Depression Forum - What's the point ?

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Q: What's the point ?

asked by: yeahthatguy on August 26th, 2009

New User

Here's another one of those "whats the point in living" posts. I guess you could say im depressed but I really dont think I am...its more of a, seriously, WHY bother? I wasnt one of those "Oh I turned 14 and I listen to emo music so now I gotta cut myself" type people you always see and hear about. 23 years old, married, network administrator making a decent living, nothing super great but...its not horrible either.

No I've felt this way as long as I can remember. You ever met anyone that tried to kill themselves when they were 7 years old? Well now you have. Tried to hang myself from a pipe in the basement with my pajama pants, didnt work the pants just broke. course that was only one of 4 attepmts or "almosts" that either didnt work or I was too scared to go through with. I've just never seen the point in living. This world is too screwed up to really belong in. All I want to do is just relax and spend time with friends and family, but unfortunatly in order to do that you have to be in the elite rich group. You have to slave away your entire life making someone else rich while you just barely get by.

I just dont see the point in living in a world this evil. "Get help, speak with a profesional, they can help, their job is to help people. they care." Their JOB is to help people. they dont really CARE, society dictates that in order for them to have money they HAVE to care whether they want to or not, they could care less what happens to you as long as you pay their bill.

Something happened when you were younger to make you feel this way.

Yeah probably, I came to terms with that and understand it, but I still have no feeling of self worth or belonging.

reason I wanted to die when I was 7 was my father used to beat me so badly the only way I could think of to make the pain stop was to die. My mother was really the only one who took care of me and looked out for me when things got bad, but when I was 9 she just up and left, left the whole family behind and moved to who knows where without a word, jsut left me and brother behind to deal with my dad. Yeah...she sure cared a whole lot, couldnt even take her kids with her? Nice...

Someone point out a valid reason to continue living in a world where 99% of it has lost sight on what is actually IMPORTANT and thats just being happy. NOT being rich, being rich is a means to happiness but the money itself does not make you happy, money is just a number. numbers are a creation of man, an idea to represent something. Hapiness has been around since the beginning of life, ALL mammals feel happiness so its not a creation of mans evil intent to better himself at the expense of others.

Replies(4)

Dr. Christine L. Selby , PHD

replied on August 31st, 2009

Thanks for writing in. I am one of those professionals who is "supposed to care" and yes I get paid for what I do. You have already identified a number of things in your life that help to explain why life does not feel worth living. Given what you've described I am not at all surprised to read what you have written about your faith in mankind (or lack there of). You did not post a question other than to ask "why bother?" That is THE ultimate question that no one can answer except for you. It may sound trite but it really is up to each one of us to figure out what is important about our lives. For some it is their jobs, their friends, family, children, money, pets, the planet earth, whatever. There are as many answers to "What's the point" as there are people alive. Some already know - some are close - and some are deep in the midst of their own unique struggle to figure it out. I would encourage you to keep looking for your answer. Although 99% of us may be living phony lives - your purpose may be to identify some of the 1% who really know what is important. You may find what you are looking for among them. For you that 1% really will be diamonds in the rough...hard to find but really worth it when you do - and yes I just used an analogy involving a precious gem that many of us covet to make my point so I guess I'm disqualified as being among that 1%! :) Although you may have already decided that mental health professionals cannot possibly be helpful, I would encourage you to consider the possibility that some (certainly not all!) well-trained psychotherapists while getting paid for what they are highly trained to do ALSO care about the patients with whom they work. No, not care for their patients like family or friends, but care about them as human beings who are in pain, struggling and trying to find their way through life. Some of the best psychotherapists out there will sit with you in the murkiness of your existential crisis and the pain of your childhood trauma for as long as it takes, without judgement, or their own agenda. I'd encourage you to search for one of those. Having someone with you as you navigate the meaning of your life can be invaluable and at times life-saving.

-Dr. Selby

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Dr. Christine L. Selby , PHD

replied on August 31st, 2009

Thanks for writing in. I am one of those professionals who is "supposed to care" and yes I get paid for what I do. You have already identified a number of things in your life that help to explain why life does not feel worth living. Given what you've described I am not at all surprised to read what you have written about your faith in mankind (or lack there of). You did not post a question other than to ask "why bother?" That is THE ultimate question that no one can answer except for you. It may sound trite but it really is up to each one of us to figure out what is important about our lives. For some it is their jobs, their friends, family, children, money, pets, the planet earth, whatever. There are as many answers to "what's the point" as there are people alive. Some already know - some are close - and some are deep in the midst of their own unique struggle to figure it out. I would encourage you to keep looking for your answer. Although 99% of us may be living phony lives - your purpose may be to identify some of the 1% who really know what is important. You may find what you are looking for among them. For you that 1% really will be diamonds in the rough...hard to find but really worth it when you do - and yes I just used an analogy involving a precious gem that many of us covet to make my point so I guess I'm disqualified as being among that 1%! :) Although you may have already decided that mental health professionals cannot possibly be helpful, I would encourage you to consider the possibility that some (certainly not all!) well-trained psychotherapists while getting paid for what they are highly trained to do ALSO care about the patients with whom they work. No, not care for their patients like family or friends, but care about them as human beings who are in pain, struggling and trying to find their way through life. Some of the best psychotherapists out there will sit with you in the murkiness of your existential crisis and the pain of your childhood trauma for as long as it takes, without judgement, or their own agenda. I'd encourage you to search for one of those. Having someone with you as you navigate the meaning of your life can be invaluable and at times life-saving.

-Dr. Selby

Dr. Christine L. Selby , PHD

replied on August 31st, 2009

Thanks for writing in. I am one of those professionals who is "supposed to care" and yes I get paid for what I do. You have already identified a number of things in your life that help to explain why life does not feel worth living. Given what you've described I am not at all surprised to read what you have written about your faith in mankind (or lack there of). You did not post a question other than to ask "why bother?" That is THE ultimate question that no one can answer except for you. It may sound trite but it really is up to each one of us to figure out what is important about our lives. For some it is their jobs, their friends, family, children, money, pets, the planet earth, whatever. There are as many answers to your question "what's the point" as there are people alive. Some already know - some are close - and some are deep in the midst of their own unique struggle to figure it out. I would encourage you to keep looking for your answer. Although 99% of us may be living phony lives - your purpose may be to identify some of the 1% who really know what is important. You may find what you are looking for among them. For you that 1% really will be diamonds in the rough...hard to find but really worth it when you do - and yes I just used an analogy involving a precious gem that many of us covet to make my point so I guess I'm disqualified as being among that 1%! :) Although you may have already decided that mental health professionals cannot possibly be helpful, I would encourage you to consider the possibility that some (certainly not all!) well-trained psychotherapists while getting paid for what they are highly trained to do ALSO care about the patients with whom they work. No, not care for their patients like family or friends, but care about them as human beings who are in pain, struggling and trying to find their way through life. Some of the best psychotherapists out there will sit with you in the murkiness of your existential crisis and the pain of your childhood trauma for as long as it takes, without judgement, or their own agenda. I'd encourage you to search for one of those. Having someone with you as you navigate the meaning of your life can be invaluable and at times life-saving.

-Dr. Selby

Dr. Christine L. Selby , PHD

replied on August 31st, 2009

Thanks for writing in. I am one of those professionals who is "supposed to care" and yes I get paid for what I do. You have already identified a number of things in your life that help to explain why life does not feel worth living. Given what you've described I am not at all surprised to read what you have written about your faith in mankind (or lack there of). You did not post a question other than to ask "why bother?" That is THE ultimate question that no one can answer except for you. It may sound trite but it really is up to each one of us to figure out what is important about our lives. For some it is their jobs, their friends, family, children, money, pets, the planet earth, whatever. There are as many answers to your question "what's the point?" as there are people alive. Some already know - some are close - and some are deep in the midst of their own unique struggle to figure it out. I would encourage you to keep looking for your answer. Although 99% of us may be living phony lives - your purpose may be to identify some of the 1% who really know what is important. You may find what you are looking for among them. For you that 1% really will be diamonds in the rough...hard to find but really worth it when you do - and yes I just used an analogy involving a precious gem that many of us covet to make my point so I guess I'm disqualified as being among that 1%! :) Although you may have already decided that mental health professionals cannot possibly be helpful, I would encourage you to consider the possibility that some (certainly not all!) well-trained psychotherapists while getting paid for what they are highly trained to do ALSO care about the patients with whom they work. No, not care for their patients like family or friends, but care about them as human beings who are in pain, struggling and trying to find their way through life. Some of the best psychotherapists out there will sit with you in the murkiness of your existential crisis and the pain of your childhood trauma for as long as it takes, without judgement, or their own agenda. I'd encourage you to search for one of those. Having someone with you as you navigate the meaning of your life can be invaluable and at times life-saving.

-Dr. Selby

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