How to stop feeling sad and find meaning in life.

[SleepyPillow]

I've been feeling sad and can't stop crying for over a week now. I keep having negative thoughts about my family and myself eventually passing away. I have now started to feel like my life has not much meaning (I am not suicidal). I don't find my hobbies as fun anymore because I just think everything is pointless in a way that we are just going to die in the end. 

Can anyone help me with these feelings? I can't get them out of my head. 

[Croix]

Dear SleepyPillow~

Welcome back, I did read your previous thread and am sad to hear those thoughts and fears are with you. While just about all humans do "intellectually' acknowledge death it does not seem to be something most young people are preoccupied with.

I can understand when you say you are stuck in this frame of mind with thoughts of losing those you love, passing away yourself and the resultant idea that things are pointless. It can be pretty overwhelming.

Although not a preoccupied by the death side of things I had long periods thinking everything was indeed pointless, and would only be transitory anyway. In my case this was my mind filled with thoughts put there by depression and anxiety. I simply was not able to change how I thought by myself and others could not 'talk me out of it'.

I'm a different person now, and that is due to not relying just on my own efforts, but having medical assistance -therapy and meds- and family support. So my I ask about the sorts of support you have both medical and personal? I simply kept on getting worse wihtout help.

If you already have medical assistance it might be time to go back and say whatever they are doing is ineffective.

In the meantime I can recommend The Kids Help Line (1800 55 1800) which is for people under 25. They are very experience and give good advice. While they do have web-chat I'd suggest giving them a ring, even if that seems more difficult.

It would be great if you felt like coming back and talking again

Croix

[EvaW]

Hey Sleepy Pillow, that sounds incredibly difficult. Do you live with anyone and do you have support around you? I find chatting to someone about my feelings provides a lot of relief. I am free to talk if you would like. Life can get hard and these feelings can come up. There is definitely hope though that exciting, awesome things can happen in the future. I hope you feel better soon 🙂

[Mari-17]

@SleepPillow I am in the same boat as you. I also have negative thoughts about my family and about me. Don't feel like doing anything or enjoying life. I suffer from anxiety and tried speaking  to people. But my main distraction is work, I try to keep my mind busy so I don't get any negative thoughts and whe I come home I distract my self by watching movies or YouTube. You are not alone and hope this kinda helps. 

[Tammy_]

Hello there, it's been 2 weeks since you posted. How you are doing? 

What helped me with my thoughts was CBT and ACT therapy with a trained professional. 

[sbella02]

SleepyPillow,

Thank you so much for posting here on the forums, we warmly welcome you back. I understand that it's been a few weeks since you've posted, but there's something about your post that resonates with me. 

The thoughts you've been having sound a lot like some that I've had over the course of both my adolescence and now adult life. They're called intrusive thoughts, and sometimes they can be quite difficult to get rid of. They don't necessarily mean anything, and most people get them at various intensities. It sounds like yours have been quite an issue for you.

It may be useful to have a chat to a GP, therapist, or psychologist about these thoughts, if you'd feel comfortable. Professional advice can be great for helping you manage these thoughts so that they're less distressing for you.

It may also be helpful to write down when you get them, and the content of them. I find journalling in this way can be really helpful, because it also helps to alleviate the intensity of these thoughts.

All the best, and I'd encourage you to keep chatting with us if you wish. We're here to support you and answer your questions.

SB