This probably doesn't even belong on the site but fuck it

[Itslikethat]

Before I begin, I want to preface this with the statement that I understand this isn't a place for mental help, nor is it somewhere people probably want to be discussing it but frankly I've got nowhere else to turn. I have no real friends that I can talk to and this is the only place I know I won't be judged harshly. It's just.. It's been so hard in my day to day life recently that I've slowly just given up on all but everything I care about. I stopped caring what people thought about me and stopped taking care of myself, and I just can't get out of that ditch now. I WANT to be happy I WANT to be alright but it feels as if I never will be happy again. Nothing specific that I can remember made me think this way, it just started happening one day and I lost track of how bad it really got. I'm sorry that it had to get posted here but I just can't stay quiet anymore about it.. I had to say it to someone.

 

[egoldstein]

Mental health issues get discussed here from time to time, but the Dumpster Fire is absolutely the WRONG PLACE for it.

 

[pes]

Moved to general section.
Yes nobody here is qualified to give you professional advice.
But you sound like your problem is not zoo related and thus a regular psychologist or some other therapist could help you with what sounds like depression.

 

[egoldstein]

Thanks for moving it @pes

@Itslikethat , I feel that many of us go through cycles of depression. If you're struggling with it, do consider seeking a professional, sometimes we need a little help. Zoo related or not, there's help if you look for it.

When I'm just stuck in a rut and feel like I'm not making any progress I like to sit down and make a list of things that need to be done, big stuff, little stuff, doesn't matter, it all goes on the list. Then I pick one item on the list, can be anything, and I work on it. I find it better at first to pick easy things like "do the dishes", "laundry", "training session with the dog" and make myself do it. If I'm still feeling lost, I pick another item and do it. I find that redirecting myself to something productive and helpful for myself can give me a positive boost and seems to help me claw my way back out of the hole. If you have big tasks that will take a long time, break them up into small ones. I swapped out the motor in a car working on it only 15-20 minutes a day, didn't happen fast, but it was done before I found that one whole weekend to dedicate to the task. The hardest part for me is just getting started, once I'm going I can ride the momentum of already doing something to do more.

 

[Itslikethat]

Thanks for moving it @pes

@Itslikethat , I feel that many of us go through cycles of depression. If you're struggling with it, do consider seeking a professional, sometimes we need a little help. Zoo related or not, there's help if you look for it.

When I'm just stuck in a rut and feel like I'm not making any progress I like to sit down and make a list of things that need to be done, big stuff, little stuff, doesn't matter, it all goes on the list. Then I pick one item on the list, can be anything, and I work on it. I find it better at first to pick easy things like "do the dishes", "laundry", "training session with the dog" and make myself do it. If I'm still feeling lost, I pick another item and do it. I find that redirecting myself to something productive and helpful for myself can give me a positive boost and seems to help me claw my way back out of the hole. If you have big tasks that will take a long time, break them up into small ones. I swapped out the motor in a car working on it only 15-20 minutes a day, didn't happen fast, but it was done before I found that one whole weekend to dedicate to the task. The hardest part for me is just getting started, once I'm going I can ride the momentum of already doing something to do more.

That is.. Very good advice. Thank you very very much. I'm really sorry for having posted all this in the first place but I'm very grateful for your insight and I will do my best to learn and apply this to my life. It seems like a solid option.

 

[egoldstein]

That is.. Very good advice. Thank you very very much. I'm really sorry for having posted all this in the first place but I'm very grateful for your insight and I will do my best to learn and apply this to my life. It seems like a solid option.

Don't be sorry for it, we all have shit times and you never know how many other people see a post and gain some comfort from the discussion.

 

[xXSINNERXx]

Here’s the worst advice and you shouldn’t follow it. The only time I’m ever truly happy is when I’m NOT sober. I’ve been going through the same exact thing for I don’t know how long. At first it sucks once you realize you’re not as happy as you once were, but you get over wanting to be happy as time goes on. I came to terms with things not EVER going back to how they were and that helped. So you necessarily wouldn’t be happy but at the same time you wouldn’t care to be.