I've reasoned away my reasons for living, what can I do next?

Question

I've always prided myself on making all my decisions based on reason. I'm a very introspective individual and I seek the true motivations behind any of my actions. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy anything because I've gotten to that stage where there is no real mystery or self delusion to hide behind. I've reasoned away any enjoyment I have in virtually everything. While I'm currently more confident than I ever was its only because I don't really feel the usual fear I used to, more numb and apathetic than anything else. I'm more successful than i've ever been but I've ceased to care, I have more money but I don't enjoy spending it. I'm a little lost and I'm not entirely sure what to do to find a way back to a way of life that I can enjoy, I'm starting to forget what enjoying things felt like. It's not depression per se, i'm not entirely sure what this qualifies as, any advice?

Answer 1

It sounds as if you need a little spontaneity in your life, you need to jump off some metaphorical cliff and learn how to live again, how to truly live. You have reasoned away intrigue and the need to trust and reduced your world to one made of facts, one that can be explained completely. Go do something bizarre that requires you to trust in something or someone else..before knowing the facts. Take a risk and find your fear again.

Answer 2

You're 18. You're 18! For most of those 18 years you didn't even have pubes or a real understanding of what the world is even like. What 18 year old has really done anything that significant with their life? Going to parties and the loss of virginity to an unknown person and out-doing classmates in spelling bees don't really count. I'm 18 and I've never done any of the things you mentioned either. Don't jump the gun. There is absolutely NO reason to be so pessimistic and assuming about your future based on your childhood. The memorable times are yet to come, yo. If you don't want to be another discarded person, don't let yourself be. People like to make it seem as if it's impossible to do profound things with your life if you're not born rich, but that is so far from the truth. It's cheesy, but the saying "you can be whatever you want to be" is very true. You just gotta want it enough and be willing to work for it. Start caring, start being optimistic and start embracing everything you have/can have in your lifetime and you will have a million reasons to live. Don't give up before life has even begun.

Answer 3

I don’t know if this helps:
I watched a psychology show once on how the brain works chemicals and everything and it was saying about love just being an attachment made for survival because if you love a baby you will die to keep it alive rather than have it for dinner! And I sat trying to deny this love isn’t a survival mechanism its something mystical sent from the gods, but then the guy said what and amazing species we are that we have evolved so much we can love in a way (I assume) animals cant (because they will eat their kids for survival!)
We feel and it may be just chemicals in the brain but that doesn’t make them any less beautiful or fantastic, what beauty in the human race, with love or even the promise of it, how can you reason away life.
When I feel down I ask my self ‘would it have been better if I never lived?’ and I can never say yes.
Love and the smell of rain, the taste of chocolate the good cr@p. little and great makes it all worth it

Answer 4

Sounds almost like a psychopathic personality. Almost. You claim to reason away all joy and emotions yet you want to find a meaning for life. You want a 2+2=4 answer? Good luck with that...trying to find one of those will get you to the end of your life. This type of thinking may be dangerous. For example: if you were to kill someone would it even affect you? If no, then I refer you to my first sentence and suggest you get help. In fact, I would suggest that now. If you have all this money then you can hire a good shirk to give your professional help. I think it's kinda illogical to seek such help from such place as Yahoo Answers but that's just me.

If you reasoned away all feeling and can't laugh at anything like political debates or Monty Python then you have just squashed the best thing about life. Get some help, kid.

Answer 5

People tend to think of depression as feeling unhappy, whereas it's often more a condition of feeling nothing, exactly as you describe. On a rational, logical level it can seem that life has no ultimate meaning, and as an "existentialist" I'd have to agree. But on a day to day level life can be very exciting and worthwhile, building relationships, marvelling at nature, setting yourself goals and striving to achieve them.

I suspect that you are in fact depressed, and would advise you to contact a counsellor. Cognitive therapy might help. You've taken the most difficult step already, by asking for advice. Don't let life slip past you, it's too precious to waste.

Answer 6

You are reasoning that has lost sentiment and/or feeling. What made you feel good in the past? Those are the things you should return to. Push away all the negative things in your life and embrace the positive.

Lastly, it sounds like you are extremely analytical. If you want to gain meaning and power in your life, you need to become more holistic. How you do it is up to you, but don't think about it too hard. Thinking just makes it worse. Use your instinct to tell you. Trust your instinct, dear. It will never fail you.... maybe you fail it.

Answer 7

In some way,
Our deepest self is the self of all men
Their pain is our pain
Their need is our need
There can be no joy for us
Until there is joy for them.

Now, you really have a reason to live and not the shallow life you were living before. By the way, this is not religious. It is just the way the human psyche is made.

Answer 8

hi " you poor lost soul"
i think maybe you need to make some new pals or try a new hobby. you say you have plenty of money so do somet completely different.
do a bungee jump or a free fall sky dive just do something that you've never dreamed of doing and just do it.
i think it sounds like your appreciation of life itself has temporarily got lost along your way. have you had too much and been able to obtain it all too easily?
there are so many worse off people out there in this mad world that would love your life just open your eyes and look around u.

Answer 9

For a start,you can stop being so bloody sensible,being too introspective could drive you nuts,try & 'break out',do things that you wouldn't normally dream of doing,you've got into a rut,now you've got to get yourself out of it.All money does is give you a sense of security,knowing that you can cover the bills,in itself,it does not bring happiness.I haven't a bean to my name & i don't give a damn,there are no pockets in a shroud.Do some voluntary among people worse off than yourself,make yourself useful to your community.Good luck.

Answer 10

It sounds to me as though you have slipped into depression or at least, "low mood". Please see your doctor, because if this is the problem, then you can feel much better within a few weeks on some medication, to help you along just now. Who knows, maybe then you will see things very differently and be optimistic. Don't just discount what I've said out of hand, you do sound depressed.