I think I've been in some sort of depressed slump lately.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Lately I've been just kinda non-chalant about everything. Stuff I used to care about just gets ignored, I rarely ever leave my house I haven't beaten a single game since around November and I generally can't seem to stay focused on anything or treat it with any importance.

It's not that I don't care, just that I can't seem to ring myself to actively do anything recently. I've just been sorta going with the flow and letting things fly by with no set plan or any kind of safety net.

It doesn't help that I've never really been a social person thanks to my general lack of knowledge on talking to and being around people thanks to an overprotective parent who kept me pretty much isolated as a kid with only two real friends I rarely saw while growing up. But to be honest I don't do anything or go anywhere. This entire week I only left the house once and for only about three hours to pick up some NES stuff (most of which I really didn't want or need) just to have some reason to get out of the place.

I mean I'm just feeling kind of like I'm letting my life waste away. I've never done stuff that most people do all the time for fun. I mean I've never been to an amusement park, I've never been to a concert, I've only been to an arcade circa five times in my life, I don't have anywhere to just go and hang out as I barely know anyone other than a few select people and they all live far out of my walking/biking range and I'm starting to that weird "walls closing in feeling" from an overly structured and meaningless daily life.

I mean in the last month I've worked three days and only left the house about five times and while I'm home I just end up refreshing my email or going through the same few MP3's or CD's and random TV over and over again. I barely play games anymore either, most of the time I'll play for 5-10 minutes and just let it hang on pause all day while I watch TV and then shut it off or just kill it and try to do something else.

It doesn't help that I don't really have someone I can just hang with or talk to on a more daily/common basis. I mean I talk to people 90% of the time via IM and try to hang out with people at least once a week provided I can get a ride, but it's not the same as having someone there to kick my ass into gear on a much more daily basis.

I don't know if I'm just depressed or in some sort of crazy slump, but it's really been getting to me lately and I'm starting to grind under the pressure. Last year was pretty much the worst I'd ever had in terms of wholesale depression to the point where when I hit rock bottom I hit it hard, damn hard and I just don't want to end up in that place again.

[PhilExile]

It sounds like you realize this is an unhealthy lifestyle. Force yourself to leave the house and socialize is my suggestion. Maybe go to a park and read a good book for the day? Try to meet people, even if it feels daunting.

Good luck

[Gamerforlife]

I can sort of relate, I've felt like that before. I would say not to worry too much about your current state of affairs, just try to do something fun. Anything, put on a good song or something. Before you can change anything in life, you have to get yourself in a positive mood. The first step is finding a way to feel good. Don't worry about stuff like you not going out a lot. Who cares? Some people don't like to get out much. And not everyone likes amusement parks or concerts. It sounds to me like you're an introvert. A lot of people are. There's nothing really wrong with that

I know there are prescriptions for treating depression too, it you feel like you need them. I have a pill I take to deal with occasional stomach problems, but I've noticed it frequently seems to pick my mood up too, which then makes me feel like doing things

You have plenty of people to talk to here. Maybe try and meet some new people online. Plenty of social networks online these days. I actually know people who've met online and got married.

I think certain things in life happen at certain times. Even if you feel you've got nothing going on now, doesn't mean there isn't something great right around the corner

[wakeup]

You should join something. Like a church, clubs if you're in school, bowling teams, sport teams or even something as simple as toastmaster (you improve your oral communication skills + you meet great people). If you like music, there's bound to be a music community center that has cool singing lessons or basic guitar learning lessons where you can also socialize. I think these are great and simple ways to meet people.

Or even better, travel to another city like in Asia or Europe and work there. If you have no obligations (family, etc), why not explore the world when you're young (assuming you're still young).

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

It sounds like you realize this is an unhealthy lifestyle. Force yourself to leave the house and socialize is my suggestion. Maybe go to a park and read a good book for the day? Try to meet people, even if it feels daunting.

Good luck

The biggest problem I have with meeting people is that I lack the ability to reach or communicate with them easily thanks to a lack of modern tech (AKA I don't own a cell phone, and I barely ever go onto facebook or myspace or anything) which turns just about everyone I know off to talking or socializing with me which just pisses me off.

I mean the way most people are with the whole mentality of "Oh you only have a home phone?" and then never call or don't pick up when I call or refuse to talk to me because all they do is text just pisses me off.

[Gamerforlife]

You should join something. Like a church, clubs if you're in school, bowling teams, sport teams or even something as simple as toastmaster (you improve your oral communication skills + you meet great people). If you like music, there's bound to be a music community center that has cool singing lessons or basic guitar learning lessons where you can also socialize. I think these are great and simple ways to meet people.

Nice thing about toastmasters is that you can just show up, sit down and listen. There's no pressure initially to get up and speak or do anything at all, but eventually a lot of people get comfortable enough with a group that they decide that they want to get up and do some talking

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

You should join something. Like a church, clubs if you're in school, bowling teams, sport teams or even something as simple as toastmaster (you improve your oral communication skills + you meet great people). If you like music, there's bound to be a music community center that has cool singing lessons or basic guitar learning lessons where you can also socialize. I think these are great and simple ways to meet people.

Or even better, travel to another city like in Asia or Europe and work there. If you have no obligations (family, etc), why not explore the world when you're young (assuming you're still young).

The biggest problem I have is a general lack of interest in most of those things, religion is cool and all but I'll either kick someone's ass or get mine kicked after about five minutes in a church thanks to my general agnostic-like views.

Groups and clubs are not really my thing either, I'm not in school so I can't go anywhere for free and I don't want to join some pay as you go social club that I'm not really into and can't afford thanks to my shitty job.

My life basically translates into:

Gaming
Retro stuff circa 1975-2004
Thinking that I somehow have some ear for music (I enjoy all sorts of types and slight to major electronic composition) but I don't own nor can I play any instruments.

Aaaaannnnnddddd that's about it.

Not a lot of stuff there for an 18 year old to work with or find someone to socialize with over.

[dgamemuster]

To me it sounds like you need a gf.

[Assman]

Ugh. I could have easily written that post myself. Pretty much everything you said goes for me as well, other than the fact that I've been to quite a few concerts, amusement parks and arcades. My best friends live two fucking hours away, and I can't even really afford the luxury of the gas it would take to go see them. On top of that, I've got another birthday on the horizon to force me to reflect on what little I've done with my life and push me deeper still into this seemingly inescapable hole.

I wish I could offer some help, I really do. Unfortunately, the best I can do is say "hey man, you're not alone".

[wakeup]

You should join something. Like a church, clubs if you're in school, bowling teams, sport teams or even something as simple as toastmaster (you improve your oral communication skills + you meet great people). If you like music, there's bound to be a music community center that has cool singing lessons or basic guitar learning lessons where you can also socialize. I think these are great and simple ways to meet people.

Or even better, travel to another city like in Asia or Europe and work there. If you have no obligations (family, etc), why not explore the world when you're young (assuming you're still young).

The biggest problem I have is a general lack of interest in most of those things, religion is cool and all but I'll either kick someone's ass or get mine kicked after about five minutes in a church thanks to my general agnostic-like views.

Groups and clubs are not really my thing either, I'm not in school so I can't go anywhere for free and I don't want to join some pay as you go social club that I'm not really into and can't afford thanks to my shitty job.

My life basically translates into:

Gaming
Retro stuff circa 1975-2004
Thinking that I somehow have some ear for music (I enjoy all sorts of types and slight to major electronic composition) but I don't own nor can I play any instruments.

Aaaaannnnnddddd that's about it.

Not a lot of stuff there for an 18 year old to work with or find someone to socialize with over.

The whole purpose of groups and clubs is to socialize and meet people. Maybe a toastmaster club mission statement is something like "boost confidence and oral speech abilities". But really what it boils down to is meeting new people. The purpose of a group is a secondary purpose.

Considering you want to socialize, and the pure definition of a group/ club is to promote socializing, it doesn't make sense to say "Groups and clubs are not really my thing ".

Also, if you're 18 and have a shitty job, why aren't you considering school in this economic downturn? Not only do you meet people, you also get a better job. And you can join a lot of school clubs, which you'll meet TONS of great people. You can't say you don't have the money because I know tons of students working part time and studying so that's not an excuse.