I am looking at the same issue from the outside. My wife feels very alone and that there is no one who cares for her, yet she cares for others. She feels that she has no friends in the truest sense and our adult children have moved away and are not in our loop much anymore. I am recovering from a mental illness and appreciate the fact that I have been relying more than being relied upon for support, yet I see that she has friends who care deeply about her – and maybe she just doesn’t see it because of her pain and need for support in troubled times (and she has a pile right now, including me).

Telling her that she has those types of friends doesn’t help. My words slide off like teflon. What I’m driving at is unless you are truly alone alone and are living a hermit’s life you do have people in your life and the opportunity for more (as noted above). It’s what’s inside us that keeps us from exploring the options mentioned above – its not always the “others” who have “turned away”.

If anyone has a magic wand for my wife, please wave it now. Thanks.