-27
submitted 4 days ago by Quintus@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

Ten minutes ago, I was watching the moon while listening to music. Specifically, "My Castle Town" by Toby Fox. And I just started crying. Tears of joy. I realized just how much I enjoy living. The pretty view of The Moon, the beautiful melody...

I never had any bad things happen to me. I love my parents because they are loving and kind, no trauma whatsoever, had depression once but I sent it away shortly. Lots of hospital visits though. But nothing serious. No girlfriends, no love pains etc.

I have basically nothing in my hands right now. But I'm always able craft new hobbies when I run out of them. By the mere power of imagination. In fact, I'm looking to learn French now because English was easy as fuck.

But while I enjoy life very much, I realize that I begin to distance myself from those that do not think the same. For instance, one of my friends never takes any joy from anything that he does. Say; complains about not having a girlfriend, being ugly etc. etc. He's the most handsome person I've ever seen in person. And girls just straight up lust over him. Yet, he insists on focussing on the negative. Which makes zero sense to me. Why is he ruining his own life by refusing to see the good?

Now I do realize that most people are not as lucky as me to be with absolutely no problems in their lives. However, I had the "basic" set of problems that men my age have. Those being:

  • Like a girl but she rudely refuses you (or even insults)
  • Argue with parents

And my "friends" are always so offended by these problems all they do is complaining about them non-stop. One even tried to kill himself over a girl. I genuinely can't warp my head around this. Why? When I encountered these things I never cared or at worst deluded my way out.

Why can't people just sit down and appreciate life? When I'm sitting down waiting for something, the mere ability to move my limbs seems fascinating to me. I get out of so many things.

Don't get me wrong I don't mean any of this as seeing myself above others. (Although I do have a massive ego.)

Meanwhile, I will watch the Moon.

all 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] tht@social.pwned.page 1 points 7 hours ago

not everyone is privileged, a big chunk of the world is starving and are living in poverty, be glad you are born privileged

[-] Tartas1995@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 days ago

My advice for you is to humble yourself.

You make some big mistakes that will upset people that you care about.

  1. Their issue

You are mistaken if you understand symptoms as cause. You see them complain about e.g. women but that doesn't mean women are actually the problem or the cause. So if you look at them complaining about women, you might think why are they so focused on women and make themselves sad. But reality might be, they are sad and the attention of a woman gives them a lot of e.g. dopamine and makes them happy or proud of themselves. If the woman is now the source of comfort, any rejection or conflict is more than what it is, the women "steal" their comfort from them. That is just an example that I have seen played out around me in my teenager years. I am not saying that it is your friends issue.

  1. Source of issue

You seem to think the source of the issue can be located in their decision to focus on the issue. That might be an issue at times but not always and if it is not, it is very insulting, rude, and maybe even harmful to assume so. In my example of what a common issue was in my teenage years, they didn't focus on the issue (self-esteem issue and societal expectations) but on feeling good and those who "played" judge on whether or not they were allowed to feel good. Obviously a very deranged perspective on reality, but an understandable one. When we burn ourselves while cooking, we usually don't question the decision that we want a warm meal. They feel pushed down a cliff when a girl whose they thought gave them positive attention, rejects them. They might not question if they should be seeking validation from others when they don't approve themselves. They are the issue and not the woman but they are suffering and not seeing it clearly.

Again I don't know if that is an issue, I am just giving an example to highlight your flawed thinking.

  1. Consequences

The consequences of assigning a wrong issue and a wrong cause might not seem as big but you described some already. Alienation, both you from them and them from you. If you have an overly certain and/or overly simplified version of their issue, you will feel annoyed by them because they won't go for the obvious solution And they will be annoyed by your attitude. Imagine your parents would die and a friend would say "they would have died eventually anyway", would you take that positively? Because obviously, the issue isn't that they are dead as much as they are dead now.

But with the alienation comes isolation, for e.g. actually medically diagnosed depressed people, isolation can be deadly. But it can also feed into alienation by reducing opportunities to bond and understand others. But once again, isolation is affecting both, you and your friend. If your friend starts to dislike you, they have one less person that can support them in their struggles. And if you lose enough friends like that, you can talk to yourself or post publicly to people about how you are happy and don't understand your friends, because you don't have friends to talk about it. I am not trying to be rude but I hope you see my point, instead of talking to your friends about their unhappiness and trying to get an understanding of them, you talk about your friends with random people online who don't know you or your friends. That is like asking the random guy on the train if your mom has bday today.

  1. Solution

Step back, accept that you are not them and that you can't feel what they feel and that you don't know them like they know themselves.

Don't act like you know better, if you obviously don't know.

Don't talk about your happiness as if it was relevant. I am happy but I didn't mention before because no one cares, it isn't about me. It makes it seem like you are bragging about it, to those who aren't.

Look into actual depression, just so you can humble yourself a little bit by realizing that they can't easily control their brains chemicals and judging them for that might be a dick move.

In short, become someone who respects the struggles of others especially if you don't know the struggle.

Lastly, your ability to do stuff with your body might be peace to you but others are struggling with just that. I know people who are smart and generally able but they just can't make themselves do stuff. They sit there for hours, trying to focus on a task but their brain drifts away. Their knowledge of their possibilities if it weren't for their inability to focus, pains them greatly and makes it very difficult to not blame themselves for it, even though they are medically diagnosed that their brain is just not working like a "normal" healthy brain. Your source of peace might be the source of great pain for others.

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Imagine your parents would die

At least they won't have to wage slave (so they can pay rent) anymore.

[-] 7_Heavens@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago

From my personal experience, I attempted to end my life twice but couldn't go through with it. Somehow, I managed to break free from that dark cycle, and now I’m happy and kicking. I believe that if people struggling with similar thoughts can find the strength to wait patiently, they might eventually break out of that loop too.

I've also noticed that individuals with goals or ambitions often seem less affected by depression. Some people are naturally more emotional than others, and many of the challenges people face today aren't as difficult as they might seem at the time.

[-] TherapyGary@lemmy.blahaj.zone 63 points 4 days ago

had depression once but I sent it away shortly.

I don't think that was depression lol

[-] grandel@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago

Username checks out

[-] tomi000@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Maybe they meant 'was depressed once' ^^

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

"I'm done with these sad emotions. NEXT!"

[-] nis@feddit.dk 35 points 4 days ago

Don't worry. You're not seeing yourself above others, you're just only seeing yourself.

Depression is one answer. Anhedonia is another. Not having agency in ones life. War, starvation, malice, indifference.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you are happy, but you sound like someone who have lived a sheltered, privileged life.

[-] Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 3 days ago

You are the dog surrounded by fire saying "This is fine".

I'm in too much pain right now to locate the image.

[-] RonnieB@lemmy.world 25 points 4 days ago

Although I do have a massive ego.

No shit

[-] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 days ago

It's great you are so happy in life, and long may it last! My advice to you would be: learn to really listen to others. Find out about them, and how they experience the world.

[-] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Because there's a disease called Depression and it affects your perception of the world.

It's hard to understand it. When I was a kid, my mom would tell me about some rich/famous people who ended their lives, and asked me what I thought of it. I thought: But they are rich/famous, why would they do something so stupid

Then I got older and am diagnosed with depression. I understand what those people were going through. It can't really be understood until you've gone through it.

Having depression is different from experiencing a depressed mood. Clinical depression is very long term, much more serious.

Its like... you are a computer, and this malware appears out of nowhere starts corrupting your system files, and the beautiful colorful desktop background crashes and its just a blank, black, desktop, the shortcuts wouldn't open the programs, you try to use the antivirus but the malware just can't be removed. Its so advanced that many computer experts have no idea how to even remove it...

[-] lolola@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 4 days ago

Sometimes living is not enjoyable for some people.

You want me to explain what that feels like?

[-] GiantChickDicks@beehaw.org 2 points 2 days ago

I wouldn't bother, they think depression is something you can just send away.

This is such a toxic take, and it further dissuades people from getting help. Shame and judgement are huge internal barriers for many people that prevent those who need care from asking for it, and hearing ignorant and dismissive assessments about our struggles from healthy people only reinforces this problematic inner monologue.

We don't think less of diabetics for needing insulin. Mental health care is healthcare. If you are struggling, please know you're not less than anyone for having mental health conditions. Don't be ashamed, and please pursue any and all care options available to you. There's also a wonderful community full of understanding people who want to help support you, too!

[-] Alice@beehaw.org 8 points 3 days ago

I mean I hate living because the world is a shitshow and everything I do is based on the suffering of others. I can't eat fruit without thinking about how it was probably grown by slaves. On the flip side, other people are prospering because of my (obviously much lesser) suffering. Thanks for hoarding all the meds and houses, asshole.

But also I think formative years play a huge part in things. I don't want to go into detail, but I was born into an unhappy situation, and I never got to go to school or anything so I was in that situation 24/7. Most of the few people I knew growing up couldn't stand me, and I don't think it's a coincidence that now I can't connect with people. I think some of us, the part of our brain responsible for happiness, or at least responsible for the things that make us happy, never really develops.

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

While getting aboard the world's slowest elevator, one that will take you 80+ floors above you, how do you react to smelling the nastiest fart possible as you cross the threshold?

Does it even matter?

No it doesn't.

You're on this elevator, and it won't stop until you're the reason it stinks so bad.

Rent is due in 31 days

Now playing the album Marquee Moon by Television

[-] 2kool4idkwhat@lemdro.id 10 points 3 days ago

Idk. I feel empty inside. I don't really feel joy. I don't really feel sadness either. I just kinda persist. There are things I want to do. I don't have the mental strength to do them regularly. Or like at all. Usually I tell myself that's because I'm tired after the day/week. But deep down I know that this is not it. Or at least not the main reason. I don't really do anything even during holidays. Every day feels the same. I know that this isn't good for me, but I don't care. I don't worry about the future. Society is fundamentally broken, and always was/will be. I just go with the flow

...

[-] NaevaTheRat@vegantheoryclub.org 12 points 3 days ago

Great pain, or an inability to find lasting reprieve from pain. The former is obvious, the latter can be something like the following:

Suppose by whatever circumstance you were you, but I fiddled with the way your brain works. Now when something small upsetting happens it lingers for long time, while something good is only experienced in a muted and brief fashion. Over time this twists your expectations, each day is like 90% feeling bad regardless of what happened and no matter what you tell yourself about the smallness of the bad thing the feeling remains.

You can be on holiday in a beautiful place but the thought that keeps coming to mind is that you aren't as comfortable as in your own bed.

you stop sleeping right, you stop eating right because all food tastes equivalently meh. Your hobbies stop holding interest, successes stop feeling rewarding, but that pain from knowing you're now boring and your friends pity and resent you? Fresh as ever.

[-] apotheotic@beehaw.org 14 points 4 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Ailments of the mind (depression, anhedonia, as others have mentioned) can make it literally impossible to enjoy life, at their worst.

Trauma, PTSD, cptsd, constant hatred, bigotry, bullying, divorce, losing loved ones, drifting away from loved ones. Theres a million things that can pile on top of you if you're unfortunate enough to suffer them. With time, treatment, and incredibly hard work, you can maybe find your way out of some of the deeper holes. But for many, that is not a luxury they have.

I am fortunate enough to have climbed a good way out of my deepest holes. But theres a version of me in a different timeline who made just 1 different choice and never found her joy again.

You can't make people see the beauty of the moon, because their world - unseen to you - may be far too cloudy. You can, however, help them weather the storm until they find their way out. Be patient, be kind, be selfless.

[-] GiantChickDicks@beehaw.org 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is a beautiful comment. Thank you.

Edit to add: Congratulations on doing the hard work and getting to a better place!

[-] apotheotic@beehaw.org 3 points 2 days ago

You're welcome, GiantChickDicks

[-] frauddogg@hexbear.net 12 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I'm trapped in settler-hell, constantly profiled any time I leave the house, and am expected to be polite and cordial at all times to said settlers who pull this shit. Then I come online and have to deal with even more settler horseshit from people who're supposed to be my 'comrades'. Or at least, people who want me to see them that way when there is nothing shown nor proven regarding their works.

And there's always going to be that constant lurking worry in the back of my head that if I leave my home solo dolo, I might never come home if a settler pig decides he doesn't like the look of the phone in my hand, the cane keeping me balanced, or just the texture of my hair.

I genuinely despise this life. I don't know how to love the crucible the god that made me put me in. Even the fleeting moments of beauty carve another piece out of my heart because I have to remember it won't last, and as soon as that moment is over, the metaphorical, spirit-withering flames of the settler-hell in which I live will engulf me once again. I can't tell if it's meant to purge my impurities, or if it's just meant to render me useless slag anymore.

[-] Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 3 days ago
[-] frauddogg@hexbear.net 6 points 3 days ago

Amerika, where else? Land of the white, trap of the enslaved.

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 days ago

If you want everyone to navigate a ninja warrior obstacle course to interact with you, don't be surprised if not many make it through to you.

I get it. I don't wanna fucking deal with people after dealing with capitalism all day myself.

[-] robot_dog_with_gun@hexbear.net 7 points 3 days ago

i don't enjoy constantly suffering, maybe the constantly suffering has something to do with it.

the fleeting good does not make up for the deluge of bad

[-] Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Some people because of circumstances and some people because their brain/body functions differently.

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Based.

Both? Both...

[-] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 days ago

If you'd legitimately like to understand, you should research things like clinical depression and anxiety disorders. Not everyone has a "normal" brain chemistry. If you genuinely want to understand, try to step outside of your perspective when doing so and try to put yourself in the shoes of someone afflicted with any of these conditions as you look into them.

These disorders can literally prevent someone from seeing many, if not all positive aspects in their life. Everything is quickly or immediately painted in a troubling or worrisome manner. It's a fucking hellscape to trudge through on a day to day basis and there's no magical fix for any of it. There are things that can help mitigate and cope but there's nothing that purely removes these afflictions. A big one is empathy from people who care about that person and genuinely want them to know they do care about how that person feels.

Asking someone with one of these afflictions why they can't "just be happy" is not unlike asking a quadriplegic why they can't go for a swim.

I know I didn't wish to go through every day hating the world, myself, and feeling anxious about every unknown. I want to feel free to feel unabashedly comfortable in my own skin and enjoy every moment of my waking life, but my brain is literally not wired to be able to do that with any reliable consistency. The best I, and many others, can do is just try to temper and negate those invasive thoughts and emotions as best we can when we can. How often that can happen is dependent on several factors and is not the same for everyone. I may be able to cope with X when someone else can't, and not be able cope with Y while another person can.

Your friends may very well be going through similar things, and I know you didn't say you do, but if you are confronting them with your lack of understanding and questions like "why can't you just be happy/enjoy life?" you could be amplifying their pain and further alienating them when they likely already wake up feeling that way without any outside provocation.

[-] MoonElf@hexbear.net 4 points 3 days ago

it's a very lovely and special dark moon tonight; the second new moon in the month! when it happens with the full moon it's a blue moon. happy you got a clear view!

[-] tsugu@slrpnk.net 5 points 4 days ago

I try to see the world and everything in it for what it really is. I don't believe in fate, god, karma, souls, etc. The way I see it, I'm depressed and don't enjoy life because I'm just a collection of electrical signals/chemical processes inside of my brian. And my brain is fucked. I can't relate to people who genuinely enjoy life. I get sparks of happyness but spend most of the time being miserable.

Another personal reasons for why I don't enjoy life is change. I know that no change = no progress = boredom, but I still despise it. And look at that, literally everything in life changes all the fucking time. Loved ones die, pets die, the tech I love slowly dies out.

And then there is the looming threat of dying at any moment because I'm a fragile organism that can die even while sleeping. That terrifies me to no end. Just suddenly not existing. And yes I have watched motivational videos advocating for why we shouldn't fear death. I'm not buying it.

[-] tomi000@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

There are more or less accepted theories in psychology that fear of death is ultimately the basis for all our fears. Fear of being left alone is a result of evolution telling us we will die without a community. Fear of failure because we would get cast out, hence being alone and dying without the communuty etc. The hypothesis is that once you accept death as an inevitable part of life, the path leading there will be much more enjoyable.

What I find interesting is that you are saying you dont enjoy life but are afraid of dying. If life isnt enjoyable, would disappearing really make a difference? (genuine question)

We experience the world through lenses that our brain programmed through our experiences. I think the extent to which one enjoys life deoends heavily on how that persons brain 'expects' life to be enjoyed. If your opinion is that life is generally not that great, you wont experience the different joys it brings. In some cases, our brains can be 'tricked' very easily. For example, when you have a hiccup, tell yourself 'hiccups arent real' like you really believe it. The hiccup will go away within seconds. What Im trying say is if you tell yourself that you are enjoying some things and that life is great, eventually that will become your new reality. The trick behind motivational videos/speeches/coaches is that you receive the information from another person. If you believe that person is telling the truth in saying life is great, your brain may adopt to that. Telling it to yourself is way more efficient though because your brain is already you, but it obviously seems stupid talking yourself into things you dont believe.

Of course clinical depression is a different matter and needs professional care.

[-] tsugu@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

If life isnt enjoyable, would disappearing really make a difference?

I think I wouldn't mind being dead, as I couldn't feel anything anyways. But existing and then suddenly not even knowing I don't exist sounds very scary. When I forget what I was thinking about a few seconds ago, at least I know that I did forget about something. I think the fear stems from the fact that no one can even imagine how death feels like. Sleeping or being in a coma isn't even close as it feels like a time skip.

[-] tomi000@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I imagine being anesthesized could feel similar, as the consciousness fades away and thats what we use/need for experiencing life.

[-] tsugu@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago

But then you wake up right away. You weren't conscious for hours bu for you it felt instant. We really can't image it.

[-] tomi000@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Yeah I think its just that minus the waking up again part. Probably just nothing. But yeah noone can know for certain.

[-] prex@aussie.zone 2 points 3 days ago

Old mate at work was a rough, tough, hard drinking, hard fighting type.
One day someone was whingeing about a difficult job. Old mate turns to him and says:
"This whole thing is a miracle. All of it. In the whole universe this should just be more empty space, and yet here you are, complaining about whatever. None of us have to be here. Enjoy it."
It was super out of character for him but he was right.

[-] rational_lib@lemmy.world -4 points 4 days ago

Most people just do not think entirely rationally. Take anything that most people believe - obviously religion, but also their favorite sports team, car brand, dare I say linux distro - it's probably irrational on some level. Instead people believe what they want to believe.

But why would someone want to see their own life as miserable? Perhaps part of it is who we want to be. Most people want to see themselves as having overcome some sort of adversity to earn whatever they have in life, and that creates a bias to see one's own life as unlucky and miserable. I definitely went through a phase of seeing my life this way as a kid. Now I try, when I remember, to focus on what's been lucky and not adverse in my life. And there's definitely plenty in that regard.

[-] eatthecake@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Most people want to see themselves as having overcome some sort of adversity to earn whatever they have in life, and that creates a bias to see one’s own life as unlucky and miserable. I definitely went through a phase of seeing my life this way as a kid.

This is your own bias speaking, you assume most people are just like you and that your own personal experience is universal.

this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2024
-27 points (35.2% liked)

Asklemmy

44230 readers
492 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS