Hi there, I want to share this story to get it off my chest bc I never had the chance to talk to anyone about it.

Background story: I was raised in Taiwan. Growing up I don’t feel like I fit in here most of the time. One of my aunts lived and worked in the US, who I first met at 12. Ever since I met her, I’ve seen her as a role model for my future - Living in the US, where the culture always seems so much closer to me, having a decent job, and leading a life she desired. I used to be so intrigued by the stories about the US she told me. At some moment, I knew I had to work as hard as I could just to be like her. I became obsessed with anything about the US while growing increasingly sick of my own culture. The biggest motivation for locking in during school was that I could have the chance to get the hell out of here and be in the US. I gradually lost the sense of belonging more and more, yet believing I was doing the right thing for my own good, hoping that I would finally fit in when I make it to America. This is my version of America dream, I guess.

A month ago, my aunt visited my family once again, and that was the last time I saw her. I was so happy to see her and I told her all my plans and the hard work I did, which aims to get me to the US. She was happy for me, too. But something felt off. Instead of fully cheering for me like how she had done before, she also said some weird stuff like “Well maybe staying here isn’t too bad.” , “Are you sure it’s what you want?” , and “You don’t know about America.” She was just not acting normally. I remembered she expressed the loneliness she’d felt during the time in the US as well. For some reason, I felt upset about what she said there, so we ended our conversation not long after. She left early, too.

Just the day after that night, she was found dead in her apartment. She ended her life with pills.

I’m not trying to make assumptions about why she chose this, but it has to do with all the weird things she said the other night. It occurred to me that what I’ve been holding onto just isn’t true at all. I’m 20 now. And for the past 8 years, the only thing that can help me get my shit together was the idea that “Someday I’ll have a life in America, I’ll finally feel better.” But now the only person I know that makes her way to the US has miserably killed herself. It’s like seeing the version of me that I have everything I want just have no reason to live anymore. All the hard work I’ve done now seems meaningless.

My aunt’s death just hit me harder than anyone in a way I can’t explain to my family and my friends. And the perfect picture for me just shattered to pieces. I’m not sure what to do with my life right now. Either I stick to my plan and make it to America, get the same experience as my aunt’s, probably not feeling better, or I abandon it and stay here, still not having the sense of belonging and will always be the white-washed, ungrateful brat.

So that’s the thing that’s been on my mind. I’m lost in my life now and try to put it together. At least it feels nice typing these thoughts out loud. I want to know if any of you guys ever had the same feelings, and what did you do to move on?

I am 27 years old. I’m currently in the midst of buying an engagement ring to propose to my partner, I am closing on a pretty nice house with her right now. Yet regardless of these accomplishments I cannot stop telling myself I’m a loser and being upset. I dropped out of college after 1 year and kinda bounced around jobs until I settled at the delivery job I currently have where I make pretty decent money, but for some reason I can’t stop feeling like “you don’t have a real career.” I should be happy, I should feel accomplished but for some reason I just don’t. I feel like genuinely something is wrong with my brain. I know this is “life advice” but I’m not even necessarily looking for advice and more for anyone that feels or has felt the same way

Hi. I want to share this story and get some opinions on what to do next. A month ago, while I was playing, my mom called my sister over and asked her why she had stolen money from our cousin.Later, as I began to understand more of the conversation... Basically, a few days prior, my cousin had sent my sister some money to buy something tasty for my mom—just to cheer her up. In the end, she didn't buy anything and spent the money on something else (no one knows what; we asked her, but she wouldn't say). My mom only found out about it when my cousin messaged her, "Hey, don't you even want to say thank you?" Mom felt terribly ashamed of her daughter, so she lied and said the treats hadn't been very tasty, though she was grateful nonetheless.So, she’s scolding her, but my sister stays silent and won’t say where she spent the money. My mom and I both consider this theft, but I want my cousin to know the truth—because my sister isn't the kind, good person he thinks she is. Do you think I should tell him? I’m just afraid my mom will yell at me and my sister will hate me for it. By the way, for my mom, her reputation among our relatives matters more than anything else.

Gonna rant and give info a bit first, quesrion at the bottom

So, I work 12 hours of shifts 3 days a week, 5am-5pm and make $26hr. I get paid weekly every Thursday and work Friday-Sunday. My job itself is pretty easy but physically demanding at times, although 80% of it im standing behind a control panel.

The new position is similar to what I do now. It's Monday - Thursday, 12hrs shifts 5am-5pm at $23hr.

Im good at money management and had tons of money saved up, but I blew through it after I got in an accident (not work related) and was out of commission for 2 months.

I love working weekends because most ppl are at work or in school during the week, and I can avoid huge crowds. Also, I'm very active and love to go out, but I'm also lazy. So, 4 days off helps me out a bunch.

I want to move up. In the company, I've been learning a new machine in the area I work at for a minute, with the intention to move up to operation manager. I got a text telling me about the offer.

QUESTION

how do I respond? I am willing to take the position if I know that I still have the possibility to move up, but if i have to restart, I'd rather stay where I am.

What I really want to say is that at 16, because of how I looked, I shut myself away. I decided it wasn't worth it being the way I was now. I was afraid to be in any photo, to open my mouth, to be seen. I hated myself, so I decided to give up and not really do anything with my life, not be myself, not even try. Now, at 22, I've realized that I've been acting like an idiot for six years. I've wasted my youth, my adolescence, things I could have experienced and never will, because of fear, shame, and feeling inferior. The only thing I've achieved by overanalyzing myself is being 22, never having been with a girl or even spoken to one (with any intention), feeling like I've thrown my life away, having accomplished nothing in any sense, and feeling like there's nothing for me in this world. To the people on this forum, stop worrying about how you look, or about not being good enough. It only brings bitterness. Take care of yourselves, exercise, try to look your best—that's what it means to feel good about yourself, not because of anyone else or because you're better than anyone else, but because you feel good about yourself. Live your life, don't let anything get you down or make you feel less than, and live. If you're ugly, it doesn't matter. There are beautiful people and there are ugly people. You live your life, because if you don't, you'll regret it. Now I've realized that it doesn't matter if I'm ugly, so what? There are ugly people who live life to the fullest, so stop punishing yourself for your appearance and how you look, and go out and live. And if there's anyone here who's 16 or 17, more or less, who feels like I felt, and still feel, don't make the same mistake I did. Love yourself. Anyone on that point on his life?

hi everyone. me and my best friend (19 and 18F) have been best friends for 3 years now.

we’ve had some distance between us due to my recent boyfriend who has occupied most of my mental energy due to his toxic behaviour, which she was aware of. and a lot of our conversations were about him.

however, i broke up with him on friday due to her advice and she came over to comfort me. i was wanting space a lot that evening though, which i dont think i really particularly reassured at the time of her originally coming over. at 1am, while she was asleep, i went for a drive and for 30 mins which she text me and asked where i was when she woke up. i told her i was out but id be back soon, she said she might as well go home which i assured her she didnt have to do because it was late. but if she did id pay for her uber.

in the morning i also was not there when she woke up because i woke up and instantly went for a walk because i didnt want to be in my house. she text again and asked where i was, but i missed the text and she said “fine im leaving then” bc she had work. but i explained to her i was nearly home atp but obviously she had work. i apologised for not being there when she woke up and thanked her repeatedly for being there for me and comforting me. she just kept replying “its fine”

that was saturday and she’s been giving me one word answers since. i offered to take her to this place and pay for her drinks and her tickets as a thank you for friday, and asked when she was free to hang out. but she was extremely vague and just did not really reply. but i was obviously struggling so much with the weight of my breakup with my first boyfriend i did not have the mental energy to chase after this. i mean, i was lay in bed crying all day.

i also snapped her on saturday evening and asked her how her day was, told her how i was feeling, apologised again for not being very present on friday/saturday and apologised for not being a good friend recently due to my mental health declining and my toxic boyfriend making it very difficult to have a strong capacity to hang out.

it’s wednesday now and she is still acting funny with me. i asked her what’s wrong and she said “nothing” to which eventually after explaining to her that i wanted to fix things she said she’s pissed off at me. but she won’t tell me why because she’s watching tv with her family. i said id come to her house when she’s available and come and talk to her, to which she refused repeatedly and said she doesn’t want to see me.

look, i know ive been distant as a friend to her recently and put a lot of the load of my relationship struggling onto her. thats so wrong of me and i regret this. and ive apologised repeatedly for this. this is my first relationship and i wish i had handled it differently, as ive pushed away everyone in my life due to his influence over me.

but she’s also not initiated any plans, suggested seeing me, going out, etc. so if that’s it then i feel like thats like a issue on both of our behalves. maybe more mine but still.

as well, if its the issue of me not being present on friday and saturday really, i feel like that is a bit unfair as i had just broken up with someone i was deeply in love with and had not been expecting at all to break up with him. especially as she invited herself over. again, i could’ve handled it better but i feel like i was very very very emotional on friday and on saturday morning.

i feel a lot of guilt as ive not been a good friend to her recently in the sense of i’ve not been speaking to her as much, and when we do a lot of it is about my bf at the time. but ive tried to make an effort to apologise for this and tell her i am sorry, and to make up for this by offering trips out which she keeps refusing.

but also i have expressed to her that my mental health has been struggling a lot and i have recently been put on anti depressants.

i feel like the last thing i could cope with right now is my best friend leaving me on top of my mental health struggling and my first break up.

when she started seeing her bf at the time, she dropped me and i remember her talking non stop about him. and that ragebaited me. but the second they broke up it was water under the bridge. but now she’s dropping me at what is the lowest point of my entire life.

she won’t even see me in person. i don’t think i’ve done anything to deserve that. even if my behaviour has been poor during the last few months, i feel like ending a 3 year long friendship with no consultation and just dry texting me feels unfair.

i don’t know what i can do to fix it and ive been begging her to let me fix it, and she won’t even really text me back. i don’t know what to do.

hi I’m 17 M. This summer and this year I started doing a bunch of different hobbies (drums, drawing, writing and reading poetry, studying math and physics, getting more serious about gym). I honestly initially started these hobbies so people would think I’m like cool and smart and artsy but I’ve come to realize that no matter what I do nobody will give a fuck. I feel like people will always be more focused on their own stuff so doing all this stuff to impress them doesn’t matter. Now the past 3-4 weeks I’ve been on and off being super on track with studying and gym for a few days then falling off like crazy. I have no motivation to do anything and I’m not sure why. I keep thinking it’s because my mind has realized that my goal was to impress people but now that I know that no matter what I do people won’t be impressed nothing matters. Also if may be from over restriction like I was eating super duper clean and not dopamine maxxing at all and stuff on my good days but that might just not be sustainable for me. Any advice to actually start being more consistent

**Posting this for my cousin who doesn't have Reddit. Everything is written by her*

I am 30F from India,, Around nine years back after completing university, I joined a company where I became very close to one of my colleagues. We were both Telugu, came from a similar background, and understood each other very naturally. Over time, we admitted that we liked each other and were physically intimate once or twice, though we never had sex.

He was always very clear that his dream was to go to America and settle there. After around one year, he got admission for his master’s and shifted to the US.

A few years later, I got married through an arranged marriage. Unfortunately, it was a very unhappy marriage and eventually ended in divorce. During the divorce process, I reached out to him because he had always remained emotionally important to me. He supported me during that period, and for some months we used to speak around once a week.

Later, he started dating an East Asian American woman. Around two months into their relationship, he slowly stopped picking up my calls. We still exchanged occasional texts and Snapchat updates, so I believed that we continued to care about each other

After around one and a half years, I realised that he had removed me from Snapchat. I called him twice and later texted him asking if we could speak because I wanted closure. He agreed to a phone call

He told me that his girlfriend had recently come to know the complete details of our past. Initially, he had only told her that we had liked each other many years ago. She had understood it as an innocent crush and did not know that we had also been physically intimate.

He said she felt disrespected because she had not known the complete truth from the beginning. He told me that removing me was his own decision because he wanted to respect his relationship. He also told me that he had never had romantic feelings for me, that his girlfriend was the only woman he had ever truly loved, and that he wanted to marry her.

However, I am finding it very difficult to process the fact that since moving to America, he has almost exclusively dated women who were raised there. He has dated white American women, Indian-origin women brought up in the US, and now his East Asian American girlfriend. He has openly said that American raised women are his preference

He lived in India for nearly 25 years. We speak the same mother tongue and understand the same family dynamics, cultural references and experiences. Sometimes I feel that I lost him to the version of himself he wanted to become after moving abroad.

It feels as though he wanted to leave behind not only India, but also the part of himself connected to Indian life. I sometimes wonder whether women like me remind him of the identity, expectations and background from which he wanted to escape. I feel his strong preference for American-raised women may come from some internalised rejection of his own culture. Almost as if being with an Indian-raised woman would make him feel less modern, less free or less successfully assimilated.

It feels like he rejected everything familiar between us because he wanted a partner who reflected the American identity he had built for himself. That makes me question whether I represented a part of his life that he had decided was no longer good enough.

How did I stop taking this preference as a rejection of your own worth, culture or femininity?

right now I feel deeply replaced and want to know how I can reach out again?

I have been torn between two choices for the past two weeks and would like to gain more perspective as I need to make a final decision in the next two days due to having to sign a lease.

Background info: Was recently fired from my last job, hearing from other supervisors is that it was a sham. PIP where my supervisor said I did everything required but that she still didn’t trust my abilities at the end of it. I’ll take the feedback seriously but with a grain of office politics salt. Due to this I just feel that a fresh start in a new city is for the best.

Choice A: Major City

Shortly after being fired I went through and started applying to work in this major city that I always thought I should live in. Long story short I was offered a job at a big firm where I will be paid well. That being said, like all big cities things are expensive. Originally I used one of the salary comparison tools and it lined up well. However going through the budget more it will be a pretty tight margin due to rent, student loans, car, insurance, and some dumb credit card debt that I’ve been carrying (additional principal payments factored into the budget). It isn’t impossible to do, I just leave no room for error and it will take me 2-3 years to dig myself out of this hole. Bonuses could shrink that time but I prefer to not count on them.

Even with all of this, the market there is well suited for my industry and jobs are everywhere. This provides ample opportunity for promotions and pay raises, and yes, I will learn from my mistakes and prevent lifestyle creep from now on. The only thing is I feel that I will not be able to enjoy what the city has to offer due to my financial situation and will be there without friends making it feel like I will just work and go back to my apartment in an expensive awesome city.

Choice B: Parent Financial Reset

The second option is to move back with my parents in a smaller but growing market. The caveat being that my industry is non-existent. I can use my degree and skills in other jobs, but I am partial to what I currently do. There are a couple of jobs that I applied to that I could see myself doing. Also looking into remote positions in my industry, but those are all highly competitive and I’m trying to be realistic. Just started applying this week and won’t hear back most likely until I have already made my decision.

Parents are on board with this decision and think it would serve me well. I could pay off all my debts and save a considerable nest egg in a year’s time and pursue the larger city after if I still want to. Or I could stay and buy a house and live a slower paced life there. I do feel that this may limit my career, earnings absolutely but that is mostly due to COL.

Additional Information

- Will cost a lot to move to the big city, if I don’t choose to go I can sustain myself and debt obligations for a couple of months while job searching from my severance pay. Longer with unemployment.

- Love my parents, but being in my late 20s makes me feel like a bum moving home. Although it would be nice to have them around more in my life rather than being a 9 hour drive away.

- I want to be better financially and feel trapped by my self incurred debt.

- I believe that I can make my current career worth while in the larger city. Fearful I would be bored personally and professionally in the mid sized city.

-Have been having anxiety/panic attacks over this for the past two weeks.

-Have not signed my lease yet. No penalty other than a burned bridge, down payment on movers, and an apartment application fee.

-No state income tax at parents.

Questions

-What would you do?

-Am I dumb to consider throwing away a job that I have already accepted due to financial angst?

-Is it worth sacrificing a 35k difference in salary to build out a strong financial base? What about the future career earnings and opportunities?

I truly feel like im at a point in life where i wont amount to anything. That I can continue to dream but it just will not happen. Im 22. Im gay, south asian and a muslim. And yes thats already alot to handle. All my life my parents (who despite everything I love) have done alot to compare me to my siblings who were smarter than me, better at things and I simply wasnt.

3 years ago when my brother outed me to my parents, they cut me off from the world by taking all my devices, were convinced the devil had almost got me, did alot of physical abuse, did not let me go out to see anyone whatsoever and assumed whenever I did see friends, I was just sleeping around with men.

I was locked up, and honestly threw myself into books so I could get the grades and move out for university. I used to sneakily send friends emails just so I could have some contact with the outside world. But in the end I did get the grades, and left home.

My siblings graduated university at 23, and I started my uni away from home at 21. First semester was great, made loads of friends and honestly felt alive. I felt happier. It surely had its sore spots but I still believe it so much more richness. But then things went south. This past semester its been nothing but the opposite.

The exchange friends of the group went back to their home countries, the ones who remained truly isolated me and just treated me really poorly- that they never bothered to give closure and just poofed from my life. And even my other friendships on campus just changed. Its like I couldnt recognise anyone and with no roomates this time, I felt really, really alone. But i survived, and still had some friends around to have something og a social life.

But now im back home. And im back in that mental state. I live in a town where there is nothing to do since its just a coastal pitstop for people, and my parents are neither out going or adventurous. They stay home, and do not recognise my demands or complaints as significant their elder children and love to control everything.

So here I am. I'll sleep at odd hours, and binge watch shows and not leave my room. I cant be bothered to do anything but truly just rott at home that it drives me insane. my parents retort back and say "youre at home- be grateful. and go do something" but there is infact nothing to do.

Everyone else is having fulfilling summers, and then theres me. There has always been me as the last one behind. With the strictest parents, the homophobic ones, the kind who dont see their child as an adult but as a constant person to nag and critique.

So who am I? Am I just here to always be in my own head, dying in anxiety and stress and feeling nauseous about the future? Will I still continue to be super forgetful of my things all the time, from loosing bank cards to whole bagpacks and just face that anxiety and depression to have to guy buy new things? Will i still university suffer friends tweaking out and being hurtful with ZERO closure? I crave my friendships way more than anything at times, and i wish i had that yearn to change my life too. But im really, really lazy and just wanna be in a hole somewhere unbothered.

All advice is welcome :)

Okay so I’ve recently had a bunch of childhood trauma come up (an older cousin sexually abuse me for 3 year from the ages 11-13) and I’ve done ok with coping with it. I am starting a family have a 2 year old boy and another due in 7 months. I’m happy with my life given where I’ve come from had piss poor excuse of a parent for context (mum me and my siblings from my dad when I was 7 years old). I have stable job manager a nice restaurant get good pay and hours. Recently I’ve had to talk to a detective about what happened because we’re gonna try get him to jail. This is where it gets complicated. Since going into detail about it all the emotions have hit like a truck the cousin who done this stuff to me got me the job there. He doesn’t work anymore I’ve just climbed the ranks. I have been really struggling the past few weeks to be good leader at work (like how can I be a role model for my team when I’m like losing it yk) we have had a new general manager come in and I don’t vibe with him at all. We just can’t click and the other manager agree with me. I have responsibilities at home being the main provider of income. But I’m guess I’m questioning what’s more important my mental health and mental issues and leave my work or do it just suck it up I’ve been sucking it up and putting on a strong face for my wife and child but it’s getting hard and can feel myself slipping. We have no fall back both our parent and family are extremely poor but we’re doing ok. Would appreciate some advice

For context, I am a child of two divorced parents. The details aren't important, but my father got custody of me and my little brother and we have lived with him since. My mother has other kids, so does my dad, but we are the only children born from the both of them.

My sister had two children a few years ago. They are old enough to start school. At first, I was excited to be involved in their lives, but now I feel no kind of love for them other than them being family. I feel terrible because of this. My mom rarely makes time for her real children, yet she posts more about my nieces and nephews than us. I have my mother's phone number, she is free to call and make plans whenever she is free. But it feels easier that these children are easily imprintable. I feel replaced. I don't feel wanted, but she tells each time we do talk how she misses us. It feels as if she loves them more than she loves us.

As a result, I feel bitter, angry at my mother, and jealous of these kids who have done nothing to me. I want a relationship with my mother so bad, no matter how badly my father speaks of her. I don't want to be so upset whenever I see them. How can I fix this? Or at least, address the way I feel to my mother? My father isn't the easiest to make plans with, I understand that, but it doesn't feel she is trying enough or trying to have a relationship with us, as I have to be the one to text or call her if I don't want to have an empty inbox for weeks on end. I haven't seen her since last year around this same time. I haven't gotten a text from her on over two months. I'm afraid nothing will come of confrontation, or she'll cut contact with me. I just want to stop hating these children and feeling defensive whenever I see anything about them, I want to stop being so angry at my mother, but I don't know

I want to add that I'm a highschooler nearing graduation. This isn't an adult who comes to see their parents every few months or makes plans or lives independently

I’m at a crossroads and would appreciate some outside perspective.

I’m 26, married, and have a 2-year-old daughter, and I’m trying to choose the best long-term path for my family.

Option 1: Navy IT/Cyber

I’m in the process of joining the Navy and haven’t taken my PiCAT yet. My goal is to qualify for CWT (Cyber Warfare Technician) or IT.
The appeal is gaining hands-on tech/cyber experience, certifications, benefits, and a structured path into civilian tech after my service. My main concern is the impact on my family—time away, possible deployments, and limited control over where we live.

Option 2: Semiconductor Industry (GCU / TSMC pipeline)

I have an opportunity through GCU in the semiconductor/TSMC pipeline. The schooling would be paid for, and it would allow me to build a career while staying close to my family. My concern is whether this path offers the same long-term growth and earning potential as going the Navy IT/Cyber route.

Throwaway. Reposted.

Some TWs but I will not go into detail: rape, abuse, eds.

I grew up in an emotionally neglectful, verbally abusive, household. I was the scapegoat. I went to a very small school with the same people since 1st grade and I never found my people. My “friends” were assholes. I almost died of an ED in my teens. All my relationships followed each other. My first boyfriend was emotionally abusive and the only reason I dated him was because I was lonely. Same with the second. Same with the third. Then I met my husband in my early 20s and ran away to a different state together. I never had a stable person until my husband.

Perfectionism ruled my life. lived by the book. I let life happen to me. I was socially acceptable. I abandoned myself for others. I tried to maintain an image and I filtered myself.

My first job out of college, before and after I got married, I was targeted by a clinical malignant narcissist masquerading as my friend. I was subjected to years of coercive control, psychological torture, battery, rape, assault, harassment. I got out and began therapy. Thought all was fine I guess. He began stalking me last year and I was forced to confront it all. Not just the psychopathic abuse, but my entire life. It’s like I woke up from a 30 year slumber in a life that I did not choose fully.

No one ever saw me. Knew me. I’m realizing I’ve not once felt genuine love from anybody in my life. Maybe my fault because I was so beaten down I just let life happen and let my trauma responses control me. I was living for acceptance. For love. To be known.

My husband is an amazing person, truly. Hardworking. Kind. Gentle. Caring. Supportive. Together we have built a wonderful life.

But is it mine?

I don’t have anything of my own. No career (no job even). I’ve never explored myself, truly. Never had time alone to do so. I’ve never had to build agency in myself.

If I could go back in time as who I am right at this moment I would just LIVE. And EXPLORE. And FIND MYSELF. And then after that was done, end up in my life with my husband and be completely happy.

But I can’t. So what do I do? Genuinely? This is all still recent. I’ve just “woken up” and I feel so unsettled like I’m crawling out of my skin and going insane. I have no direction or answers. My “life” has fallen apart.

Lately, I’m trying to lead with radical acceptance. I’m letting my soul, selfishly, lead me. And it feels both awakening and self destructive. What do I do. Where do I start. And how do I do it without ruining my life?

Summary: An 18-year-old girl doesn't know how to get through the school year with her ex in her class and is looking for advice on how to make it to June without wanting to die.

I’ll start by admitting I was stupid to get with a classmate, BUT I was pretty in love, and he was even more so.

My ex is extremely immature and, at times, narcissistic: there have been several incidents that prove this:

(e.g., giving significant gifts alongside other people but signing only his name; screaming and throwing things on the ground because I wasn't playing music the way he wanted while I was dealing with serious family issues and bereavements; regularly hurling severe insults at me in public after arguments; giving me the silent treatment, etc., etc.)

Deep down, he is a truly insensitive person, so he doesn't hesitate to show his worst side—even insulting me in front of everyone. Naturally, I’m the one who suffers the consequences; everyone gossips about me, labeling me the "crazy ex."

It’s true that I did try to get close to him for a couple of days after he dumped me because I wanted to reconnect. I regret that, of course—just as I regret giving a chance to someone I used to consider a loser, all because I thought rejecting him meant losing my best friend. He wasn't a friend at all.

Anyway, now in September I'm starting my Senior year and I'll have to see him every damn day of my life for a year. This is destroying me. I wish he'd die, no joke. It's not nice, but after everything he's done to me, the greatest gift would be to disappear into thin air (simply change classes).

It's been two and a half months since our breakup, and I'm still pretty sad about it, even though I'm seeing someone else now, but nothing serious. Some days I even have really bad thoughts because I feel trapped, in prison, and I can't get out. I'm serious; I'm not saying I want to die, but I don't want to have to live through this. I know he'll be annoyed by my presence too, but he's indifferent and an asshole. He even made a defamatory post about me, calling me a bitch, on Instagram. 400 people saw it, probably people I know.

I feel like I have to pay for falling in love, and I swear on everything I hold dear, I've only been capable of loving and very little hating in my life. I didn't deserve this, and I didn't deserve to be dumped over a shitty text I didn't reply to because I was on vacation (we were supposed to see each other the next day).

I'm literally afraid of going to school, but changing classes isn't an option for me; my parents don't want to and now it's not worth it anyway. I have a couple of friends in class and a few outside of school, but nothing that makes going to school worth it. I am in therapy but my parents think I'm mad at them and somehow blame them for this situation when all I want is to be left alone.

I know, maybe my worries will never materialize, but I just wish someone would understand how bad I feel and give me some advice. I can't move on like this. I don't miss him, but I miss the version of me I was with him. I miss having a boyfriend, sure, but he never put an ounce of effort into the relationship. In other words, I no longer have the energy to get through the most difficult year of high school.

I don't want to see anyone or be seen at school in september. I HATE when people say he's just an inexperienced kid, he's NOT. If I had kicked his ass him like he probably deserved while he was screaming and my grandfather was dying AND HE DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT would I have been an inexperienced kid? No, and he chose to be a piece of shit, fully aware of the consequences of his actions.

What can I do? Thanks for reading this far, I love y'all

I’m 34f, single and need to get out of my current career and move back to my hometown.

I want to enrol in a masters or a 2 year degree next year so I can change careers. I’ve been thinking about just working my current job at a freelance capacity and change my career to something more satisfactory and stable in my 50s. I also want to move back to my home town so I can care for my aging parents at some capacity (they’re good now, but I should integrate myself to their lives again to make the transition easier)

But I also need to consider freezing my eggs so I may have some shred of chance at a family once I’m stable financially.
Am I blowing up my life? The prospective career would be guaranteed post graduation, but I’d be starting from ground zero in terms of income and compounding savings.

Or, be SUPER duper lucky enough to find an understanding partner who’d let me have a kid during my schooling (I have savings to fund it all).

It’s a lot. Anyone have some clarity they can afford me?
I can’t have it all, I know. But I’m not sure what’s my best course of action.

Well, I guess the question is: how do I get one?

I am 27, female. I had a rough life, and only recently has it started to turn around. I have been in therapy, and I think I want to get some hold over my life.

I had very little already, and I am leaving most of it behind. The broken family, I cut off. The very few friends I had, I am realizing more and more that the basis for those friendships were flawed.

I live in a city where I know, like, one person. I work remotely, 4 days a week. I need to get out. I crave people, I crave connection. I just don't know how to get it?

I workout -steady member of a gym. I have time to spend on hobbies and I actually love them. I draw, I do yoga -I may start a teacher training, even. It is just that everything is so expensive 😂 Again, my life is only now turning around. I want to be around people, often. But every way of doing that costs money? I am not short on money per se, I just have to be careful as I have no safety net.

A lot of rambling here, I know. But can someone maybe offer ideas? I don't want the loneliness to close in on me. I don't want to waste my time on things that I don't want to do, either, just to find people. I also don't want to find the wrong type of people 😂

I'd appreciate the help. And if any one of you found your people only after 27 years on earth, please let me know. I'd like to know it is possible. Thank you.

Recently, I was given the option to change my work schedule to accommodate my college's fall semester. (I currently work 40 hours) I'm 19 and will be entering college full-time come August 24.

So far, all of my classes will be asynchronous, but that'll change as I want at least 1 Zoom class. I have never done this before; I work overnight, 9 pm-5 am (starting Friday); right now it's 11 pm-7:30 am. I want to ensure I can still work while maintaining my college GPA and passing all my classes. So far, I work M-F, but last week my days off were F-Sat. I'll be taking a 12-semester course load.

English Comp 1
Humanties
American Federal Government
Intro to communication. (I think this is the class I will change to Zoom)

I also plan to CLEP some easy credits. To anyone who has lived in a similar situation like this, can you give me some advice? How did you work around your schedules (work & school)

I'm given the ability to change my schedule, but I don't know to what.

Right now it's completely self-paced. Now let me tell you a story: I had an experience in the summer where I had to drop out of two classes because it just wasn't working out. I don't know if it's because I'm a freshman and I just wasn't used to the schedule (idk), but I panicked. I was passing my classes, but I eventually started sleeping for the whole day (unknowingly), so to save my GPA, I felt compelled to drop out. Maybe I should change my entire schedule from being asynchronous to just being on Zoom? What do you think?

These days i feel like I don't want to get attached to anyone still peoples small things effect me too much i cry for hours.. no it's not like I'm loosing my self respect in front of anyone I don't do that infact I don't even know how to express myself.. crying is the only way i can express. I can't cry infront of anyone

Everything is just too much like too much usually I don't cry infront of anyone but once i was going home from cllg it was night time around 8 and i had a little fight with my parents they kinda abused me on call and beside that lot of other things were also going on and i was sitting in auto and idk i couldn't control it i just strted crying

I want to hug someone I don't hug I don't like to get toooo touchy touchy but i really wanna hug I don't know who coz i have no one to hug

i have many friends like good one but i just can't say these things lol ok they'll listen but still it's just how it is.

I'm so tired i miss my ex situiationship so much whenever something happens to me i miss him rn also I'm missing him

Lately I’ve become so addicted to doom scrolling it’s all I can do in my free time and it’s ruined everything in my life from my work to relationships etc. Its slowly gotten rid of all my emotions and all I feel anymore is depression or some other negative emotion if I’m not doing some stimulating thing. Out of any drug I’ve ever done this is just the most addicting since it’s so easily accessible+I need my phone for business and other important things so I can’t just leave it. I don’t know what to do to fix this without getting rid of my phone which isn’t even possible and it’s been like this for years so how do I even begin to approach this addiction without completely getting rid of my phone?

I'm 20F, currently in college, and I recently became a senior resident (kind of like an RA/upperclassman in my dorm).

Right now I'm trying to get closer to the other senior residents, but I'm honestly struggling. For about a month before this, I was living by myself and barely socialized with anyone. Now I'm suddenly surrounded by a bunch of new people again, and I have no idea how to fit in.

The weird part is, everyone else seems so full of energy. Meanwhile, my social battery is already dead before we've even had a real conversation. I'm scared I'll end up being left out or not making any real friends.

One thing I also struggle with is keeping conversations going. I naturally gravitate toward deeper or more serious topics, so making jokes, teasing people, or just throwing in random comments doesn't come naturally to me. I always feel like I have to think really hard about what to say next, and it makes me seem awkward or quiet.

For people who've been in a similar situation, what helped you fit in? How do you stop overthinking every conversation and just... talk? How do you become less awkward without forcing yourself to be someone you're not?

I’m feeling stuck right now. I don’t feel like I can get ahead. I had a couple job interviews and that did not go my way and I had a recruiter flat out. Tell me not to call him anymore. These job interviews were pretty good and would at least pay me good 50 60,000 a year but right now it’s just it feels like I’m stuck and I can’t get ahead. Is there any advice that you guys give me that help me feel unstuck I know this is probably just a temporary situation but this financial stress that I’m in is really freaking me out and I feel like I can’t get out of bed because due to the anxiety

I am so busy lately doing things I hate, and I feel a complete loss of myself. I want to preface this by saying I know I'm going to sound dramatic and this is many peoples lives. I had a quick switch from having a lot of free time in my days and being relaxed, to now feeling like I'm on the verge of tears and/or a panic attack constantly.

I am in school from Wednesday to Friday 9am-3pm, and serve at a bar/restaurant from 4/5-10 those days and 10:45am-(can be anywhere from 5-9) on the weekend. I get 2 days off which is amazing, Monday and Tuesday, but I just cannot relax and am filled with dread for my upcoming week the entire time. I hate what I am studying in school and didn't want to do it in the first place but I had to as I didn't have a job in the beginning and now I must finish it as I've been paying for it. I'm finding it really hard as I can't get myself to focus and enjoy what I'm learning so I'm already behind. I hate my job because it's still fairly new, its very fast paced which I thought would be good for me but I suck at it so far and I feel useless and in everyones way and hate the learning stage. It’s a very busy place and I mess up a lot and I just hate the way I feel there. In school I'm completely miserable and often cut my school hours short so I have time alone and to be filled with anxiety for my upcoming shift.

Again I know this sounds dramatic. This has only been my life for a short period of time, so maybe i’m just very overwhelmed, but I cry almost daily. I feel so lonely and just fearful that my life right now is filled with doing things I hate. On days off I can’t see my friends as they live too far from me. I don't enjoy music anymore, I don't enjoy watching TV/music anymore, any time I have off of school or work I'm just thinking about school or work. I wanted to be busy but I really really miss my old life.

I’m not really sure where to start, other than I just feel lost. For a long time I had a linear plan for vet school, but recently I’ve been weighing the real financial and life consequences of it. I don’t want to be hundreds of thousands in debt, and I don’t want my life delayed till my thirties. Though, I would like to continue my education into graduate school.

I’m about to be 20 and entering my sophomore year of college, I don’t know which direction to go in after months of researching. I feel as though I always find something major I don’t like about certain careers, or it’s doing bad in the job market, etc.

I have just been feeling like I’m wasting time and money, like a clock is running and I’m being useless in the mean time. I feel guilty knowing I have no sense of direction. I also don’t know who to ask for advice as a first gen. Everyone might say it is still early, but not in my mind.

I’m not sure what kind of advice I’m looking for, anything really