The best thing to hold onto in life is each other!

Do you recall your first day of school when you were little? What was the one thing you wanted more then anything else? Gold stars by your name? Nope. To be picked first for dodge ball - well maybe in a different universe... to be the smartest? Probably not. It was to have friends. Not just to be popular but to actually have friends. Ever time you start a new school including when you head off to college this thought comes up. Does it ever stop being important just because you age? Or get married? Or have children? Not really - you may not stress about it the same but as someone who has been incredibly isolated  by my illness for many years and feels a lot of shame when certain symptoms rear their ugly heads I can vouch for the fact that friendship never stops being important... or hard to come by.

For others who are isolated by chronic illness I swear I am not trying to rub salt in the wound. I am asking you to admit this to yourself and do something about it. If you are reading this then you have the power to use the web to change your situation. The web isn't what it used to be. As long as you aren't looking for romance, giving out credit card info to a stranger, trying to find a roommate like myself, or befriending inappropriately aged people I say go for it! NEVER give out your address or details about your life or someone else's that could be used against you. You are looking for friends not painting a target on your back!

So how to find friends online? AVOID dating sites - don't do it if what you need is real support, advice or companionship. If you want to date OK. If you are home bound, sick and lonely ask yourself if dating is an option in your near future and if you are ready to put yourself out there.

 If you are truly battling then go somewhere more appropriate for your current situation. I can guarantee their are websites and facebook pages that are dedicated to your illness - be it depression, rape survival, PTSD, chronic Lyme, fibromyalgia, celiac disease  & that they offer appropriate places to moan & groan and ask for help and advice! Believe me people who are in this same place are happy to help! They know that without knowledge and connections they'd be worse off and by human nature want to keep another from that same fate.

What you HAVE to remember is there is nothing wrong with YOU! There is nothing wrong with being sick or needing support. It's human - it's a good thing. It's your brain and body telling you they can't fight all the battles for you alone. So listen! You need help - find some. You need friends - make some. The old ways no longer apply obviously - you have new battles so you need a new plan. 

You need to remember also that though you may have 800 facebook friends, only 10 of them have your same illness or understand what you're going through. Why not go to a place where 90% of the readers will? Don't keep setting yourself up for disappointment. Share with your other friends that you are struggling and many will respond. They can't help if they don't know! Share what those struggles are in a page or in a place dedicated to this topic and you'll be amazed at the responses you get and how quickly they come also!

You also need to examine the life you've been leading online. If you look at sites about your disease or chronic illness regularly let's add some new material to the mix. Start looking at sites about healing, chronic wellness, motivation & inspiration, spirituality and religion for illness. Add new perspective. Give yourself a chance to feel better and that means do something you haven't done before!!!

So while I cannot promise that you will find your new Best friend for life I can promise you will find some incredibly kind, caring and inspiring souls out there. By the way I bet you are one of them! 

; ) just a little humor!

Have a happy and healthy day my friends! Y'all come back now you here. I'll meet you Between Health and Wealth Avenues tomorrow!                                       PEACE, Audrey Elizabeth Korte           AKORTESHARESJUICEPLUS.COM, AKORTESHARES.TOWERGARDEN.COM, AKORTESHARES.BLOGSPOT.COM