Els overcomes loneliness

Els overcomes loneliness Els, a strong 47-year-old woman from Haarlemmermeer, had a rough week. The social worker was on vacation and she was in the middle of a move. Yet she thought it was so important that she made time to share her story with us. She talks about how she has tackled it to stop feeling lonely and advises everyone to do the same. This is her story: I had been suffering from depression for a while. But in the summer of 2017, this started to change. This completely turned into exaggerated cheerfulness and I could take on the whole world at that moment. I could do everything from hiking, rafting, racing, canoeing and much more. My two children, ages 14 and 16, loved it. I went like a rocket! And then out of nowhere the mood swings started. One minute I was very depressed and the next very happy. The psychologist sent me to a bipolar clinic, where it was with great pain in my heart that I had to hear and accept that I was bipolar. After this I had a crisis service for a while, followed by an admission of 2.5 months in a clinic in the area. After this I was stable for a while but unfortunately I was still in recording a few times. I can now proudly say that I am finally stable. It was a very tough time and because of this I also lost my job as a teacher of Computer Science at the VWO. I am now also divorced, my children live with my ex and I have lost many friends. Because of my bipolar disorder I have lost a large part of my network. My illness has really opened my eyes. It can happen to anyone and a mental illness is perhaps the most difficult thing to overcome. But I was determined that I would. I turn it around and I'm going to use volunteering to pull myself out of my loneliness That's why I've been busy rebuilding everything over the past few months. I've bought a new apartment that I'm moving into next week and I've been busy on Zorgzaam010 looking for volunteer work that will help me get back to people. I saw two options: either I will help myself or I will ask for help. I wanted to stay positive and chose to offer my help. I thought, 'That's how I get out of my loneliness. I turn it around and I'm going to use volunteer work to pull myself out of my loneliness." I am slowly starting to find my way. Recently I have been active as a volunteer in elderly care, I build websites for non-profit organizations such as an organization against child marriages in Uganda, I give ICT lessons to seniors and I am a language aid for new Dutch people. In this way I have a meaningful use of my time and I get to know new people. I would recommend it to everyone! Share these stories and inspire others to help too! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Forward

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