View Single Post
Old 06-27-2008, 01:55 PM
  # 25 (permalink)  
hello-kitty
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 3,335
I needed a support group before I left my ex. But these suggests will work for you whether you live with an addict or not.

I started going to church on weekends and doing volunteer work in the nursery. This was volunteer work and I could bring my child so I had no excuse for not doing it. I started doing this before I left my ex and it helped to expand my own interests and become less dependent on him to feel good about myself.

Personally I think there is a ton of things to do on the weekends whether you live with an addict or not. We go on walks. We go to the park. We have a great parks and recreation program that is nearly free that offers lots of stuff for children and families to do. We take swimming lessons. We go to little street festivals in little nearby towns. We go to the beach and dig in the dirt. We go to the forest and look at the trees. We ride our bikes up and down the street. Lots of stuff to do and it doesn't matter what your spouse is doing or using.

And I'm a single mom, who supports her son with no financial help from his father, so I can tell you that you don't need a lot of money to do those things.

And drained, I am sorry you feel like a burden to your friends. Sometimes the best thing to do is to remember that they have problems in their world too. Maybe instead of talking about your problems, ask them about theirs. Give them a chance to talk to you. Maybe they need your support as much as you need yours. Sometimes getting out of ourselves and helping others is the best way to cure depression.
hello-kitty is offline