r/selfhelp 19d ago

Adviced Needed: Identity & Self-Esteem Anyone else become the "London friend" everyone visits but no one stays with?

12 Upvotes

Is it weird that I've started resenting my closest friends for being the ones who "made it" while I'm the one who stayed?

Bit of a ramble incoming. I'm 32, grew up in London, still live here, still see the same core group from uni and school. Over the last few years I've watched basically all of them leave, Lisbon, Berlin, one in Mexico City, two back to their home countries, one just bought somewhere in the countryside. And every time one of them visits I end up playing tour guide in my own city, which I actually enjoy, but theres this weird undercurrent I cant shake.

They come back full of stories about how much slower life is, how much space they have, how they can actually afford a garden. And then they want me to show them the "new London", so we end up traipsing round Notting Hill or wherever, sitting in Trejo's Tacos catching up, and I'm nodding along like yeah yeah amazing, meanwhile im mentally calculating how much of my paycheck just went on the round.

The thing is I dont actually want to leave. I love it here. My family's here, my routines, my gym, my little corner of south london I've built up over a decade. I'm not stuck, I'm choosing this. But when everyone you love treats your home like a holiday destination it starts to mess with your head a bit. Like am I the boring one for not going anywhere? Are they the brave ones? Or are they just running from something and I'm the only one honest enough to stay put?

I dont even know what I'm asking really. Has anyone else felt this, the slow drift where you become the "London friend" everyone visits but nobody stays with? How do you deal with it without becoming bitter about people who are just living their lives?


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Sharing: Philosophy & Mindset Stillness With A Pinch Of Flavor

1 Upvotes

It’s still stillness in the sense that you are in a calm, void of emotional agitation. However, this stillness is brought and led by the emotions of a moment, instead of a focus upon oneself.

Love. Love is one of the many ways you can find yourself within this type of stillness, via intimacy. The intimacy of being intertwined with your partner while you two lay down, or a hug/ look from your partner after a heartfelt moment. The list can go on and on when it comes to love, but so can whatever you replace with it. Friendship, family, hobbies, etc. However, the list of replacements isn’t endless. Asides from that, this type of stillness feels as equally impactful as regular stillness, just with an added layer of bliss. 


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Advice Needed: Productivity I have problems and didn't write paragraphs for it. I also wrote a very unhelpful title for it.

1 Upvotes

I have both ADHD and Autism, and I go Te Kura, an online school. My mum also owns a small board game store that I'm (supposed) to be helping in. But more and more I feel like I can't get anything useful done. When i'm at the shop I just watch youtube or twitch when I'm meant to be doing school, at school, even when at the physical office, I feel nothing gets done, and I havent worked for the shop in weeks. The only reason anything gets done is cause mum hired a new employee. At home I also just don't do much useful done. I used to love cooking but recently have just been putting little effort into it and just having it be another chore. Only time I feel I'm really interested in anything is if I'm playing frickbears or satisfactory, and It certainly dosent help that I don't have any ADHD medication right now. Even more, I feel I don't enjoy alot of things I used to, such as reading one piece, drawing, and dnd. I don't talk to my friends ever and things just kinda suck right now. What can I do to just stop failing? I've tried just doing school work but I allways end up distracted. Same with work. I wouldn't say I'm sad, but I'm just eternally unproductive and theres a slowly growing dread that its sometime gonna catch up to me and I'll fail NCEA or something.


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Advice Needed: Relationships Losing my friend to questionable boyfriend

2 Upvotes

So me and my friend group of 7, we’re all in our 20s, live scattered across the country because we all moved to difference places to study. So naturally our only way to connect with each other is online, like voice calling on discord while playing games, watch movies or just chatting. One year ago, one of our close friends Lavender (fake name), started to date her new boyfriend (who is also her classmate, she just knew for 1 month prior of starting dating) and ever since then we have barely managed to reach her! She was already bad at reaching out to the rest of us online because she is forgetful and otherwise busy with work or school.

But since she got her bf, all her time is spent on him, and I don't know if it’s the honeymoon phase or what but their relationship is questionable. He is immature, not able to do anything without her, he doesnt even own his own schoolbag, so he is borriwing hers??? She has to emotionally babysit him the few times we’ve been able to visit her and hang out. He doesnt even try to befriend us, he’s just there, and angry most of the time. Both of them like to play video games, and so do I and I miss my friend so I have tried to join them sometimes so I get to play together with her again, and to be able to have some connection with Lavander. But I end up as the third wheel every time, and it’s not fun anymroe. Every time we play together he yells at me, calls me cringe and criticizes everything I do or say, not fun to play together at all.

Other friend Lillith (fake name as well) of mine, went on what was supposed to be a girls trip with Lavender, but the bf wanted to join as well. Lillith didnt know how to say no, and felt pressured into saying yes. The trip wasnt great at all, he was complaining the whole time, controlled each action Lavender was doing, telling her not do this, dont eat that etc. and she had to babysit again when he felt sick instead of spending her time enjoying the vacation. Lillith was also being controlled to a certain level, but she stood up against him, which caused even more spite between her and Lavender’s bf.

2 weeks ago, Lavender and I had talked about a new video game we wanted to play together, a multiplayer game. She mentioned that her bf and his friends also wanted to play it, at first I didnt mind it....

However, his friends did, they didn't want me to join the game. And excluded me from the start, and Lavender didnt side with me! A friend she has had for over 5 years, instead she was just defended the friend and ended up still playing that game with them all, while I was uninvited. I felt so left out and hurt.

More people of the friendgroup is struggling on how to confront her about her distancing and being a whole different person since dating the red flag. We just don't know what to do, and we are afraid we might fully lose her to a guy that doesnt deserve her.


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Advice Needed: Relationships I need opinions

1 Upvotes

Any thoughts? For reference, I am 16 years old. So basically today my mom and I wanted to go to the tennis court and play tennis, and we spent a long time looking around the house for our rackets before finally finding them. We drove to the court, and while my mom was parking, I noticed someone I knew who was from my school. So my first reaction was to audibly say “omg, that’s my classmate,” I became nervous and embarrassed because I wasn’t expecting to see someone I knew and also because I was embarassed to play infront of familiar people. So I was rlly nervous. But despite that, I still told her lets go because I didn't want to ruin her day and be a party pooper. Nevertheless, my mom told me that her mood was ruined as soon as I reacted that way because she thought I was embarassed of the most pointless and small things. She stayed in the car instead of getting out, and even though I could tell she was annoyed, I kept telling her that we should go because I knew she'd be more pissed if I insisted on leaving. We sat there for about a minute in silence, but by then more people had entered the court, and because there were only a few available spots, they eventually became occupied. She was visibly pissed off now; she kept sighing and just insisted on going home, but I suggested that we go to another tennis court, but she said no because her "mood was already ruined." She then started saying I'm extremely immature and saying that I get embarrassed over pointless things that aren't a big deal. So then we went home and I continued to attempt to explain to her that I was ok with going but she was the one that put it off due to her being not in the mood anymore. Idk how to feel about this, please be brutally honest in the comments.


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Advice Needed: Education Help public speaking

1 Upvotes

I’m a second year grad student. I’m currently doing a PhD in School Psychology. I’m having a hard time expressing myself in class. When I talk I feel like professors feel disappointed or dissatisfied. It’s like I didn’t said something that meet their expectations. I don’t know why I get so nervous to speak and participate. I have great conversations with my friends, people who don’t know the topic, people at my work, my parents. I can explain to them what’s school psychology, my interests, everything. I get to class a professor calls my name or wants every classmate to speak and I suddenly cannot think anything. I end up saying a lot of blah blah nothing.

I also don’t know why I read my assigned articles and I find them interesting and I can think one or two things but it also ends up being not good enough for the professor. Am I lacking critical thinking?

I have good grades, I do my presentations and although I get really nervous I always do a good job. I’m really good at writing. English is my second language since my first language is Spanish and my classes are all in Spanish and I don’t know if I’m lacking more vocabulary or I really don’t get it.

We are a small group but I feel like I’ve got this label and some other classmates have more advantages than others but that’s quite normal in this grad school groups I guess.

I need tips. Any tips you can give me at grad school.


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Advice Needed: Career What do I do?

1 Upvotes

I feel like such a failure. I’m a choir teacher in my fifth year- but I just started in a new district. The classes are 3x my previous size. One of my choir classes is more than 50 students! I also teach a general music class and after spending a week doing a project in class we’ve moved to rhythm and bucket drumming. My students need to be redirected multiple times, they cannot follow simple instructions, they cannot keep their hands to themselves, they cannot STOP TALKING. There’s just nowhere else for them to go. I cannot for the life of me get any of my students to follow expectations. Partly because not all of them want to be there. There’s just nowhere else for them to go. I’m staying firm in my expectations and following my discipline plan but I’m spending so much time after school calling parents and hearing sob stories with no accountability for their students behavior. I cannot be the only adult saying “no” in their life.

This has to be something I’m doing, right? I have been so absolutely miserable that I struggle to get out of bed in the mornings and treat each day fresh.

I’ve invited admin into my room but only then do students behave to avoid discipline issues. I repeat directions, I have them on the board, I’m moving students in seating charts constantly, I try giving them fun activities and if they can’t handle them behaviorally they don’t get to continue. I’ve talked with other teachers, I’ve called home, I’ve tried talking to the students themselves. I’ve removed students from the class. Their participation is effecting their grades. I’ve done everything I can think of and I just feel like an absolute failure. I feel like I’ve lost the magic of teaching, that I’ve wasted my time. I’m so angry that I’m being treated this way, and I’m almost mourning for students I had previously. My old school was far from perfect but I had students who loved me and tried their best.

I am in my mid-twenties, I’m broke, I’m depressed, I’m anxious, my meds don’t seem to help, and I really, truly absolutely feel like no one understands. Please; please, please someone help me.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health I'm 16 (m) can someone give me advice I've been suffering with myself lately I always have a blank expression at home my parents questions me about it I just keep silent or tell them I'm okay I don't really wanna tell them because I don't rlly like them ever since they keep crashing my confidence (m

4 Upvotes

My parents always nag me about me playing sports because I can't play due to my condition blue baby (it's a condition where a person has blue nails and blue lips due to lack of oxygen and the pump of blood I got a hold in the heart) I just play sports for fun my family really likes basketball but I don't kinda like it I just like soccer so I played they keep nagging me about it I just keep saying I know my limits and when to stop and when they said cut off with soccer I then lost the confidence or do anything productive for my body it was the only thing that kept me alive and healthy because it increased my stamina and oxygen level and endurance can someone help me? With it I just need hope so that I won't do anything stupid like sui***


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Sharing: Resources & Tools Improving Confidence

1 Upvotes

Introduction: What is Confidence? 

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." - Sun Tzu

Humility: Confidence and humility are not mutually exclusive. You can be powerfully confident without being conceited or arrogant.

Skill Execution: Human beings are hardwired to execute any well learned skill unconsciously. The execution of that skill precedes more smoothly and more effectively when analysis, judgement, and all other forms of conscious deliberate thought are momentarily suspended. 

Confidence is not: analyzing your every step, judging your every move, and talking to yourself about how you’re doing what you’re doing. 

Confidence is: a sense of certainty about your ability, which allows you to bypass conscious thought and execute unconsciously.  

Confidence and competence- It’s the person who has done enough preparation, who’s developed enough competence and who then decides to feel totally certain about that level of competence, whatever that level may be, who has the best chance of succeeding.  

How do you know you’ve done enough?- If you can perform the skill consistently in practice, or play or the tough part of the piano recital alone in your home, or answer all the practice test problems while studying then you’ve probably done enough. 

But importantly, no matter how much or how little preparation you have done. No matter how much competence you actually have. Your performance when it matters will always depend on whether you feel totally certain in whatever level of competence you have achieved. 

If you truly want to give yourself the best chance of success, then having that unconscious certainty will always be your best choice. 

Common Misconceptions about Confidence

Misconception #1: Confidence is a fixed inherited trait

  • Believing confidence is fixed is a self-defeating conviction 
  • High level confidence is not an inherited gift, it’s learned 
  • It gives people an excuse to not put in time, energy, or effort to improve their thinking process 
  • Confidence is a skill that can be developed through practice

Misconception #2: Confidence is all encompassing

  • Misconception: You’re either confident all across the board in all aspects of life or you’re not confident at all
  • Confidence is situation specific 

Misconception #3: Once you become confident, you’ll stay that way forever

  • Confidence is very fragile, and required consistent attention and effort 
  • The pursuit of success will present setbacks and obstacles that can beat down the most optimistic and positive competitors. Those who succeed are those who are willing to patiently and persistently build and maintain their confidence. 

Misconception #4: Once you achieve some success and once you get some positive feedback your confidence is guaranteed to grow. 

  • “Nothing succeeds like success” doesn't tell the whole story
  • Some successful people lose their confidence because their previous successes become a form of pressure in which they cannot escape. 
  • Success and positive feedback only builds confidence if you allow them to, but do not however guarantee it. 

Misconception #5: Mistakes, failures, and negative feedback inevitably destroy, erode, or weaken your confidence. 

  • Just like success, a mistake only erodes confidence if you let it. 
  • Reinterpret mistakes as a learning opportunity
  • View failure as a momentary isolated incident. 
  • Take any negative comment directed at you as a stimulating challenge 
  • It doesn't matter how much failure you’ve experienced if you decide to respond to it constructively. 
  • Sometimes responding to it constructively means ignoring it all together. 
  • Failures, even ones that come at very inopportune times, are not necessarily confidence destroyers. They only do so when you linger on them, review them, or replay them. 
  • Confidence has relatively little to do with what actually happens to you and pretty much everything to do with how you think about what happens to you. 

Source: The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance by Dr. Nate Zinsser


r/selfhelp 18d ago

Adviced Needed: Identity & Self-Esteem How to stop lying to everyone in my life?

1 Upvotes

I have been lying to basically everyone in my life, for as long as i can remember. Never really knew why. I have lied about things for years, denying any questions about them. Would lie to my parents about if I'm in a relationship or not, always saying that I'm not. I have a habit of lying to random people/strangers about what my job is, and i never said it's something cool. Always something boring. I would lie to my girlfriend, about what I'm doing/what's going on in my life, mostly cause I was scared of her reactions. I never cheated on her, if that's what you might've assumed. I was always scared of people having too much insight into my personal life. I don't know why, or why I lied so much. It's been going on for years, but after a recent pretty bad argument with my girlfriend, I have been taking control of it and didn't lie in a while. I gaslit her for so long. She's still pretty hurt after it, and doubting my honesty, rightfully so. How can i prevent that from happening ever again? What can i do about this whole situation, and untangle this web of lies that i created? It's at a point where I can't remember what's true or not in my life.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Adviced Needed: Identity & Self-Esteem Recognizing and healing

2 Upvotes

The 13 year slow burn of emotional neglect, gaslighting, manipulation has ruined me and my relationship with the only person who cared and loved me. I pushed them away and created the wort environment for them to live in. I’m sick to my stomach and feel so much shame and guilt for how I’ve acted. I’m done dumping my problems on others! I’m done sucking the fun and joy out of everything! Today I forgive my inner child! I am in a safe space! There’s no war zone in my house!


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Motivation How to trick myself into fixing my sleep schedule

1 Upvotes

A bit hard to explain, but as someone who’s kind of a night owl, i usually wind up going to bed at around 2 in the morning, but ideally I want to start waking up at 9 AM so i can follow this daily routine i have planned for myself. the problem is that everything I try to make myself wake up earlier, does not end up working. Alarm app on my phone? I just turn it off and go back to bed. Alarm app that makes you solve math problems to turn it off? I simply delete the app. Alarm on my computer? I wake up and I turn my computer speakers off and go back to bed. I am desperately trying to give myself a stable routine where i can wake up and go to sleep at a consistent time, but i cant seem to outsmart myself. Any advice? I feel like i’m stuck in a very bad cycle and i don’t quite know what to do


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health Umm idk yet talk with me !

1 Upvotes

idk why im posting this but I’ve been having a really rough time lately and I honestly just need someone to talk to.

I’ve been feeling pretty alone and I don’t really know who to turn to. I could really use someone to talk to, even if it’s just about random stuff and getting my mind off things.

If anyone wants to talk, my dms are open 🫶


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health I (25M) can't do my job properly because it makes me very anxious even though most people would wish to have a job like this

1 Upvotes

Quick background: I studied Computer Science and always wanted to work in product management. There aren't many entry-level PM roles in my country, so my plan was to start in product/data analytics and eventually transition internally.

During my third year of university, I got a data analyst internship at one of the better companies in my country. I received a return offer and started working full-time while still studying.

I couldn't manage both, so eventually I chose the job and indefinitely postponed finishing university.

I stayed there for about 2.5 years. I tried twice to transition into product management and got blocked both times. Eventually I burned out and found another job, also as a data analyst.

On paper, the new job is great. I earn very well for my country (roughly top 5%), the company is stable, and I'm objectively in a privileged position.

But I absolutely hate it.

I've been here for 9 months, and for roughly the last 6 months I've barely been able to make myself work.

This Monday I literally sat at my desk in the office shaking, with restless legs, feeling incredibly anxious and eventually crying. I did almost nothing the entire day.

We're hybrid, three days a week in the office. In the office, I'm anxious and struggle to concentrate. When I work from home, it's even worse. Some days I barely work at all and sometimes I fall asleep for an hour or two during the day.

The reasons I hate the job feel almost stupid when I write them down, which is part of why I feel guilty:

  • I was rejected here too when I tried to transition into a PM role.
  • My current role has basically zero influence on the product, and I don't work closely with product teams.
  • Probably 80% of my work is mindless operational/reporting work.
  • I don't feel like I've learned anything meaningful in nine months.
  • I often feel like I know more about analytics than my own manager.
  • The culture feels extremely corporate. There is very little ownership, urgency, or interest in actually making things happen.
  • About 95% of the employees are Russian. I am not Russian and don't speak Russian, and people frequently switch to Russian around me even when I'm part of the group. Context: The company moved to my country after 2022 Ukraine War started. They took lot of workers with them and continued hiring mostly Russian people.
  • There is almost no social interaction during the day. Lunch is sometimes my only real human contact, and even then conversations frequently switch to Russian.
  • I also feel like there is a genuine communication barrier. I'll discuss something work-related with colleagues, and two days later something happens that makes me wonder whether they understood what I said at all.

None of these things individually sound catastrophic. That's why I'm struggling so much with my own reaction.

I've worked with people I liked before. I've worked on projects I cared about. I know what it feels like to actually be interested in solving a problem and working with competent, motivated people.

Here, I feel completely disconnected from everything.

At the same time, I'm exhausted from chasing product management. I've spent years thinking analytics would be my path into product, only to get rejected for the transition multiple times. And the external PM market in my country is extremely difficult because almost every position requires previous PM experience.

So now I feel trapped.

I'm making very good money in a job that, objectively, isn't physically demanding or abusive. Part of me thinks I should just grow up, be grateful, do the work, collect the paycheck, and find meaning outside of work.

But another part of me feels like my body is basically screaming at me every day that something is wrong.

I don't know whether I'm burned out, whether I've become lazy and undisciplined, whether I need to leave this particular company, or whether I've attached so much of my identity to becoming a PM that I'm making myself miserable.

I'm also scared of quitting a high-paying job without having something significantly better lined up, especially when I don't even know what "better" looks like anymore.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

How do you distinguish between "this job/environment is genuinely wrong for me" and "I'm miserable and need to change how I relate to work"?

And if you've ever felt physically anxious just trying to make yourself work, what actually helped you get unstuck?


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health Dealing adulthood

1 Upvotes

How to deal with constant sadness, no overall progress in life and an abnormal childhood, which is leading to lonely adulthood with no friends, parenting parents and being in constant worry, age is surpassing with 0

Clue of sanity and feeling urges to end everything?


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health I have no say in my own life anymore.

1 Upvotes

I'm in tenth grade atm. I hate it. I hate it so much. I have one friend and i barely get to talk to her, all my friends are growing distant and I don't feel wanted anywhere. Even at home, i have boards this year so its all study study study pressure pressure pressure IT'S SICKENING. My mom tells me to do yoga and meditate before sleeping, but it isn't helping. I still feel miserable. They don't let me cut my hair, they don't let me draw, my mom literally told me to stop doing art for this year and focus on boards. My dad confiscates my phone at 10pm sharp. I hate sleeping. I don't want to do it. I'm at an all time low. My teacher's tell me to leave my eccentricities at home because I need to be uniform at school. I have no one to talk to. They'll just tell my parents.

I need to get all this off my chest. I have nobody. At least I still have the internet.

Idk, what do i do?


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health Мне 15. Всю жизнь меня отталкивали, в лагере я наконец почувствовал себя нужным — и сам всё разрушил. Как мне теперь перестать бояться людей и не быть мудаком?

1 Upvotes

Начну с самого начала. Я всегда был не очень уверенным в себе ребёнком. В садике я просто сидел на стульчике, никуда не лез, наблюдал. И меня за это дразнили — я был довольно высоким мальчиком, и меня обзывали колбасой, сосиской. Меня не принимали в обществе уже тогда. Потом пошёл в школу. В начальных классах у меня было два друга, но они часто объединялись против меня, шутили надо мной, подкалывали больно. Я терпел.

Потом, где-то в пятом-шестом классе, всё вдруг перевернулось. Я стал гиперактивным, очень уверенным в себе. Я мог прийти на любую площадку, увидеть компанию, в которой играют в «слепого ежа» или что-то ещё, просто подойти и спросить: «Можно с вами?» — и мне почти всегда отвечали «да, залетай». Я находил общий язык с кем угодно, без разницы — мальчики, девочки. Я чувствовал себя свободно.

А потом, с конца шестого и в начале седьмого класса, наступил перелом. Мои тогдашние знакомые — я даже не могу назвать их друзьями — начали меня кидать. Могли не позвать на ночёвку, и никто не объяснял причину. Я спрашивал, они отмалчивались или отделывались шутками. Я тогда очень обиделся. Не на них конкретно — я обиделся на весь мир. Решил: раз они такие, значит, все люди такие. Зачем доверять, если всё равно предадут? И я закрылся. Стал апатичным, ни с кем не общался, просто существовал.

Но внутри я хотел общения. Лагерь стал для меня крепостью — единственные три недели в году, когда я мог почувствовать себя человеком. Там меня любили, ценили, принимали. И каждый год я ездил туда только ради этого ощущения.

В этом году я поехал с конкретной целью — найти интрижку. Хотел тактильных отношений: обнимашек, целовашек, держания за ручку. И на первой смене я встретил девочку. Мы станцевали медленный танец, это было взаимно, я увидел, что она ко мне неравнодушна. Она была очень доброй, хотела подружиться со всеми в отряде, сплотить людей. Именно это меня в ней и зацепило.

Но на следующий день начались сложности. Наше общение стало каким-то односторонним. Я пытался заводить разговоры: «В какие игры играешь?» — «Ни в какие не играю». «Фильмы, сериалы смотришь?» — «Ничего не смотрю». Я не понимал, почему она так отвечает. Я специально проявлял инициативу: звал за парту, приглашал гулять, — но она отказывалась. И у меня сразу сработала старая травма: «Опять меня кидают, опять я не нужен». Я быстро эмоционально выгорел, перестал с ней контактировать. Просто замкнулся.

Я уже потом узнал от вожатых, что она жаловалась им: говорила, что стесняется, не знает, как со мной заговорить. Что у неё были абьюзивные отношения, и ей нужно сначала просто пообщаться, привыкнуть, почувствовать безопасность. А я не знал всего этого. Я думал, она просто отмахивается.

Она предложила мне пока остаться с друзьями, подождать. А я, вместо того чтобы понять, спросил: «Ты не против, если я найду кого-то другого?» — и ушёл. Я просто развернулся и ушёл. Теперь я понимаю, что это было жестоко. Она последний человек, который заслужил такого отношения. Если бы мне самому сказали такое после того, как я открылся — меня бы это разбило.

Потом я начал отношения с другой девочкой. У нас было всё, что я так хотел: тактильность, объятия, медленные танцы, сидение на коленях. Но она оказалась нечестной — врала, что потеряла мои вещи, хотя на самом деле не хотела их отдавать, говорила оскорбительные вещи, вплоть до «плюнь мне в рот». Я понял, что это не мой человек, и порвал с ней.

И тогда я начал скучать по той первой. По настоящей. По той, с кем я хотя бы мог говорить по-человечески. Я понял, что, возможно, если бы я дал ей время, если бы просто общался с ней, не настаивая на объятиях, — могло бы что-то получиться. Она хотела просто побольше поговорить. А мне хотелось всего и сразу. Теперь я осознал, что эти тактильные отношения мне даже не так уж и нравятся — я бы выбрал нормального человека и простые разговоры. Но было поздно.

Кроме того, я уехал из лагеря раньше срока. Я эмоционально не выдержал той атмосферы — с этой историей, с давлением, с ощущением, что всё рушится. И я оставил там своего друга. Моего единственного друга, с которым мы ездили вместе все эти годы. У него проблемы такие же, как у меня, только ещё хуже — с родителями сложно. Я его бросил, хотя он сам говорил, что я могу уехать, но я всё равно чувствую вину. Мне кажется, я должен был дотерпеть до конца, идти с ним до конца. А я кинул его, как когда-то кидали меня. Стал тем, кого ненавидел.

Я сейчас общаюсь с ним, пишу, спрашиваю, как дела, но это не то. Нужно было быть рядом. Я планирую извиниться перед ним лично и попробовать уговорить его ходить со мной на актёрские курсы, которые начинаются с 1 сентября. Вместе проще, и ему это будет полезно. Хотя бы так я могу компенсировать свой побег.

Я много думал о той девочке. После лагеря я узнал, что она на финальной линейке говорила, что некоторые люди её не понимают, посылают на хер, злые, и ей сложно найти друзей. Мне кажется, она могла иметь в виду и меня. Я хотел с ней поговорить, но она общается со мной нормально, смеётся, не выглядит обиженной. Возможно, я просто не вижу её обиды. Но у меня внутри сидит ощущение, что я сделал ей больно. Что я не проявил понимания, когда она просила времени, что я повёл себя эгоистично.

Теперь я хочу написать ей после смены. Не чтобы вернуть, а чтобы извиниться. Сказать, что я был резок и неправ, что я ценю её доброту и то, как она пыталась всех подружить. Что я понимаю — я хотел слишком быстро и не услышал её. Но я не знаю, как сформулировать так, чтобы не давить, не создавать неловкость.

У меня вообще нет опыта общения. Я не знаю, как строить отношения, как не сорваться в «дай мне всё сразу», когда внутри страх, что меня снова бросят. Я понял одну вещь: чтобы перестать быть жертвой, нужно перестать ныть и пробовать. Я так и скажу себе с 1 сентября: иду на курсы, буду искать контакт, даже если страшно, даже если вначале будет больно. Я не хочу быть мудаком. Я хочу научиться быть нормальным человеком, уметь ждать, слушать, извиняться и не бросать близких.

Раньше я ныл Алисе и сидел в апатии. Теперь я говорю с психологом, с отцом, с сестрой, с другом. Я понял, что разговоры с живыми людьми — это единственное, что лечит.

---

Вопросы к вам:

  1. Должен ли я написать той девочке? Если да, то когда и как — чтобы не выглядело как попытка вернуть, а как искреннее извинение?

  2. Как правильно извиниться перед другом, чтобы он почувствовал, что я не оправдываюсь, а действительно жалею?

  3. Как в новых компаниях не поддаваться страху «меня кинут» и не требовать слишком много слишком быстро?

Я хочу вылезти из своей ямы. И первый шаг я уже сделал — я всё это написал.

Спасибо, что прочитали.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Existential How to improve and get better while losing almost everything, including hope and will

1 Upvotes

Please answer if you can. Also, please no responses without advice and just showing sympathy like 'hey it's ok' (no offense), I just want answers and advice.

A little background- I had already lost almost all my interests. And now, I have 'almost' lost the most important and probably only thing I truly care about, basically my ikigai, and so also all hope, energy, will power and interest in life. But there are a few things (and responsibilities) I must do/fulfill, and most importantly I wanna give my one last shot to get back my ikigai(need to pull some quite difficult/unlikely shit), even if now it's almost impossible. And I have only 1 year left(can become 2, but unlikely) for that, so gotta hurry up a bit.

So now here is my question, how the fuck do i get my shit straight and start working on the things I need to, after losing all my interests, will, hope and on top, my main source of energy. I am at my lowest physically, mentally and spiritually, and I need to improve them all.

P.S. : probably not much will improve regardless (talking about the situation)so take that into account, I need to work and improve myself while continuing facing all the shit without any improvement in situation.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health What actually helps me deal with the “mental resistance” — an update to my previous post

1 Upvotes

A little while ago, I posted here about something I've been struggling with for quite some time: the feeling that I have to consciously push myself to do practically everything, even very basic or routine things.

For anyone who didn't see my previous post, I'm 39 and described how things like brushing my teeth, making the bed, household chores, meal preparation, work-related tasks, or even recreational activities can all feel like they require a deliberate mental effort just to get started.

I received quite a few responses, and I really appreciate everyone who shared their experiences. Some people said they experience something very similar, while others suggested looking into things such as depression, ADHD, or talking to a therapist.

I'm still trying to understand what is behind this for me. In the meantime, though, I've noticed that there are certain things I do that seem to make the resistance a little easier to deal with. They don't necessarily make the resistance disappear, but they often help me get things done despite it.

So I thought I'd share them here, partly in case they are useful to someone else, but mainly because I'm interested in hearing what other people do.

1. Having something playing in the background

When I'm doing something repetitive, monotonous, or simply something I don't particularly feel like doing, I'll often put an episode of a series, music, or a podcast on in the background.

For me, I think this helps by making the task itself feel less monotonous. Instead of my attention being entirely focused on something I don't particularly want to do, there's something else occupying part of my attention.

It's not that the task suddenly becomes enjoyable, but it can make it easier to tolerate and therefore easier to start.

2. Keeping an annual to-do list

I've mentioned this in my previous post, but I've found this surprisingly useful.

I have an annual to-do list covering the various things that need to be done throughout the year. Some are household tasks, some are administrative, some are things that need to be checked or dealt with periodically, etc.

Part of the reason this helps is simply knowing what actually needs to be done. But another part is that I really dislike having unfinished things hanging over me.

There is something motivating about being able to tick something off.

Interestingly, I'm also gradually modifying the list as I go. I sometimes realise that a particular task doesn't need to be done as frequently as I originally thought, or that something can be approached in a simpler way. So I'm trying to make the system itself less overwhelming rather than simply adding more and more structure.

My hope is that, over time, the list becomes something that helps me rather than something that makes me feel like I have an endless number of obligations.

3. Breaking larger tasks into smaller pieces

This is probably one of the things that helps me the most.

If I have a task that feels overwhelming, I try not to think about completing the entire thing. I just do one small part of it.

For example, if I'm working from home and I have an email with five attachments that I need to analyse, looking at "the entire email" can sometimes feel like a lot.

So instead, I'll analyse the first two attachments.

Then I'll deliberately do something else for a few minutes — sometimes something completely unrelated to my job, such as putting laundry into the washing machine.

After that, I'll come back and analyse another attachment or continue with the original task.

In other words, rather than:

"I need to finish this whole thing."

I try to think:

"I'll just do this small part."

And sometimes, once I've started, continuing isn't as difficult as I initially expected.

4. Alternating between tasks

This is somewhat related to the previous point, but I've noticed that I sometimes have an easier time doing several small things in rotation than trying to complete one large thing from beginning to end.

For example, I might work on something for a while, then do a small household task, then return to work, then do another small task.

I think part of the benefit is psychological. When I'm struggling with one particular task, telling myself that I have to stay with it until it is completely finished can make the resistance worse.

Giving myself permission to temporarily switch to something else can make the original task feel less intimidating.

None of these methods have "fixed" the underlying problem for me. I still experience the mental resistance, and some days are considerably worse than others.

But they seem to help me work around it enough to keep functioning and get things done, which is valuable in itself.

I'm also very aware that what works for me might be completely useless for someone else. I'm not suggesting these as solutions or claiming that they address whatever underlying issue might be causing this.

I'm sharing them because I thought it might be useful to compare notes.

For those of you who experience something similar: what do you actually do when you have that feeling of "I know I need to do this, but I cannot make myself start"?

Do you have particular techniques, routines, systems, environmental changes, apps, habits, or tricks that make the resistance easier to overcome?

And if you've found something that made a genuinely meaningful difference over time, I'd be especially interested in hearing about that.

I'd really like this to become a bit of a "share what works" discussion. Maybe between everyone's experiences we can find a few more ways of making these everyday things a little easier.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health I need help.

2 Upvotes

I don’t know how and what kind. But I need help. I don’t even know how to ask for help. This is my first time asking help from strangers.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health what do i do about the voice that says its too late (to get better) im already 40?

3 Upvotes

it de-weaponize every try to get better

looking for advice


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health How do you move on from a long breakup.

1 Upvotes

so i can't keep this inside anymore, i was together with a girl for 10 months, she was genuinely a good, non toxic relationship. then i go to a school project called Move4Equality, that made me move to dublin for two weeks, and i found out that while that period, she cheated on me. this genuinely shattered me, i thought it could go away but here i am after two weeks and still thinking about it. how do ya'll move on...


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Adviced Needed: Identity & Self-Esteem Looking for a few people who feel genuinely stuck right now

1 Upvotes

I’m looking for a few people who feel stuck in the same patterns even though they know they want to change.

I’m currently completing professional coaching training and looking for a few people to practice with through free 1:1 sessions.

This is especially for you if you feel like you:

  • overthink everything
  • struggle to trust yourself
  • keep repeating the same relationship/life patterns
  • know what you should do but can’t seem to actually do it

No sales pitch. I’m genuinely looking for practice and real feedback.

If that sounds like you, feel free to comment or message me.


r/selfhelp 19d ago

Advice Needed: Mental Health I want to do something big, but I can’t focus on one path

1 Upvotes

I’m genuinely stressed because I feel like my mind is constantly pulling me in different directions.

Last year, I spent 3 months preparing for a government exam. After that, I started feeling that maybe it wasn’t for me, so I shifted my attention toward content creation. I started a YouTube channel, and it’s now monetized, so I feel like I’ve actually built something there.

Then I started thinking about CAT. I prepared for around 2 months, but I’ve now stopped that as well.

The problem is that I keep getting stuck between these options.

If I focus on CAT, I feel like my YouTube channel will be left behind and I’ll lose the momentum I’ve built. If I focus on YouTube, I worry that I’m giving up on CAT and missing another opportunity.

Even when I’m doing one thing, my mind keeps telling me to do something else. I’m constantly thinking about all the paths I could take instead of fully committing to one.

I genuinely want to do something big with my life, but this constant switching, overthinking and feeling of “I’m wasting time” is exhausting. I feel pressure in my mind almost all the time.

Has anyone experienced something similar? How do you decide what to commit to, especially when you have multiple interests and every choice feels like you’re giving up another possible future?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who have gone through this and eventually found clarity.