divorce and love it, I could never share my home with anyone again. I have a very stressful customer-facing job and when I get home I just want to kick back with my cats and enjoy the silence.

I have a single friend who keeps suggesting we pool our resources and rent a lovely big house together but the thought fills me with horror 😱

Left Mum and Dad’s house when 26 and lived alone for 3 years, then met Boy Friend now Hubby.

It was a great time in my life only having myself to consider, disposable income, holidays and socialising.

In a few years I will have lived alone longer than I've lived with others.

Moved out at 17, then shared at uni for a year and lived with a partner for some time, and then after we split up I've lived alone again for about 10 years now. Can't really imagine living with someone now - I like the idea of having houses next door to each other if I get together with a partner in the future.

Yes I alone for a year when I was 21 abs then from 24 to 29, when my now DH moved in with me. I'm very glad I had that time. I loved it. I have two children under five and often daydream about my peaceful lazy hungover Sundays on the sofa under a blanket reading novels and the Sunday supplements and drinking jasmine tea.
Of course I was absolutely skint the whole time. But it was worth it.

Never lived alone and it's very tough as an introvert,my youngest is threatening to live with me forever,I hope shes joking.My mum was 55 before she lived alone and then not ot totally as her partner stays every other week.If I'm lucky I'll get there by 60.

I never have, I really wanted to in my twenties but I couldn't afford it. Although some of the house shares I was in, it was almost like living alone and it was lonely. I would have been better off by myself. Met DH at 33 and now living together 9 years.

I did and loved it. Aged 23-28. Looking back on it I feel extremely lucky to have had that opportunity.

Even now I quite like having the house to myself when DH is out and the DC are in bed.

I'm very jealous of my childless sister,shes lived alone since she was 17,42 now but she's an extrovert and does get lonely quite often.

I lived in a house share for nearly a year. I wasn't alone per say, but we all worked different shifts so I did feel like I was living alone most days as I hardly saw anybody!

Was lovely 😅

No, but it's the one thing that I wish I'd done before settling down and having kids.

I did for 3 years and actually enjoyed it. Not sure I would feel the same in my older years but it was a positive experience

I lived alone for a few years in my 20s, it was a bleak experience and I felt quite vulnerable.

Yes, lived alone in my first home (a lovely little flat) for 3-4 years and absolutely loved it. Now married with children and pets and never seem to have a moment to myself and remember my flat very fondly.

I lived on my own, for a year and a half (between the age of 19 and 20,) and I HATED it, even though I am an introvert. Some people say it's bliss, it's lovely, it's peaceful etc, but I found it so boring and lonely. Go to bed alone, eat dinner alone, wake up alone, have breakfast alone, watch TV alone. No-one to chat to at night time, or have a laugh with, or talk about your day with, or watch a funny movie with, or play board games, video games, or cards with. And when you're ill and alone, it's tough.

It's great to have a day or afternoon to yourself, as me-time is essential, but living alone permanently? No thanks. Many people who lived alone during lockdown suffered from extreme loneliness and mental health issues, and really struggled with having no-one to talk to, and no-one to help them with anything.

If other people enjoy it, then good for them, but it's not for me.

@velvet24

I watch these dramas and feel a tiny ping of envy seeing someone going back to their own apartment, pouring their wine and just doing what they like.

Don't feel envy. Living alone loses its shine very quickly. And it's nothing like it looks on the telly!