Feeling lonely

[Pops45]

Ive noticed the past year ive increasingly been feeling lonely. I always make an effort to stay in contact with family and my 2 friends however i never get the same back. Ive started distancing myself now and trying to concentrate on my son and partner , however only my mum has contacted me in the past 3 weeks.
I really would love to make new friends just to have regular mum chats however I struggle connecting with people and making lasting friendships.
Im starting to cry about this regularly and feel like i may have to get some mental health support.
Has anyone else experienced this ? X

Hi OP, sorry to hear you're feeling like this. I think lots of us are struggling with mental health problems after the past couple of years so you certainly aren't alone and I would wholeheartedly recommend speaking to someone like your doctor to ask for help.

Making friends after school can be tough. My advice would be to find hobbies that you enjoy and see if you can join any clubs etc as this will make it easier to connect - when you have something in common it's a lot more natural to make conversation. What about making connections through play dates as well if you have a little one?

Is it worth having an honest chat with one or both of your friends about how you're feeling? If you're pulling away anyway, you have nothing to lose really and it could be useful if you approach it a bit like a scientist looking for answers as to what has happened during an experiment and try to be a bit detached (easier said than done). Chances are your friends are dealing with stuff of their own which has meant they haven't had as much time for you?

Sending you lots of luck OP. You've got this!

How old is your son ? Do you work ?

@HaresHoping thank you . Im going to try finding some clubs near me and see what happens. Time to be brave 😂. X
@KangarooKenny he is 9 and i work full time from home since covid , which probably hasnt helped x