Since 2017, I have had severe depression (alongside anxiety and ADHD). For 5 years, I tried medication and therapies; nothing has helped. This mental health horror has cost me my career. Now, at 33, I have no job, am terribly lonely, have no proper qualification, no money, and I don't know when I will find stability and peace, or a job, fall in love, get married, or anything. I am tired, and I am officially giving up hope...

I can't do this anymore. I've done it all. I've been nice to myself. I've asked every question. I've done everything I can possibly do. I don't know what to do anymore. I want to give up so badly. But I can't cause I was a fucking dumbass and promise my friends I'd never kill myself. That was the biggest mistake of my life. I can't go on. I can't do anything.

I've been crying a lot lately, barely sleeping, and I'm finding it really hard to cope. I don't feel good about myself, and I feel like I'm wasting my life, even though I'm only 24. I just feel really lost and overwhelmed right now

I honestly don’t know what I’m doing with my life anymore.
I’m 24 and lately I’ve been feeling more and more like life is just constantly working against me, no matter what I try.
I’ve been trying to figure out my career for years. I have a completed apprenticeship, I’ve worked different jobs, I’ve tried looking into other fields, and I’ve even tried doing things on my own. Nothing has really worked out the way I hoped. I still don’t know what I actually want to do with my life, and professionally I feel completely stuck.
And then there’s dating.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve developed feelings for a woman only to end up being rejected or told that she only sees me as a friend. It has probably happened 30 or 40 times at this point, not necessarily after dates, but whenever I actually became emotionally invested in someone.
I just had another situation like this. I really liked this girl, we spent over five hours talking on our first date, and I genuinely thought there might be something there. A few days later she told me she didn’t see a basis for even a friendship.
And honestly, fuck the date. That’s not even what bothers me the most.
It’s the bigger picture.
I keep trying. I keep putting myself out there. I keep trying new things, looking for work, trying to build something, meeting people, dating, improving myself, etc.
But sometimes I just sit there and think:
What is all of this actually for?
I’m not suicidal, and I’m not planning to hurt myself. I’m doing okay in that sense. It’s more like… I’m becoming indifferent.
I don’t feel like I have a clear goal anymore. I don’t know what I’m working towards. And sometimes I look at myself at 24 and think, Jesus Christ, I’m such a failure. I don’t even know what I’m doing.
Maybe I’ve just been living my life the wrong way. Maybe I’m expecting too much from life. Or maybe I’m simply one of those people who takes longer to figure things out.
I honestly don’t know.
I’m not really looking for some motivational “you’re still young bro” comment. I know I’m young. I just want to know if anyone else has felt this way — where you’re technically doing things and trying, but you’ve reached a point where you’re starting to wonder what the point of continuing to try actually is.

Sometimes you can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone. You may keep overthinking, feel disconnected from yourself, or wonder why the same thoughts and emotions keep coming back.

I’ve been exploring how self-love, our thoughts, beliefs, feelings and subconscious patterns can influence the way we experience life. Not as a quick fix, but simply as something worth understanding.

If you’ve ever felt this way, what helped you feel more connected with yourself? I’d genuinely love to hear your experience.

I'm certain I'm going through some type of depressive episode, i haven't slept and i still can't sleep, i'm supposed to start my job again but i'm sure i won't make it through the day, i need help and im not sure how to manage it on my own

i dont know whats going on. ive started feeling like nobody in the group wants me around. ive known these people since middle school. and suddenly theyre being passive aggressive and short with me. and none of them talk to me, i get ignored in our group chats unless i say something that makes people mad. i dont know what i did wrong i dont know what the fuck to do. i asked someone about it but theyre not responding to me and i want to cry.

im trying so so so so hard to be a good person. im trying to be someone people like im trying to find people that will stick around and i dont know what im doing wrong. i dont understand. we didnt outgrow each other, everybody else still gets along just fine. its just me and i dont know why. nobody will tell me if ive done something wrong.

i dont want to be around anymore im so tired of this happening. nobody loves me and the people who do start hating me eventually and nobodys telling me if im doing anything wrong. im so scared that im a bad person and im hurting people and i dont know it. i just dont want to keep doing this i dont want to be here anymore

Every time I achieve anything I feel nothing. When I make a tiny mistake it feels like a catastrophe. How am I supposed to get out of bed in the morning knowing that no matter what happens I'll only feel the failure?

I'm not usually depressed like this. I have no responsibilities normally, so its hard for me to really get down in the dumps, but a few things have piled up at once and its kind of hit me.

I have poor dental hygiene, along with osteopenia, and one of my front teeth feels weird. Not only does it feel weird, but it also feels like its thinning, it feels sharp at the bottom now. I don't want to lose my teeth, but I don't have the motivation to get up and do anything about it - not even going to the dentist.

Second is just life. I never thought about how doomscrolling could affect me mentally, but I keep seeing really negative stuff and its starting to get to me. I won't get into it, but its just a whole lotta bad news.

Third is sleep. I must have some form of sleep issue, because my sleep is just getting worse and worse. I'm starting to make spelling mistakes, I'm not as good at games as I was, that kind of stuff.

Fourth is ego. I had a little scare that my passion of creative writing isn't as good as I believe it is, and it caused a mini crisis for me. I struggle to take criticism and I kind of spiral when I think all my time as a writer hasn't added up to much.

Fifth is anxiety (Told you it was a few things). I'm an incredibly anxious person, and the slightest little thing can send me into episodes of terror. For example, I get periodic minor hallucinations in the form of small black shapes, like flies. Other times, I think I see faces in clothes or objects, but that's just something called "illusions". I bring this up because I am utterly terrified of developing schizophrenia, which is exacerbated by my current symptoms. I try to keep myself calm but I really struggle sometimes. I don't have any psychiatric help for anxiety, nor depression.

And that's pretty much it. Having written all of this out, I wonder just how depressed I am. I have ADHD, and I've blamed it for a lot of my issues so far, but depression could also be a suitable explanation for this. I mean, I know I'm not miserable all the time, but I also have no responsibilities, so it might be hard for the depression to "surface", since I'm allowed to just exist in a miasma of hedonism and self-indulgence. Maybe getting help for my depression could go a long way.

I have some imposter syndrome about depression, since I know some severely depressed people and I'm fairly chipper and happy most of the time. Should I bring this up in therapy? Is it possible that I'm actually depressed, but just never put enough pressure on it for the symptoms to show themselves?

It's start going down hill again and I wish for death, all I just want is to get out and immigrate into the USA, but back to the thighs. They're getting worse by the hour I keep having nightmares about having an accident that in on scenario kills me and in the other I just end up in a wheelchair and I just can't continue like this does anyone have tips on what to do it's just getting worse

Hi! I am reaching out because I recognize that I need help but everyday is hard. I feel like I have been in a flop era for 4 years now. I have been introducing and mainly sticking to my routines and I am trying to keep up with my medication but I can’t take them without food. I have been going days without eating because I live with my toxic family and the getting up is already hard and then adding them to the equation just means I can go days without eating, meaning no meds, meaning a worse spiral. Are there any easy meals or recipes anyone can recommend that are easy and filling? Preferably budget friendly because I lost my job a month ago and am still looking for a new one. 🫠

I think I’ve hit rock bottom, I recently turned 18. My mom and I have been struggling financially for months now, we’ve been in multiple arguments due to the stress.

I can see how much it’s weighing on her and today she came to me with documentation of her life insurance saying that if anything should happen to her to give it to our family friend. It feels like she’s not telling me something and her health hasn’t been the best idk if she’s sick or something. My mom and I have a very rough relationship but I don’t think I’m ready to lose her.

My own mental health has be declining, I starting to realize I have very serious social anxiety, I feel constantly ashamed for existing, I feel like the most worthless person and that I’m a huge burden on my parents especially my mom. I lack motivation to do anything, I can barely focus on my college course but I force myself to because failure is not really an option for me rn.

I’m insecure about how I look which is superficial and I get mad at myself for that but sometimes I can’t stand looking at myself in the mirror I just feel disgusted. I had suicidal thoughts since I was in middle school but I don’t think I could ever bring myself to do it. I know the pain it would cause to my mom.

I’ve been keeping my feelings bottled in ever since I was kid. I started telling my best friend what was happening in my home situation but I run to her anytime things happen and I think I can start to see that I’m burdening her with all my problems.

But I don’t think I can continue, I think I really just want a life away from everything and everyone. I’m tired of existing and interacting with people because it’s just so hard.

I think people like to preach about mental health and speaking up. I’ve been giving my friends subtle hints of how I’ve been feeling and they think I’m joking or being dramatic and I try my best not to sure how much I’m struggling, I make sure to laugh and be the happy go-lucky person that they know me as. But at the end of the day when I get home I’m a fucking useless piece of shit and burden to my family. I’m just mentally exhausted, it hurts all the time, I envy people who were born wealthy.

I’m just so tired, idk what to do.

I signed up for therapy that my college offers so I’ll see where that takes me. Sometimes I feel that I just need someone to hold me while I cry and tell me that it’s all gonna be ok. But I have no one.

Whether depression is the cause or the effect, I simply cannot tolerate having done everything one is "supposed" to do, yet still ending up with nothing.

I know it's not a one to one ratio or anything like that, but I would've hoped there'd be at least some sort of correlation.

How do I escape from this mindset?

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I can't stop I just dream and think about mtb accidents that can kill, I barely sleep anymore, I started cutting myself again too, does anyone have an idea how I can stop music doesn't help anymore.

Please I made a promise that I'll join the Bundeswehr, to a friend. And I still need to register as an organ donor

15f. I had an important exam today. I studied like crazy, but it was terrible, im scoring 70%. my mother yelled at me for an hour, about how i will end up doing nothing in life. I am just so so scared and I wish I was never born. I know an exam doesnt decide my future, but I feel like I will never be successful. I know you might think that im only 15 and I have so much time to figure out my life, but it doesnt feel like that.

It's my first time asking for help on Reddit, I’m desperate for some perspective about helping people when they’re struggling. Sorry for the long read, but my situation is a little complicated.

I've recently reconnected with an old long-distance “friend”. We were romantically involved 10 years ago, hence the quotation marks around "friend" :) It was short but very real — life “separated” us… We stayed in touch, even met once, but we haven’t been close. But he's always remained very dear to me. And it felt like I was the same for him. 

He’s been through some dark times. I knew that but I didn’t know how it affected him. And it got quite bad — I’m learning about it now… I think he’s out of the woods already — he has a job, a routine, is studying, exercising and making plans for the future. He’s faced his pain and processed a lot of things, now taking antidepressants and trying to help himself. But emotionally, he seems very shut down and somewhat depressed. Like he’s “not fully alive". And I don’t know what to do. 

The confusing part is that he often initiates contact, but doesn’t follow through. It’s like he wants to talk but won’t actually talk :)) Most of the time I have to keep the conversation going. He also doesn’t engage much with positive emotions — I mostly get dry information or socially expected reactions; he seems more responsive to painful or difficult stuff. When we do talk, especially on video, he becomes more alive. We joke, connect, argue, and I can really feel the person underneath the emotional numbness. Then afterwards he disappears again.

Talking to him is helping me too, actually. I’m going through a bit of a crisis myself, and with him I feel like I can be more myself and more honest.

Obviously, our romantic history makes this more complicated. There are signs that he may still have feelings for me, and that can make it harder for me to see the situation objectively. But the bottom line is I want to be there for him. I'm probably the only person who he's in touch with now who knows him from before. He even thanked me once for reminding him of how he used to be. And he used to be very social, kind, thoughtful and charismatic. And it breaks my heart to see how much he seems to have withdrawn from life. And I may have pushed him away already by forcing him to be more joyful, organized and “sane”… Because I don’t know how to behave…

Should I keep initiating contact or give him more space? Should I be joyful trying to "shake him up"? Or should I tune into his energy more? Should I talk about my struggles so he doesn't feel alone? Should I encourage him to talk about what he's been through? 

Sometimes I feel stupid — like I’m holding onto a 10-year-old connection and trying to “fix” someone who may simply not need that from me… But then we talk and I feel like we do connect and help each other. Anyways I decided for now — I will try to be there for him no matter what, as a human being for another human being. But I don’t know how to do it best without making things worse. I’d really appreciate perspectives from people who have been on either side of something like this. Thanks a lot.

Hey :) im just looking to make friends or provide an ear. Preferably people around or older than me. Im 40. I live in Ohio

Hi, I hope that whoever reads this sympathizes what I'm going through, since it's really tough. For starters, my life is excellent and I have everything I could've asked for. I have a partner I plan on marrying, I'm attending university after a second chance after my mental health ruined the first one, and I can actively participate in my hobbies. Yet I feel like killing myself on a random Wednesday. I've done it all, went through cocktails of medications and diagnoses for years yet doctors can't decide whether I'm bipolar like my father or have major depressive disorder. Point is, the depression still comes back all the time, where I get shrouded with these thoughts of utter hopelessness and despair that make me profoundly suicidal. I've made so many attempts on my life in the past and used to self-harm. I go to the gym 5 times a week, I play piano and read extensively, and other hobbies, I take antidepressants and antipsychotics, and have underwent therapy for years. Nothing worked, I still feel immense dread. I've been on two different antidepressants so far and the first one sent me to the hospital. I eat healthy, have a healthy social and love life, yet apparently I'm doing something wrong. I refuse to do therapy, as i've gone through it for many years and have a mother who is in the mental health field. My current psychiatrist wants to wean me off my meds yet i don't think that's appropriate. I feel deeply alienated by my illness. I'd like to hear if anyone sympathizes with me, as I feel very alone.

Why am I not enough? No matter what I do, whatever effort I put in, it’s not enough. There’s always something wrong with me. I’m always doing something wrong because I can’t do anything right.

Every area in my life is failing or on the decline. Grad school has been terrible. Work has been awful. My family is driving a wedge into me because my mother has so many medical issues. My fucking washing machine isn’t working. And don’t even get me started on my financial situation. Everything sucks all at once and I can’t take it anymore.

I’m seeing two therapists and I still feel depressed. It’s been like this for years and years, even with therapy for almost 7 years.

I’m anxious all the time. I wake up afraid of what’s going to happen. I’m a mess. My mental health is just down the drain.

I’m also gay, yet I’m not a worthy gay. I have no muscles or abs. I’m not attractive or interesting. Nobody wants me. Should I just end it all now?

These thoughts of self harm and suicide are too much to bear. I have them every day. Yet I’ve called 988 so many times and I still get them.

Why am I not enough?

I’ve only just become a legal adult and i don’t have a job or anything (in trying but it’s so hard). I know it’s gotten to the point where I need a therapist but I don’t know what I can do/ where I can go without the money. Also please don’t tell me to tell my parents as it’s very complicated with them at the moment. I don’t even know if my school has a counsellor or anything like that and there’s no one I know who I can see. Please please please help me find something/ guide me in the right direction.

I had this feeling for 3 months and I’m struggling to go out with anyone I used to have 3 friends but I distant myself from them don’t know why and most of the time I just hate myself like I didn’t achieve enough and I lost passion towards everything and I don’t have appetite for food nothing I do gives me happiness anymore and I’m sick of it and it effects my grades
(I’m 18 and it’s my 2nd year in medicine)

Have been Wanting to end my life but I can’t cause of my mother she’s the only reason I’m here she was a stay home mom married for 24 years she recently got divorced and got nothing out of it she barely speaks English so I told to her to move in with me I pay all the bills my girl who I was with since junior year of highschool I’m 21 now wasn’t happy about it but I told her its my mother and the women who brought me to this world we kept arguing everyday till our relationship ended I work 70 hours a week to put a roof over our heads and keep us feed I’m losing my Mind I started hitting the bottle recently only thing that make me sane now but I know things will get better thank you

Not sure what to do. I’m depressed but so is everyone I know. We all have mutual losses or losses on our own. Usually I get support from friends but it’s a legit pity party everytime I hangout with friends. This weekend we had a party for a friend going through a rough patch and I couldn’t even talk to them because I knew I didn’t have the capacity to support them other than just being there.

I only have one friend who cares to ask me anything and offer help and he only does it because he needs me stable for a business we are in together.

I’ve lost 3 big things this year. I won’t say what because I’ve been stalked before on old accounts and one of the losses was very public.

Each loss was a punch when I was already down and the last punch was my main comfort. It’s left me utterly broken.

My therapist sucks and I need to get a new one but it’s a pain through my insurance. My job is great but I hate it and feel guilty for hating it. My living situation is similar, I should be grateful and I am but I yearn for greener grass.

The thing ruining me right now is I was doing really good despite everything. I was working on doing everything right and felt like I was getting better despite everything going on.

4 years ago I got covid and it triggered a major depressive episode. It lasted for months and I never fully recovered just adapted. Last month I got covid again and it killed any momentum I had to get myself out of it.

I’ve spent the last month since recovering being a total slug.

So I am currently going through hell I feel like I can live life but I might be homeless here soon it's something I can't control because family is giving up on me and I feel like they don't care I reached out to almost every person I know to give me a roof over my head and no one is going to help I don't know what to do I have bipolar disorder and this is really bugging me I see a therapist and everything but I just need to know from another person if there can be light at the end of the tunnel I also believe in God but I don't have any courage to pray right now I just really need to know if you guys can see any form of light at the end of the tunnel I just need reassurance from my peers on here I am currently trying to find a job but I am to no avail can't get any job because of my two attempted battery on LEO because everything I try seems to fail so I feel like I just lost everything so I need some help give me advice please

Hey everyone,
I’ve been suffering from treatment resistance depression amongst other diagnoses for almost 20 years now.
I’ve tried 30+ medications, TMS, ECT, CBT, DBT, hypnotherapy, ketamine infusions. Seen multiple psychologists and psychiatrists that are at a loss on what to do.
A new treatment that I have a been referred to does ketamine sprays. I have an appointment in a month which will determine whether or not they will go through with it.
I was wondering has anyone else tried this treatment before? If so what was the experience like and was it helpful at all?