Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Moved away from Cornwall and so depressed

106 replies

YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh · 16/02/2022 16:08

I had wanted always to live in Cornwall, after spending so much time there. Finally I had the opportunity to, after many years.
I lived in what I considered to be among the most beautiful and scenic part of Cornwall.
Every day I kept thinking 'This is too good to be true'. I also worried that something would go wrong and it would all end. The old saying about 'if something is too good to be true, it usually is'
I had previous to living in Cornwall, a very deeply troubled and unhappy past, in a grim part of this country.
Moving to Cornwall was a new start, a new me, and it was blissful. I felt like I could be happy and that my life did not have to be so dreadful constantly. Every day, in all types of weather, it was so beautiful. Never in my life had I been so contented. It was a first.
Fast forward, and my tenancy came to an end due to the Landlord wanting to sell up. He was very good with me and gave me plenty of time.
I could not find anywhere to rent that was affordable, and what was affordable were places that were even worse than what I had left behind!

My wages would barely touch some of the huge rents and that was before bills.
The local Council could not help as I was from another area, and I understood that. There are enough people born and living in Cornwall who cannot get accommodation.
There was nothing else to do but return back to where I had left, back to the miserable area, and move in with an ex.
I have no one, no friends or family, but that does not bother me and never has. I am better without others in my life, due to the past.
Every morning, I wake up crying. I barely sleep and eat. I am on anti depressants but have been on those for a long time.
I shake constantly. I am on a downwards spiral, and as someone who has a lifetime of mental health illness since being a child, I know when I am getting worse.
It is dreadful having to leave Cornwall when on holiday, but imagine living there for a long time and then having to return to a dismal built up area with constant noise and traffic fumes, where the only view is cars and run down terraced houses. Where the only scent is one of car fumes and chips? Where the neighbours scream and shout?
I lived looking out over the sea, surrounded by countryside, and animals. The air smelt of sea breeze and fresh green grass, and nature.
The only noise was that of the sea and animals.
Today I felt like I have no chance of ever returning, and if this is all there is for me now, at 58 years old, then I am not continuing much longer.
All I want, and please be kind, are some helpful suggestions, because I cannot think of anything anymore of how I can return to this place where I was so happy.
Has anyone else been through anything similar?
Am I being unreasonable in how I am feeling?
Thank you for reading my depressing post.

OP posts:
TreesAtSea · 09/04/2022 15:51

Saw your thread yesterday. Just wanted to say that I really hope you do find a way to live somewhere nicer than where you are currently. I'm just a few years younger than you and have also had a lifetime of suffering from depression, so I know how debilitating it can be. I too am unhappy living where I do, but am at a loss as to how to get myself somewhere more pleasant yet affordable. Anyway, very best of luck to you.

oakleaffy · 02/05/2024 09:09

@YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh
An old thread, but your opening post made my eyes prickle.
Did you find a wild place in Scotland?
I hope you did.

Environment has a HUGE impact on emotional wellbeing.

It's brutal that you couldn't have carried on living in Cornwall - bloody air b&b owners and landlords ramping up prices.

Really hope you are happier wherever you are.

YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh · 08/06/2024 16:59

oakleaffy · 02/05/2024 09:09

@YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh
An old thread, but your opening post made my eyes prickle.
Did you find a wild place in Scotland?
I hope you did.

Environment has a HUGE impact on emotional wellbeing.

It's brutal that you couldn't have carried on living in Cornwall - bloody air b&b owners and landlords ramping up prices.

Really hope you are happier wherever you are.

Thank you for your reply and all previous ones.
Sadly, no I never got a chance to go back to living in Cornwall.
The one dream that I had in my entire life, has gone. It did happen though even if it was brief.
Someone told me 'be careful of what you wish for', that old saying! but I had to explain I didnt hate it. I loved it. I just didnt want it to go wrong but it did.
It WAS too good to be true and I kept thinking that while living there, and guess what? I was proven right.
It absolutely destroyed me having to live thereafter in this place, somewhere that I hate and my mental health plummeted. There were and are times when I didnt want to be here, as in this world.
I am alone, and even when people are friendly and talk with me here, I still feel like a fish out of water.
I have greatly improved how the place where I now live looks, and the garden is beautiful but it is still not Cornwall.
I have begun to accept the situation and so it doesnt impact my mental health quite like it did.
The main reason I could not return was lack of opportunity but mostly finances.
There were and are jobs in Cornwall.but absolutely none that would help me to pay for accomodation there, and have any left over for bills and food! This is how many people live in Cornwall. This is why crime rates are high, suicide rates are high and mental health issues high.
There is so much poverty in Cornwall and I am not certain how many holidaymakers see this. Go a few miles outside of the holiday destinations and it is there plain to see. The wealthy buy up places, some rent them out, they work and live elsewhere, and visit occassionally. Meanwhile those who were born and live there have no choice but to rent at overinflated prices for average properties.
I love Cornwall, and I don't mean the usual tourist places, that used to be beautiful until the true soul of them got erased by visitors, pasties and ice cream.
I love the off the beaten track Cornwall. The pure scenery, that costs nothing to view. The parts that are not overun by tourists
Sadly, I know that I will never be able to return due to my financial situation, but have thought of visiting during Autumn/Winter when prices are less expensive for accomodation.
I love Cornwall in all weathers, and there is beauty in the off peak seasons, providing you can cope with the rain and mizzle. I prefer it then. It has its own special beauty that is very different to the Summer holidays.
For now my quality of life is not great, my anxiety and depression is eased somewhat by medication and I just have to accept it and carry on accepting it, just like many people have to. Many millions in this world have it far worse.
Thank you all for your advice and help. It did, and has helped me.
Please no nasty replies as I am quite fragile mentally in some respects.
I have thought of other areas and I did visit some, but for me they just did not compare to Cornwall. I dont know what it is.
Perhaps spending so much time there as a Child and teenager many years ago, plus living there, I just feel 'at home' there, as though it is meant to be.
I wish you all the best.

OP posts:
Owlcat42 · 08/06/2024 22:36

I'd also wondered how you'd got on, and I'm sorry you haven't made it back to Cornwall though sadly not surprised. I think it's crazy how our government and those in other countries have just let the situation with airbnbs and other short-term lets get to the point where it's impossible for people to find anywhere to live long-term. It's just not right.

I'm glad you've got a beautiful garden where you are, but I hope you do make it back to Cornwall at least to visit. I love it off-season too. Take care OP.

AcrossthePond55 · 09/06/2024 19:20

I'm so sorry. I, too, have a 'heart place' where I'll never be able to live. Much, MUCH too expensive and also my DH wouldn't ever want to live there. But I'm lucky in that I do have family that live near enough to it and a cousin who loves it too so I'm able to spend time there when I visit them.

All we can do is make the best of where we are. Even if we acknowledge that that best isn't really 'our' best.

oakleaffy · 09/06/2024 19:53

YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh · 08/06/2024 16:59

Thank you for your reply and all previous ones.
Sadly, no I never got a chance to go back to living in Cornwall.
The one dream that I had in my entire life, has gone. It did happen though even if it was brief.
Someone told me 'be careful of what you wish for', that old saying! but I had to explain I didnt hate it. I loved it. I just didnt want it to go wrong but it did.
It WAS too good to be true and I kept thinking that while living there, and guess what? I was proven right.
It absolutely destroyed me having to live thereafter in this place, somewhere that I hate and my mental health plummeted. There were and are times when I didnt want to be here, as in this world.
I am alone, and even when people are friendly and talk with me here, I still feel like a fish out of water.
I have greatly improved how the place where I now live looks, and the garden is beautiful but it is still not Cornwall.
I have begun to accept the situation and so it doesnt impact my mental health quite like it did.
The main reason I could not return was lack of opportunity but mostly finances.
There were and are jobs in Cornwall.but absolutely none that would help me to pay for accomodation there, and have any left over for bills and food! This is how many people live in Cornwall. This is why crime rates are high, suicide rates are high and mental health issues high.
There is so much poverty in Cornwall and I am not certain how many holidaymakers see this. Go a few miles outside of the holiday destinations and it is there plain to see. The wealthy buy up places, some rent them out, they work and live elsewhere, and visit occassionally. Meanwhile those who were born and live there have no choice but to rent at overinflated prices for average properties.
I love Cornwall, and I don't mean the usual tourist places, that used to be beautiful until the true soul of them got erased by visitors, pasties and ice cream.
I love the off the beaten track Cornwall. The pure scenery, that costs nothing to view. The parts that are not overun by tourists
Sadly, I know that I will never be able to return due to my financial situation, but have thought of visiting during Autumn/Winter when prices are less expensive for accomodation.
I love Cornwall in all weathers, and there is beauty in the off peak seasons, providing you can cope with the rain and mizzle. I prefer it then. It has its own special beauty that is very different to the Summer holidays.
For now my quality of life is not great, my anxiety and depression is eased somewhat by medication and I just have to accept it and carry on accepting it, just like many people have to. Many millions in this world have it far worse.
Thank you all for your advice and help. It did, and has helped me.
Please no nasty replies as I am quite fragile mentally in some respects.
I have thought of other areas and I did visit some, but for me they just did not compare to Cornwall. I dont know what it is.
Perhaps spending so much time there as a Child and teenager many years ago, plus living there, I just feel 'at home' there, as though it is meant to be.
I wish you all the best.

This is just so sad to read, @YouLookLikeVivieneLeigh .
You really deserve to live in Cornwall, it's an outrage that people who want to live there full time cannot, due to the utter greed of landlords and Air B&B people.

If you feel so at one with a place, there has to be a way back for you?

Of course I don't know how old you are or what jobs you could do- Is Cornwall really that expensive?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread