We've been living in interesting times. No one can predict what the outcome of this pandemic is, except for the people who say if we all wear masks and avoid people and stay home it will all be over a lot sooner. However, everyone's experiences living through COVID-19 are different since some of us are still working, some of us are working from home, and some of us are stuck there. We're all going through something, that's the thing we all share.
Reddit user, u/Aim_Hi, wanted to hear about how you're doing when they asked:
How's your mental health doing right now?
A Calm Mixture Of Chaos
frustrated homer simpson GIFGiphyI'm struggling to get out of bed. Not really sad, not angry, not frustrated....a calm mixture of all that is making me hate the day. I'm a medical worker by the way. This year has been hell and I feel like I've aged 10 years and I'm only 22. I'm scared of going to nursing school, I'm scared of working at my job bc we have covid positive people, I'm not allowed to see my mom or my niece. I'm having a hard time and I can't/don't want to get out of bed.
Disconnected From Everything
Not so good. Was in between projects at work a few weeks ago and since I haven't been able to find enough focus to seek/start anything work and maintain effort. Just feel floaty and super disconnected. No idea how to snap out of it and get back into the mindset of focused work.
Finding The Joy In Everything
I'm actually the happiest I've ever been. Not really sure why. I was just in the car listening to music and I had an epiphany. I'm being paid to do what I love, I'm watching a cool tv show, and I am going camping this weekend. I do miss my friends, but I'm still happy.
A Slow Fall
Very slowly descending into insanity. Started college classes, mom is hooked up to an O2 machine and can't do much, and in a family of 4, I have to do the most for her. My dad works and my brother literally f-cking screams at anyone when he's asked to do anything. Being in charge of her, the house, and my dogs by myself for a week for the first time ever kind of put a strain on me more than normal.
Sometimes, We Can't Control Anything
I've become more accepting that the world is just screwed up and I have no control over it
I like to see myself as a spectator of a very interesting time in history
When The Internet Is Your Safe Space
Horrible. I can't spend a minute alone without my mind tormenting me. I feel like a piece of trash. And I can only tell Reddit I guess
Always There. Always Watching.
I'm sure the Germans have a word for this, but I don't know it.
"Anxious calm"
I'm feeling that. Like in this moment things are okay, but there's this huge looming uncertainty staring over my shoulder at all times. Sure, I'm making do, but will I ever truly thrive again?
When You're Unable To Move Forward
I just got another rejection email regarding a potential job. The only thing keeping me from crying is that I am currently sitting in the same room as my parents. I have been unemployed for the past 8 months and don't qualify for unemployment. After all of the things I have done in my life in terms of jobs and education, it feels like none of it means a damn thing. I feel like a waste of space and completely useless and I don't know what else to do to get a job. Either I'm over qualified or I'm under qualified and there is no in between. I hate this.
I'll probably be in a better head space tomorrow, but right now it sucks.
Clowns To The Left Of Me. Jokers To The Right.
I don't want to live and I don't want to die. What a way to exist.
Are you me? I feel the same. Like everything in my life has led me to this state of being stuck and I don't want to be here but I don't want to not be here.
Moving On Past Society And...
Honestly? Better than it was before the pandemic. Working from home has removed about 2/3 of my stressors, I'm living with my best friend and his cat, I'm mostly caught up on work so that stress has been reduced, and my job has restored full hours and benefits so I'm set financially.
If I didn't have to sacrifice a third of my life to my capitalist overlords just for the right to food, clothing, and shelter, my depression could be cured, but it's a lot more manageable thanks to Covid. Which I sometimes feel guilty about because I know other people are suffering, but I'm thriving and I need to take my victories where I can get them because I don't really get a whole lot of those.
...Becoming At Peace
season 4 sleep GIFGiphyI've actually been doing the best mentally than I ever have. I lost my mom 4 months ago, was very suicidal, moved in with my bf, got engaged, my brother tried to commit suicide a few months ago while being drunk got his kids taken away by child protective services (because hes an alcoholic same with his baby mamma), but most importantly got on meds that actually work for depression and anxiety.
I have struggled my whole like with both and I finally feel at peace with my emotions. I no longer obsess about the little things and I don't stay up at night forever or bug out as I call it.
Anyway thanks for listening.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
Redditor _ReDd1T_UsEr wanted to discuss the reasons why many of us decided to cut some people out of our lives, so they asked:
"What was the reason why your friendship ended with someone?"
Sometimes a person just has to go.
Planning Stages
Weekend Sunday GIF by DisneyGiphy"I stopped being the first to always initiate plans, and that was that."
Witty-Surround-6541
"I once asked a friend to plan our next breakfast + walk outing, since I always did that. He wrote me a letter ending the friendship. Stunning!"
fermat9996
Pants on Fire
"Habitual lying became too annoying and disruptive to tolerate."
Hosscatticus_Dad523
"When you constantly are thinking... this math ain't matching lol. People that lie all the time make me sick. I've told multiple friends that you don't have to lie to me."
"I feel so much better when someone can trust me and feel comfortable telling me a hard truth than an easy lie."
"Even if the truth made me feel some type of way, I'm still glad it was honest. I've even said thank you to people in the past that have been honest with me, good or bad! Some people just can not help lying about things. I wouldn't be able to ever keep a story straight if I did that."
__eden_
Bad Behavior
"He kept having kids with different girls and bailing on them. Coming from a 'went out for a pack of smokes' Dad myself, I just couldn't watch it anymore. Bailed after the third one. Think he's up to 6 now."
KingGuy420
"Reminds me of one of my ex-friends. She kept having kids with MULTIPLE guys (all of them were one-night stands), I don't think she even knows who the baby daddies are."
"She also kept begging me and people for money for pot, and she also bragged about having OnlyFans. She'd also make up stories about being in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend (she'd also cheat on him/tell people her and him they broke up, which they weren't)."
wisconsinking
Reasons
"I was a bad person and they ended it for perfectly sensible reasons. I would have done the same. I've changed, but I don't blame them for not reconsidering contact."
tabletopsidekick
"I’ve been there. I was a bad person and lost friendships and family relationships. I tried to apologize to everyone I hurt."
PDXGalMeow
"I also accepted that they don’t want me in their lives anymore. I learned that I made my mistakes, I learned from them, and I accept their choices. I don’t self-hate anymore and I try to be a better person in general. I hope you are doing well and practicing self-love and forgiveness."
PDXGalMeow
Money Issues
Donald Duck Money GIFGiphy"I lent them $20 and then they avoided me so they didn’t have to pay me back. Worth the $20."
BuickAssault
"I don't ever expect prompt returns of small amounts of money between my friends... we all buy each other rounds or buy the food for the BBQ or whatever. It ends up evening out over time I think we'd notice though if someone was always taking and never giving and then they'd probably get cut off too."
Badloss
In the immortal words of Cyndi Lauper... "Money Changes Everything."
Lack of Support
Happy Planning GIFGiphy"She joined a pyramid scheme selling butt-ugly leggings and it took over her whole life. When I finally told her it was negatively affecting our friendship, she accused me of not supporting her 'business.'"
LeftandLeaving9006
Oh Driver
"I was basically a taxi for my friends so I dumped them all."
Bullfrog_Little
"This one I can understand but depends on the situation. Not all of my friends had cars in high school, so our group needed to have me and my sh*tty '94 Plymouth Sundance come, or they couldn't do anything. I didn't mind at all then, but I definitely would these days."
Hoopajoops
"I remember I used to drive around with my buddies all the time before they had licenses. When one of my friends got his and a car I said sweet now you can drive me around for a bit, he replied that he wasn't gonna waste his money on gas like that. See ya, haven't really spoken to him since."
DontcallmeShirley_82
2063
"How's this for oddly specific: Friend since 1980, was hanging out at a bar in 1992 and there was a dispute of over a $15.00 bar tab. I was in the right, but whatever - he held a grudge for years."
"Ran into him in 2017 and we were both too old to care. Started to see each other now and then. 2023 and we're at this local bar for a show and got into a fight about $15.00 a ticket."
"Maybe he'll call me in 2063."
The68Guns
Exhausting
"She was a taker, constantly. When I needed something she made it about her yet again. Exhausting to be around."
LordyIHopeThereIsPie
"I'm going through this right now. Can't tell you how many texts I have from her in the past few days telling me that I need to get over myself, need to stop making myself the victim, have been a terrible friend, have never been there for her."
"She's the most narcissistic person I know and everyone does everything for her. She has one of the easiest lives ever and anytime anything bad happens to her she believes that everyone is against her and she's the victim here. It's pure insanity. There is no talking sense to people like this."
cheeseburgerwaffles
Life Changes
point pointing GIF by Shalita GrantGiphy"I've lost like all but two of my 'friends' because I stopped drinking and doing hard drugs."
ConcertTerrible8877
"Same here dude. My circle is small but hey at least it's a circle I know I can go to."
Miss_mayonnaise
Oh, how things change when the booze dries up.
How much fun were you really having?
Do you have any stories about cutting off a friend? Let us know in the comments below.
