About six weeks ago I had to get an 18 month restraining order against my husband, who pulled my down to the ground in what was the final straw of living with his violent rages issues (that was the first time he actually hit me, but he often threatened to, and came close to it many times in the past). He always told me he hated the entire world except for me, and I just tried to deny it because I liked hanging out with him, etc, even though there were red flags along the way like how he would become enraged at any car on the road and say very specific sometimes racial insults and would scream about the ways he would kill the driver. We also always argued bc he wouldn't let the argument be over until I agreed with him that he was right and did what he said. It was an emotionally abusive relationship (he would put me down constantly and call me names and always said how stupid I was (I have a graduate degree). But since I got the restraining order and he moved out I've found that I am suddenly without any trace of the life I had and I am missing it, even though I know most of it was bad for me. We both worked from home until he was unemployed and then he was at home while I worked so, for the past several years, every day we were together almost 24/7. Like I mentioned, he hated people, so, over the course of our 6 years of being together, I lost touch with what few friends I had. Now I am rudderless, floating on an empty sea of loneliness, and, except for my job, feel like I am completely without a purpose or a direction and almost like I'm without any identity, as I had been extremely codependent (he wasn't; he spent a lot of time chatting on the internet with his film buff internet friends). I've tried going to church alone which is ok and started group therapy on my own (my husband got kicked out of couples therapy because, during the sessions, he would be emotionally abusive towards me and people thought he might hurt our therapist)... but so far, except for my family members, who are supportive but have their own busy lives, I haven't made any connections to anyone at all and only talk to the occasional barista or person who I get my lunch from. Since I office from home, I don't have little daily work interactions, either. Here's the thing: with my husband there, I knew what our problems were, and, though it was an intolerable situation towards the end, he was familiar and he was my home. Now I find things equally intolerable, just in a different way (no one familiar to talk to or hang out with or go places with, long days stretching into lonely nights and evenings). What I want to know is, how do people cope with this aspect of divorce and separation (bc we are getting a divorce in about two months)? How do you deal with the being alone and on your own all of a sudden in life? I know my case is a bit unusual, in that I barely talk to anyone, but I'm guessing that other people who have gone through divorce, suddenly having to contemplate and confront a future without their husband or wife by their side as they had planned must have experienced something similar to this feeling of aloneness. Any suggestions for ways to cope/move on/and start a new life (and heal at the same time)? Thanks for any suggestions!