For a while now, I lost all long term feeling of joy and happiness. Everyday has become empty, often resulting in me feeling more and more bothered by something I don’t even know. I don’t even know when this started, but at a certain point, I stopped wanting to get out of bed, and started having trouble sleeping at night. I often find myself crying myself to sleep thinking about things I didn’t think I cared about at 4 AM, and lost all interest in playing football, which I used to enjoy. I keep finding myself envious of other people, just to scold myself for not being able to put in the effort to attain what they have that I don’t. I keep finding myself more and more bothered everyday, and I don’t know what to do about it. I don’t want to tell my friends about my problem either because I don’t want to put this pressure on them. I don’t think it is any particular person’s fault, and I am afraid they will be quick to jump to conclusions that aren’t correct or true. I don’t feel that I can speak to my family either, as none of them seem to be able to keep a secret and always respond negatively to me whenever I ask for help. I feel trapped here, and I am afraid that seeing a professional might cause my parents to be angry over the cost and the amount of time it takes. Is it normal for me to feel this way? Should I just bite the bullet and seek professional help? I don’t know what to do.
Reach out to ur School counsellor
ive been going for 2 years now, but i dont seem to be making any progress. so right now im stuck between thinking that it could be a normal thing and i am just over-reacting, and if it feels off it is probably not normal.
Thanks for coming on to share, @hyperactive. I’m curious - were you going through some sort of transition phase or did you notice any triggers that made you feel this way?
2 years is a long time to feel this way. Doesn’t sound like it’s transient so if you’ve felt consistently like this, it might be better to get a professional opinion.
Let us know if you want recommendations!
But beyond that, you mentioned you enjoyed football prior to this. Anything else that you enjoyed?
Hi @hyperactive ! I have been battling with a similar situation for the past 8 years, and I wish to share with you some ways I tackle these problems.
As in my case, I experienced (and am still experiencing) all of the symptoms you have mentioned. You might be surprised, but as I was reading through your post, I could see myself in you. I’m currently able to cope with the condition right now, and I just wanted to share a few tips that have helped me.
To overcome the feelings of emptiness which I experienced, I took conscious effort to participate in activities I liked. This need not be something really sophisticated like volunteering or serving the community. It can be simple, like listening to your favourite song, or exercising. Do something you like so that you can revive your feelings of happiness. I personally felt listening to the radio while doing whatever I was doing, helped me overcome the feelings, This is because, the radio DJs share new topics every day, which enriched my perspective of life. This was especially helpful, as the lack of happiness, may make life seem too daunting. In essence, do things that you love.
Typical case of insomnia. I often woke up at 1 am in the years that I battled this condition. I believe that the fact that I had too much stress, was the factor. I could go close to 2 to 3 hours lying in bed sleepless in the middle of the night. After noticing the onset of this condition after 2 days, I started studying in the middle of the night, cos that was what I felt like doing. Doing this may seem silly, but I was able to be productive and able to make myself tired so that I could go to sleep eventually. Though, I would recommend you not to try this on weekdays, cos it may cause you to feel sleepy in the middle of the day. You need not study when you wake in the middle of the night, you can read a book or even listen to music, to help you become sleepy.
Practise self-compassion. It might be compelling to compare your self with others, but it will just cause your energy to drop even further. If u want to compare, compare yourself with your past. Compare the progress you have made to overcome the situation you are in. It often may motivate you.
If you don’t feel like confiding in someone, you might want to document your concerns in the form of a journal. It can help you feel less burdened.
Just wanted to emphasise that your mental health is important and should be your top priority. If you are able to seek professional help, seek it.
Hope my suggestions may be of use! Jia You!
not too sure about if it started during any phase, but i just remembered one day when i was in primary 5, this feeling just appeared out of nowhere. maybe it has something to do with puberty? my family seems to have a history of hormone related problems. as for hobbies, not much else except maybe gaming, but even that has started to feel like a chore as i dont enjoy talking to people in the moment anymore. i have pretty much quit all hobbies and just spend the majority of my time daydreaming and staring at random things, constantly reluctant to move
thanks a lot. it is somewhat comforting knowing that someone who has been through and currently is going through what im going through is able to cope. ill try to give your tips a try. thank you so much for taking the time to type out such a lengthy reply lol. even if it doesnt work out, knowing that there is always a solution or at least a way to cope with my problems will grant me enough motivation to keep trying to find a way to not just flat out give up and continue in this miserable state