How do you cope with the loneliness?

[Boofips]

I need some tips on how to cope on the lonely evenings / nights.
Husband left in February. He has dd (9) 3 nights a week and I'm really struggling on those evenings.
No family nearby and the very few friends I do have locally are either working or busy with their families.
My mood drops so much on those 3 nights and I find myself overthinking everything and getting teary.
I try and distract myself with housework, diy or reading but it doesn't really help.

It takes time to adjust to being alone. I liked to nip to the library or local coffee shop with a book just to be around people. Waterstones had a coffee shop soon became my favourite haunt. Then I joined a book club and the gym to use the pool. I'm quite happy with my own company now, and appreciate to quiet after working in a customer facing environment it didn't happen overnight there was an adjustment period.

I'm sorry you are having a tough time. For me, exercise & the gym was a life saver. Whenever I felt like a panic attack or wave of anxiety was going to engulf me, I hit the gym or went for a run, until it passed. Sometimes it was multiple times a day, but it worked.

Thank you for your replies.
You've reminded me that I used to love going to the gym. I might have to see if I can stretch my budget to include a gym membership once again. Not sure it's affordable anymore though sadly.
The library sounds like a great place to start though so will check opening times of my local one. Hopefully they will have a couple of late nights as 9-5 gets in the way otherwise

If I get an evening to myself, I don't feel lonely at all, I feel free and peaceful. I can do what I want, eat what I want, it's my idea of bliss. I'm not sure if that's just the way I am, or if people can reframe a night off to think like that.

It's very hard at the beginning. Try to find something nice to look forward to. If you need to do some housework, give yourself a time limit then have a treat afterwards - a bath, paint your nails, a dinner your daughter doesn't like. I think it also helps to get out of the house for a bit.
Be kind to yourself.

I dont get lonely because I'm too busy with work and hobbies.
I'm doing a bookbinding evening course because I've ways wanted to learn how to do this.
However, there are times that I really really miss having a partner, for example wild camping and having someone to snuggle up with in the tent. Id never do wild camping on my own I wouldn't feel safe but quite honestly the bad times I had with my ex were so awful that I'm happy to give up wild camping to be happier on my own.
I believe you cannot be truly happy in life until you feel comfortable with your own company.
I meet a lot of interesting people at evening classes.

It isn't easy if you don't like being on your own and it's thrust upon you. I think the suggestion of taking up a hobby or going to an evening class is a good idea. Or ask at your local library about book clubs or start one yourself. You could try online dating but it seems fraught with difficulty. I read somewhere maybe on here that the dating groups you pay a subscription too seem to attract less time wasters.