Being a 75% extrovert, loneliness has been one of the most challenging pieces of my chronic illness journey. Through the years my health has required me to live more and more of an introverted life… to now I have been medically home-bound for the past 3 years… basically only leaving the house for medical appointments, and the rare trip to the park or a friend/families home… the loneliness has been painful for sure, and it can have significant negative health effects.
However, like everything else in my life with this chronic illness I have learned to be CREATIVE and found unique ways to do what my body needs me to do AND reduce my isolation and loneliness. Here are some of the things I do that help and may help you:
1. I Text all my friends once per week (Sundays) I just send a cute meme… tell them I am thinking of them. This starts text conversations which sometimes last into mid-week.
2. I joined a Facebook group to meet pen pals and now have several lovely people I converse with via mail multiple times per month.
3. I became active in a foundation which supports my disease @mitoaction … and I do small volunteer work for them and partake in the weekly zoom support calls.
4. I invite friends and family over for short visits… a movie… a light dinner where I make one thing and they make another to conserve my energy.
5. I made good friends with all my neighbors, bring them vegetables from my garden… talk with them when I see them out and about in their yards.
6. I schedule ‘phone-dates’ with my friends and try to arrange to call one friend per week.
7. I listen to audio-books everyday, the continual voices of the readers fill the quiet spaces of the day.
8. I have two virtual appointments per week with my LCSW which helps fill in the gaps of socialization I no longer get from being active in a work-place or social life.
9. I found a local bible study group who offers in person or virtual meeting and meet with them every couple of weeks as I can.
I hope all my tips help you if you are combating loneliness in your situation… and I would love to hear any tips anyone else has?
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