Does anyone else deal with chronic loneliness? I think it has to do with my upbringing but I was wondering if anyone has any tips? Just to be clear, I have great long-standing close friends and a relationship, but I have trust and abandonment problems, and when I am alone it is sometimes intensely lonely. It sometimes even happens while I'm working. Just wondering if anybody who could relate might have suggestions.

Yeah, my dad left when I was 4 and my mom was always working or stressed out, and I was often alone or with babysitters. It's like this intimate void that just doesn't really go away. I try to ignore it but I was wondering if anybody else found a good way to deal with it

@butwhatif My dad was always working too and also suffers from depression. So i learned that im not that special because he doesnt rarely wanna go out and do anything with me we go out to wat once every few months. The void is always there for me too. I totally get the feeling. And it sucks so bad. Im not sure if yours hurts different then mine as my mom died and didnt dissapear alive. Do you ever have thought of reconnection with him i would maybe that could help. My void is constant because i know she cannot come back.

@ihateocdsomuch I do keep in touch with my dad. He had visitation once a week growing up and I actually live in a house by myself which he owns. It's just that I never had anybody consistently attuned to me emotionally and always felt like things were stressful or I was alone, so I don't have a natural understanding of just being like a playful person with trust in life, etc. It's depressing but I do my best because I do find pleasure and value in life

@ihateocdsomuch And I am sorry for your loss/losses. Really the only way I've dealt with it is through distraction and confiding in people, but frighteningly sometimes the ones who I think "get it" have abusive tendencies. So it goes.

I have also been in abusive relationships and fear abuse but now I am practically in a long distance relationship because I thought it would be better, but I still just feel lonely all the time. ?

@butwhatif Id find someone close im also in an unwanted sort of relationshio with my childs father kind of because we talk but he lives in another state i dont want to be with him but im not dating.

Right, staying busy does help me too. It's usually when I'm doing boring work or don't know what to do with myself that it gets the worst

@butwhatif Same

HOCD/ROCD. Also have dealt with sociopathy fears and a bit of existential at times