Feeling lost and trapped

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1

Is there anyone else who has no sense of direction in life? I am feeling more and more tired of not knowing what career to pursue. I am already in my second year of Poly studying a course that I have no interest in, and yet I do not know what other courses to change. I legit have no rough plans or ideas, and my mom makes it worse. I don’t know whether she is helping or making matters worse by deciding that this particular course is the best for me and that I should stick with it for the rest of my life. I am also tired of being indecisive and independent. I think I am slowly losing my mind. All the negative thoughts are constantly swarming in my head, and it is getting closer to the dangerous point when I might end up being suicidal. This all may sound very cringey, but yea I legit feel like this. To those out there feeling like this, I feel you. Pls take care.

2

I feel so lost and unsure of what to do with life. I am currently in year 2 at poly, in a course I started to hate, and my GPA was below 3.44 in year 1. There is no problem, still can change right? Wrong. I legit still have no idea, not even roughly, what career I wanna pursue in. Funny because I’m officially becoming an adult this year and I should at least have a rough idea by now. Because my stupid and useless ■■■ cannot think about simple things and decide for myself, so I ended up troubling my poor parents, who are really supportive of me. I just wanna be a daughter they are proud of and can depend on. Why can’t I decide for myself? Because I overthink and overworry too much. I tend to let my emotions drive me and I’m getting sick of it. I know this whole situation may sound cringey and not that deep but I am getting more and more anxious and stressed about it. If I am getting stressed over little things like this, I fear I might not succeed anywhere. I’ve already accepted it. So if there’s anyone who is feeling this way too? I understand you, please take care of yourself.

3

Hey @hopefulbamboo8981 ,

Thanks for sharing how you feel… It sounds like your mind has been going in circles for a while. You are trying to figure things out, but the more you think, the more stuck it feels. That kind of constant thinking can wear you down over time.

It seems the uncertainty itself is stressful for you. When you are unsure about the future, your thoughts start moving ahead into “what if” situations. That builds anxiety. When anxiety gets too high, the brain tends to freeze instead of helping you decide. So the indecision you are frustrated with is not a sign that you cannot think. It is more a sign that your system is overloaded.

There is also a lot of pressure you are carrying. Your course, your GPA, and your future all feel tied together. It can start to feel like you must get this right now. But grades and courses are one part of life. They do not fully determine where you end up. Many people take different routes and eventually onto something that fits.

You also mentioned wanting to be someone your parents can be proud of. At the same time, you are being quite hard on yourself. Calling yourself useless and blaming yourself adds another layer of strain. It suggests that your sense of self-worth is tied quite closely to how you think you are doing. It is clear that you have much more qualities than just studies.

When you mentioned things getting close to a dangerous point, it sounds like the intensity of everything is becoming difficult to hold. It may not be about wanting to die, but more about wanting the stress and thoughts to stop.

For now, it may help to slow things down, you can try a simple way to steady yourself:

  • Identify what you are feeling. For example, fear, pressure, or uncertainty.
  • Notice the meaning your mind is making. For example, “If I don’t decide now, I will fail.”
  • Check that expectation. Ask if it is realistic to have everything figured out at this stage.
  • Look for evidence. There are many people who changed paths later or took longer to decide.
  • Think about who you can talk to. This could be a school counsellor, lecturer, or someone you trust. The goal is not for them to decide for you, but to help you sit throught this uncertainty with assurance and comfort.

If the thoughts about harming yourself feel stronger or harder to manage, it is important to reach someone in real time. You can contact:

It makes sense that you feel tired. When the mind keeps looping like this, it takes a lot of energy. For now, it may be enough to create a bit of space so your thoughts can settle before expecting yourself to make decisions.