How can I stop thinking?

Question

Everytime I do anything, I feel so POINTLESS. For example, if I get an A on my report card, I'll think something along the lines of "great, now you can be happy just like all the other nerds around you, so that you can get the 'approval' of some equally insignificant human being, build up a list of petty achievements, grow up, get a 'job' and lie to yourself, pretending that your job or your family is the 'role' you play in this world, when in fact there is no role you play in this universe because the universe is entirely indifferent to you". I'm extremely 'depressed' or disillusioned with the world. And I hate most of all when people say "live life to the fullest" or "just hold on and keep working hard" because their stupid freaking minds don't realize that they're stupid words embody and emphasize the pointlessless of the world, making me feel even worse! I would kill myself, but thats nearly as pointless as living! No action is preferable to any other! How do I be happy!!!

I haven't suffered anything. I was brought up great, I am probably what people call ungrateful.

Thanks all of you guys for taking so much time to answer sincerely

Answer 1

one word, Marijuana

Answer 2

Happiness is a state of mind!! You sound like you are under a lot of stress. Many people feel and have felt as you do through the walk of life!! It all goes back to the same old same old, Why am I here? What is the meaning of all of this? Well as you already know, there are no real answers to these questions!! Different people do different things in order to pass their lives in a happy state of mind! Some with religion, others with nature, some with drugs etc, etc. the scenarios can be endless!! The key here is for you to find something that will give you peace of mind and satisfaction at life, this is real happiness! It could be anything from climbing that mountain top and enjoying the view , and that wonderful feeling you get looking around and really realizing just how great life is!! To planting a garden, joining a religious group, helping the less fortunate etc. etc. What ever floats your boat! So stop dwelling on pointlessness of it all and start LIVING! I know you can do it!! Good Luck.

Answer 3

OK, I see many people have answered this question, maybe you've found the answer already, but I couldn't resist because this is exaclty how I was feeling say, a year ago, and sometimes I still feel that way. Nothing used t make sense at all. Before I did anything, I had to know the "why" of it, and if I couldn't get a satisfactory answer, I'd not feel like doing it...it was a pretty tough time for me.

I think you're probably doing something you don't like. Studying courses that don't make sense. I was. Then I decided, to hell with it all and switched, and I'm much better off.

You obviously have interests. Pursue them. Stop adding up figures in accountancy or whatever. Study philosophy, quantum physics, or whatever interests you.

And I think you're mistaken when you say "there's no role you play in this world because the universe is entirely indifferent to you."

The entire universe isn't indifferent to me...it seems to exist to irritate me!!

Answer 4

As a person who has been dealing with depression for a looong time, it does sound like you are depressed,or maybe just stressed and under too much pressure, which amounts to the same thing.

I have not worked it out yet but the only thing I can offer is this:

Suck up every little piece of random joy and humor you can from the world, really pay attention to the little things you experience every day (leaves blowing about, birds doing cute things, songs, etc... especially nature, nature is funny!). If you are focusing outward on these moments you can pull yourself out of deep worrying thoughts.

Catch yourself whenever you start to have thoughts motivated by fear of not being "good enough". They sound like: " If I don't do .... then .....!" or " what if ....?" They are just fear/worry not truth.

Notice if anybody around you inspires more of these type of thoughts. (whenever I think "I should..." or "I can't..." it sounds like my mom in my head). Own it, recognise where your influences come from. If you think it, question it, if someone else says it, recognise how it makes you feel then confront it or forgive it!

Don't think you are a bad person, you are doing the best you can even if it doesn't feel llike it. Don't compare yourself to anybody else, WTF do they know? we are all in the same confusing boat. There is no such thing as a 'normal' life, nobody has it worked out - distrust anybody who thinks they do!

Your life will be really surprising - you can't plan for it, just do the best you can in the moment, don't regret the past, it was a lesson. Don't fear the future, it will come anyway and bring changes that you didn't expect. Just relax and enjoy the ride. Notice everything, the "purpose" or destination is ultimately the same for us all so stop worrying if you can and just be as 'you' as you can be along the way.

Sorry If that sound patronising, it was hard realised and all I've got. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Uh-Oh. Your waking up. There is no turning back now. I have sometimes wondered whether it hurt more to know that its all a sham and have to live in it or to be totally oblivious. That jury is still out on that one.

Some people will react to what you are saying. Some will go as far to say you are crazy. Others will know exactly what you mean. Fewer still have gone beyond.

You might spend the next 5-10 years of your life reading books on philosophy, religion and quantum physics and raising more questions than you get answers to. That is unless you follow the advice to stay very very very busy... so busy that you can't feel the pain anymore. That will only last so long. But anyway... Hopefully you will gain some insights, but its rare to find any reason answers. I really don't know what to tell you. There is an answer, but its not one that anyone else can impart to you.

The only thing I can recommend:
J. Krishnamurti - Freedom from the Known, Commentaries on Living and many other jewels.
Maybe this won't resonate with you. No matter. There are many others as well... And whichever one is right for you is up to you to find.

Be happy on the journey my friend. Because you will find that in the end, this is the only point of anything. And don't forget.... never stop questioning.

Answer 6

OMG!!! I think exactly like that sometimes!! :D

I know exactly how you feel like literally every sentence of that i have thought! It's a very pessimistic view on both our parts but i guess it comes down to our fundamental beliefs.

Presuming we are on the same wavelength here - i am guessing you don't believe in God (don't get me started) and therefore believe there is no heaven, as i do. So then your thinking - well what is the point of us being here? There's nothing to look forward to - just a wait until death. I do try and live a happy life - im not an emo - but like you say, things always seem to resolve back to the origis of the universe and the purpose of llife, of which thereisnt really one...

I mean - you could be the person that saves the world one day from blowin up for example, but so what, all that it will have allowed is further generations of organisms of which there is no purpose.

I can't believe i have finall found someone who thinks this way, i mentioned something similar to a friend that just laughed at me and didnt take me seriously...

I guess all you can do is try and keep happy. It may seem that your think your wasting what is left of the inevitabl ending pointless lives that we have as a result of the daily stress of work and relationships, but it is this that will lead on to enjoyment.

Your socialising leads to happy times with friends and hard work to a good job with lots of money that you can enjoy in later years.

Sorry if all this seems negative, i just love these sort of discussions - universe, life etc. - fascinating stuff!

Anyway, don't kill yourself for a start as life may be a pointless event but it can still be enjoyed. You don't need a purpose to be happy. Find a hobby that you can enjoy, balance your work out so you get free time and try and get fresh air and socialise as much as you can. Try to enjoy your life effortlessly rather than feeling you have to.

I do volunteer work and work at a charity shop as i feel the same things as you, but i guess this gives me some sort of purpose as not many people as as pessimistic about life as myself, so by saving their lives (charity) or making their lives easier (volunteering) it makes me happy knowing i am doing something good.

Its also why i want to be a doctor - to help others.

Answer 7

Find something that keeps you BUSY, and that you HAVE to concentrate on in order to do. But don't make this something like studying for a test, but it should be something that you will not mind doing, i.e. playing an instrument for fun, cooking, art, playing sport, reading a good book. Take up art classes or martial arts classes, or dancing classes, something that you aren't pressured to do. I find that whenever I play piano I have to concentrate on the music and then I get into a state of mind where I am literally NOT thinking at all, just reading the music - it is as if all my brain is doing is just transferring the notes on the page from my brain/eyes directly to my fingertips, not adding on any extra thoughts along the way. When I paint, also, this happens. It only happens with something that you can get so absorbed in that you stop THINKING, just concentrating.

It sounds as if there is alot of concentrating and that it would be stressful, but in reality it is not stressful. Stress only comes when you THINK about things, their effects etc. After doing the above activities I always find my mind is fresher and much more relaxed - I'm assuming it's because my brain just had a break from thinking.

I hope this helps! I can understand how it seems as though things couldn't get any worse for you, but just remember that you still have many years ahead of you, and there will ALWAYS be something better coming around the corner, whether you can see it coming or not. Trust me on this.

Answer 8

Life is an aimless drive that you take alone. You may as well enjoy the ride and take the long way home.

You have to ask yourself a question...do you want to live the pointless exsistance that is your life miserable?

It's true...we will all die one day and it won't matter.

Do what makes it most amusing for yourself while you are here putting up with this sh*t

Until you get it in your mind that you can actually start to think about who you are, what you like, what you want, and how you can get there...then do it.

Stop sitting around with the generic manic depressive behavior and use all that mixed energy and apply it to something that makes you a contributing member to society and not a drain.

If your not going to do that, then please, go live in the woods and be a hermit.

Answer 9

First of all, define Universe as in 'the Universe is indifferent to you'. What do you want, a signal from Mars that says 'good work, buddy'? The 'Universe', or the only Universe YOU will ever experience are the people you meet in it. The world isn't pointless but, with your present mindset, you cannot believe this. Your writing screams 'hurt', by someone, sometime. We all were. For God's sake, get a bit of help to enable you to see thro the maze you are creating with this kind of thinking. You might not end up like Mary Poppins but you might find a bit of value in the life that you so easily downgrade-even if its to help others who feel like you do now. Truly, it is not what happens to you, but, how you view it.

Answer 10

Sounds like you've seen through all the b.s. that is the material world. Thats actually a good thing. Finish out school and do something that you can belive in. Maybe its helping others. You never know, you may end up being a missonary or peace keeper in some far off country, feeding the helpless. Its a big world with lots of choices, more choices then we sometimes realize when we look at the world with narrowed vision.

Answer 11

i wonder if you have been contemplating about life after death, and the meaning of life if there is one. I don't think the universe is entirely indifferent to us. We are taught from an early age that we come into this world, when infact we come out of it, where else is there to come from? I would not recommend going to see a councillor as they may just want to label you into a box and give you some happy pills. I recommend that you start to to look at things like buddism, goto deoxy.org, and erowid.org and look at the articles on life, religion and shamanism etc. You will never find the definative answer to all lifes mysteries, but enjoy the journey anyway, just dont totally neglect yourself in the process, set time aside for the basics like eating cleaning etc, but also set aside time for further study and contemplation, the net is the greatest source of philosophy. I would recommend reading online stuff by the following people who are no longer with us, Alan Watts, Terence McKenna and Timothy Leary. Heres a quote from Alan Watts...."Inability to accept the mystic experience is more than an intellectual handicap. Lack of awareness of the basic unity of organism and environment is a serious and dangerous hallucination. For in a civilization equipped with immense technological power, the sense of alienation between man and nature leads to the use of technology in a hostile spirit---to the "conquest" of nature instead of intelligent co-operation with nature". Alan Watts, Timothy Leary and Terence McKenna articles can be found on deoxy.org and erowid.org