Does being lonely make you feel old?

[shells]

Omg are you serious Shells? I saw your pic on the faces thread and I would have never thought you were close to 30. No way.
I also feel a bit gaunt though. The indents under my cheekbones are really noticeable and it looks hollow there.

The right lighting and a bad webcam can do wonders for a picture

 

[Fvantom]

I'm only 21 but I feel much older because of loneliness, I didn't have much of a childhood and I'm already thinking that its all downhill from here, which is a thought you shouldn't have until you're in your 40s

 

[thalassa]

I feel depressed and dead inside, I look young on the outside but I feel like a wreck on the inside.

The fact that I have NO-ONE to spend Christmas and New Year's with makes me feel like a castaway, which is even worse than being old and lonely as that is not their fault in lots of cases. They have had full lives, but have lost loved ones or maybe they never had any kids so there isn't anyone at the moment. They cannot move around as easily so they're stuck inside. I am young and mobile but I just can't make a life for myself right now as I have lost the energy to try after countless people who have been sickenly bad to me.

Personally, all I want for Christmas is to not be around much longer, or to finally meet a decent human being who I can call a friend.

 

[Drama]

Living day after day makes me become older and older. Feeling lonely makes me moody, but again anything can make me moody.

 

[Ak5]

Sort of, what terrifies me is spending my youth without friends.

 

[blackdot]

I've always looked younger than I really am.
I've always acted a lot younger than I really am.
Socially I have never aged.

But I feel really old and that life has passed me by.

 

[Ak5]

Bump.

 

[hye345]

For me, especially in the past, being lonely did make me feel old, in the sense of wasted opportunities.

This is because I was in College from 2007-2011, and I didn't always have a close group of friends. During the more lonelier patches of time, I would hear other people around me (neighbors and such) having fun, and I would feel sick in my heart...

In a way, it was worse than actually being prohibited from engaging with others because of age (AKA actually being old), because in my instance (and it would appear, many of yours as well), at the end of the day, you are watching life pass you by. And its not like you are explicitly banned from having fun with others (either by law, vast age difference, physical barrier, etc...). Its all in our heads.

The fact that its our decision not to connect with others is what hurts the most: when you miss out, it was YOUR doing, not outside forces. It was YOU who wasted those opportunities, those might-have-beens. And every time another opportunity comes along, you are reminded of what you are missing out. It becomes a constant reminder of what is wrong with you. If the cycle continues, it makes a man bitter, which is probably worse than being old...

 

[Oldyoung]

Yes, it does. I didn't choose this nickname for no reason. What I mean with old, is not really seeing any opportunities... Just living day by day, not having any grand plans or anything.

 

[Rigel]

Lol it makes me feel young and clueless about life

 

[fox]

It does not make me feel old.. I have little interest to do things most people my own age like to do, but it does not relate that I am lonely..

 

[The Good Citizen]

The last 6 months have been the loneliest I can remember and coincided with being aware of my age for the first time really so yeah I guess so. I feel like I've crossed some sort of line somehow.

 

[Jack Tripper]

Being depressed makes me feel old.....being lonely actually makes me feel like a stupid teen.....like I should be able to manage on my own and not make such a big fuss about not having friends.

 

[LoneKiller]

Not at all.

 

[gnome3]

I dunno if it makes me feel old. I'm an older guy now at 52. Three failed marriages later, grown kids, and 2/3 of my life now gone, I guess I (did) feel like I'm nearing the end of having any hope of finding someone to spend the rest of my days with. I did reunite with a previous co-worker though, about a month ago, and have been dating her now, so I may be out of the woods momentarily (between her & work). I've been pretty busy, and have people around much of the time. Having said, I do totally understand exactly where you're coming from, and have been there many times.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Yes, it definitely does make me feel old. At 29, I feel like an old man.

 

[Zenkazu]

When I look at the people around me my age who are having kids at 16, dealing with serious drug addictions and quitting on life or doing anything they possibly can to keep the party going, I do feel older than them. Not really because of being lonely but looking at it and saying how stupid those things are and not wanting to take part of it.

Since I don't do any of that stuff or throw my hormones at anything that walks, it has lead me to looking like a weirdo and a loner to other people and extremely harder to become friends since the only thing they do is drugs, alcohol, or have sex with each other. I do sometimes wish I just did what everyone else was to feel accepted and I wonder if later in life I will really regret it. But I then think of the issues that can come from it and would much rather prefer looking back wondering why I never went to any parties or did what everyone else, than looking back wondering why I was so stupid to allow those things into my life.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

I think depression and isolation wears on people. Too much thinking.
Being less active gets a person to be lazy. It's a cycle that feeds on itself.

When i was in my teens and early 20's. I party hard. I was never a loner
nor spent much time alone. Good times and bad times. Relationship
troubles. No shortage of women chasing me or taking me home to
love me back to life..

I also got clean and sober in my ealry 20's. Settle down. Raised children.
Had a career...All that good **** of whatever the **** a good man ought to
be. I lived like that for almost 20's of my life. ****** and slept in the same
bed with 1 woman for over a decade. Paying all the mother fucken bills
or whatever the **** responsiblilties I had as a productive member of society
or a provider of a family and home.
Good times and bad times. The stress from my job and rasing a teenager
made me feel mother fucken old...As alway, a woman will always tell me
she'll love me forever and it aint about the money.
We dont ****.We make love, blah...blah...blah.

The last 2 years of my life had been a crazy journey.
The things i would do for love.

Well....
Like they say...you're 40's are like your 20's.
It's not that I havnt ****** 19 year olds before or havnt done threesomes.
Its being 45 and ******* 20s yr olds and still getting a couple of them sametime.
It makes me feel young.lol I still gat ***
Like the song say...Aint talkin about love.
Either that or send me a fucken angel.

My youngest daughter is 22. my eldest is turning 24.
So whatever the hell how Im suppost to wrap that **** around
my heart and head about ******* women younger than my duaghters.

Sassy is 42. I totally love her. But the cards, numbers, and the colure of the fucken moon is out of alignement..
Idfk...I dont have all the answers....

I had plenty of young people tell me to grow the **** up..
ERRR?????,.....bless thier ignorant souls.

What i do know is.
Isolation leads to depression. I can only stair at the 4 fucken walls for so
long until I feel like ****...lol

K...if god would grant me my hopes and dreams.
If the mother fucken stars would just line the fucke up.
I'd gladly take Sassy back.

Until then young crazy ******* that just wanna ****, have fun and get me to spend
my money are going to have to do.
We just **** and she likes to spend money.lol

It's like wow man...look at these crazy cards thats being delt to me today.
I aint looking at them too damn straigth....A pair of Queens.
I wonder if they'll look any different if i held them upside down???lmao

When Im 90 yr old...I'll probably still be joggin.(against the mother fucken wind)lmao
I can look back and say....Yeap, I had my fair share of titays.
Of course there's more to life than titays. Then again..You hAVNT LIVED until you get some titays.lol

 

[Gutted]

I can see where the OP is coming from. I can feel a little old sometimes but I don't think I've ever felt properly lonely. I think a lot of people exaggerate their lifestyles. They'll hang out with mates for a day but say that they have done loooads. I've been there and seen my friends go over the top with what they have done. So I tend not to totally listen to what the media and all that say. Be happy with what you do if you're okay with it. If you want things to change, you can plan to do stuff. Maybe Volunteer with a group so you can get out more and meet people. Take things nice and slow. You should feel no rush or pressure to change :]

 

[In a lonely place]

The last 6 months have been the loneliest I can remember and coincided with being aware of my age for the first time really so yeah I guess so. I feel like I've crossed some sort of line somehow.

It scares me when I think how old I am and how much I've missed out on. To make the most of today and the future is the only option for me.