What do you do when you don't know what to do..?

Question

Your friendships are slowly disappearing as you near the end of your college years, your gpa isn't what you thought it would be and you put aside testing for grad school until jan., which means you will likely begin a yr. later (if that) than you planned.
You live alone, your family is crazy and quarrels a lot, and you want a pick-me-up, just for the day, just to feel alright again without chemical triggers.......life isn't just chemistry and random meaningless occurances jumbled up in a world fashioned from a probability outcome.....but as far as something that can make me smile, if only for now.....where do I go from here?

I've survived b/c I am a Christian, but depression takes a heavy toll on you and can ruin "the best years of your life"

by chems i mean antidepressants...legal stuff...lol. and i'm off them now, I don't believe in pills and I def. feel most phychiatrists over-medicate. I guess I'm mildly depressed, but it's been building up for a long time, so it just seems like more than it really is sometimes, ya know?

Answer 1

If I were in your shoes, I would get a hobby (or several) explore different careers to find out what my passion was, volunteer for a service where I could help other people, move out of the house and get my own apartment, get a job if I didn't already have one and pick up a religion that made me feel comfortable (preferably Christianity.)

I would do all of the things above, but at your point, any would help.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Our true nature is happiness. Really. It is hidden under all the layers of ego-driven desires, wrong values, quick-fix addictions, recurring hurt and countless other cloaks we pick up along the way. Share a joke with somebody suffering from some real pain and you will be surprised, that they are still able to forget all their problems, even just for a brief second, and be surprised by the joke and laugh and let their happiness (the true nature) come shining through.

Even during your dark period, you have your wits around you and have correctly observed that " life isn't just chemistry and random meaningless occurances jumbled up in a world fashioned from a probability outcome"

So where do you go from here? Here is a few humble suggestions:

A) Ease off on all painful situations and relationships, atleast long enough to stop the recurring pain and have some breathing room for yourself. Don't fight to do this. Actually be the opposite, be purposefully kind, nice and excuse yourself.

B) Don't worry about "friendships disappearing" . Why? 'cuz life is an amazingly long, beautiful winding road (atleast for the most of us who are lucky to have been blessed with good health; even that we sometime screw it up) . On this road, as a: child in school, young adult in college/school, adult in various job situation, as a lover, spouse, parent, grandparent etc..we pick up new relationship, new friendships. So accept this change. If you need strength look back at friendships, from earlier years, that you have outgrown naturally.

C) Stop the abuse. If you are using any kind of substance or chemicals (if not medically necessary, ofcourse) to escape your pain or to induce momentary happiness, have the courage and conviction (as long as it is not an addiction) to stop it. Worst thing to do is to injest any of these, when you are feeling down.

D) Taking time off, isn't necessarily a bad thing. It is not important to compare your markers in life with your peers. All it does is develop another layer of complex in you. So relax. Regroup for next year. Life may have offered you a chance to discover what you want to do.

E) Learn to breathe again. sounds weird, huh? When is the last time you observed your breath? Let me explain: Join a meditation class. I cannot stress the importance of this in your life. Even if you do not do anything constructive, just try this...just on faith to begin with.

F) Learn to take care of your health, as a primary focus. You will be amazed what it does for you, especially when you are down. Join a gym, but don't overdo anything especially if you have not been active. Start walking 5 days a week...this again is the best, most natural and cheapest form of exercise. Do this especially the day you are feeling real low! Watch the difference.

H) Look at the world as abundant and full of love and you will be surprised how it will respond back to you (even during the worst of time).

Cheer up. One last thing:

"It doen't matter what happens to you, it's how you take it"

Good Luck. May the force be with you.

Answer 3

The best thing to do is breathe. You are growing up and changing and the people around you aren't. That is when friends go away and then new ones come. Some people are in your life for a reason or a season or a lifetime.
You have to find what works for you. Could be exercise. Could be writing. Could be a new hobby with crafts. I turn to God. I love to pray. I love to develop my relationship with Him. But that works for me. I have been thru a lifetime of hell and I needed something then. It is hard to share your beliefs with others because what I went thru is so differant.
It isn't what we go thru-but how we handle it.
Stay focused on school. This too shall pass.
Stay in school. It is so important these days. You can do it.
Hope things get better!

Answer 4

Go someplace you're fond of and take a little "you" time. I like to go to the beach in late fall or early winter when no one else is around...watching the angry surf and the lonely seagulls seems to clear my head and soothe my soul....no chemicals needed. Don't stress yourself out about the future; before you know it, it will all be in the past! Good luck.

Answer 5

You can't do this every day , but on occaision you could go to a national park and go for a walk threw one of the walking trails , it would be something to do thats different , an adventure ,,, on a daily basis adventures are fun and chalanging

Answer 6

How have you survived this long?

Answer 7

welcome to life.
Have a beer and watch TV.
If you are depressed for more than a few weeks, for no reason,
pop a prozac.
MIKE