Quote Originally Posted by LuckyG
dancerat: Aye, I'm 21 as of Thursday. I'm off to university soon, just to try something new, so we'll see how that goes.

Canuckofithaca: Sometimes I'm happy. I've noticed lately that I've been having huge mood swings, set off by what would normally be insignificant events. I think I can get free counselling through my mum's job benefits (whenever they kick in) so if things don't perk up after I've been at school for a while I'll definitely take advantage of that.

Ganj: You're probably right. I've just been finding it hard to look on the bright side of life lately - I know it's there, waiting for me. Hopefully after I move things will get better, right now I feel like I've been stagnating for a few months and I need that change desperately.

I was in the same situation a few years ago. IMO, it's completely normal. Everyone goes through down times.... look at Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton!

Anyway, I was 18 heading out to Colorado for the time of my life... I was going to school, gettting a nice apartment in the place I always wanted to live... then shit hit the fan. The apratment was too far away from the school and I didn't have a car so I had to move in the dorms. Then, I got stuck with all night classes as an 18 y/o freshman... All my roomates were gone during the day and I just sat around and sulked. I started to miss my friends and family... what probably made it worse was the fact my roomate would stay up until 4am play games so I couldn't sleep and refresh myself... and I was broke. We'll a month later I dropped out and came back home... something I've realized that might have been the worst decision of my life. I started to hang out with my old friends again. They were becoming losers and druggies (hard drugs not just mj) as was the small town way. I was working 9 hour days, 5 days a week. I had money again, but I started partying hard, drinking, and doing drugs. I eventually got arrested one night tripping. I was becoming depressed with my current state becuase I knew I could be doing so much more with my life. A few months went by and I realized I had to do something. That was the turning point. I decided to go back to school at 21. Unfrotuntaley, I kept coming back home on the weekends for the first year to work. I'd hang out with the same old group of people. They'd always being partying and stuff. It was really draining. At 22, I decided it was time for a change. I was always tired, unmotivated, and my self-esteem was horrible (something I've always had a problem with.. but I think I have realized why now that I'm a bit more mature). I wanted to get healthy. I had to cut off my ties with those same friends. It was hard at first, but I think it was the right move. It allowed me to become myself, not whom they were becoming. I started working out and running 6 days a week. Now, I'm 24. I still get down feelings once and a while, but I find they are easier to cope with as you get older. It seems like I have an easier job realizing what is affecting myself.

It really helped with my psyche, because I kept myself busy, but it was not as mentally and physically draining as my previous 4 years.

I hope with my story I could give you some inspiration. Things will get better. You seem like you're on the right track. Good luck.
Grade A Reviewed by Grade A on . Feeling detached This was keeping me up tonight, so I figured I'd vent about it. It might be tenuously related to the depersonalization/derealization thread from a few days back, but I doubt it. Lately I've been feeling as though I've been sort of coasting through life. It's not bad, really, just kind of a detached feeling, like I'm watching life happen on a predetermined path and I'm just going through the motions as they happen. Lots of things that I would normally have been excited or at least had some Rating: 5