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my life seems unfulfilled...

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by Tom, Dec 21, 2007.

  1. Tom

    Tom Guest

    Ok so before i go into any details for those that dont know me i have been out for the best part of 5.5 years now to everyone, ive had one kinda serious relationship which lasted a month and im basically constantly happy, and iq wise im in the top few % at 163 and my grades arent too bad either and have improved since the level of teaching at schools improved, and i will never contemplate suicide im 2 muh of a whoss to do tht, and i am still happy. and in the last 2 weeks my sex drive has been almost negligible compared to normal or over ative at times and my diet hasnt hanged at all, i get enough of everything and then sum more.

    so for the last what must be 3 years ive just had a massive feeling that my life is unfulfilled, when my last dog died (in my blogs) it seemed to get worse and in the last 2 weeks its got even worse again =[ im not sure why i feel like this, it could be that im not being intellectually stimulated enough but this new term at shool i have been doing every little thing i could to try stop that and there is no change, i even restarted learning japanese and some mathmatical based projects. i have tried taking up hobbies, i did archery(which ive wanted to do since i was 6) which took up2 4 hours a night, 7 days a week, and stil i felt unfulfiled as if something was missing. i then tried my hand at uniycling, well wanted too but the unicycle i wanted off ebay never arrived so that i couldn't do. i started playing more games hoping that the satisfation of wiping out those who had been playing longer and said they could beat me anyday would help but no it didn't.

    then i got my bf, and that didnt realy help either. it may of been due to the fact that we lived quite far away and i couldnt see him when i wanted but even when i was with him, no matter how much i loved every second of it, i still had the same feeling.

    the last time i remember not having this feeling was just before i turned 15 about 1/3 of the way thru september which is when bill, one of my other dogs was put down due to cancer and even now thinkin about tht brings a tear to my eye which leads to sobbing if i ant think about somet else, even now im sobbing just typing about it =[ i think this is probably why im feeling unfulfilled, i dont have the unconditional love of a dog (and tbh i didnt realy have anyone that loved me, and i still dont i feel) that i love that much, when he had gone and i was left with muttsey then the feeling started but i still had my muttseykins and was fine and could cope with it easily but then in the last 2 weeks the little nigling unfulfiled feeling started to come to the front of my mind and its what i thought about a load, some of u may of noticed that i have changed ( and for the worse) in the last 2 weeks and this is why.

    i have a new dog now, hes a 1 yr 4 mnth old staffie alled jake and tbh he is starting to piss me off aswell as the rest of the family(the dogs pissing them off, they arent pissing me off). we have had him for 2 months atleast but w/e we tell him off for doing he just doesnt listen. even as i typed this out i have told him off 7 or 8 times for things that he did on the first day we got him. its not like we dont give him any attention, this wil probably take me an hour or so to fully type as im playing with jake aswell. but the feeling hasnt changed and even if he does piss me off i still love the lil' bugger and he will always come and say hello to me in the mornings in his own lil' way and other things.

    i just dpnt know what to do now, i cant figure out why i have this unfulfilled feeling so im going to turn to those i trust the most in these matters (you lot) and ask for ur advice.

    im greatful to any tht respond to this, or even read it i know its a massive post and for tht i am sorry.

    ps. if u notice that any 'C's r missing that is due to my c button bein stuk atm and doesnt alwaysd register tht its been pressed, w8 it never registers it unless u really do hit it.
     
    #1 Tom, Dec 21, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 21, 2007
  2. Jim1454

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    Hey Tom. I read it... yay for me!

    You're very bright, successful in school, and probably very good at whatever you set your mind to. That all sounds good, but it can tend to isolate you from other people too. When you're exceptional, it is sometimes hard to find other people that you can relate to really well. Is that perhaps part of the problem?

    Sometimes we seem to set REALLY high expectations for ourselves and for our lives. And there's nothing wrong with that - because without goals we have nothing to aim at. However, also realize that you're 18 years old, and have A LOT of time to realize some of those goals. Today's media (and maybe some of the games you play) give the impression that life should be exciting and fun all the time - but that's simply not the case. We don't live as though we were part of a season of '24'. I'm not sure who would want to.

    It sounds to me like you've got a pretty full life - so I don't know what else may be contributing to this unfulfilled feeling. If it seems to be persisting, don't hesitate to talk to someone about it in person. A school counsellor, your family doctor, or someone else you trust. I just wish you all the best though. Sounds like you have a VERY bright future ahead of you!
     
  3. Tom

    Tom Guest

    aww thanks Jim but finding ppl of the same intelletual level isn't that hard, all my friends are about the same as me. and even the supposed sporty guys in our year have an iq of around 140 surprisingly enuf. and my expectations atm are to get my target grades at school (wich is simple), to spend so long a day relaxing by doing w/e it is i decided to do and then to go work and be a good employee, i dont have many aims but there are others i dont realy want to post here, i will tell others if i need to but they r personal and i dont want any of my friends finding out what they r and i know one or 2 of them come on here once a week or so. and it does inlude my friends and they might not appreiate them. and i have never wanted a life so cram paked full of things that i cant enjoy myself, take away the games and im free about 6 hours a day and the games r there to fill tht time and nothing more.
     
  4. Lexington

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    Hey draz. It looks like you're in a tough spot. However, you're at least two steps ahead of the game. First off, you realize that there's a problem. And secondly, you're attempting to do something about it. That's a huge step in the right direction.

    I think your "self-diagnosis" and "self-treatment" seem to be correct. I'd second the opinion that you should have yourself checked out by a doctor, to rule out any physical cause. I myself have a form of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which means I get depressed during the winter. (My form is a bit oddball - I actually get it early on in mid-October, and I'm past the worst of it by the beginning of January.) My depression isn't caused by outside forces - problems at work, or with friends or family. They can make it better or worse, but the root problem is my reaction to the lack of sunlight. You probably should rule this type of thing out just to be on the safe side.

    I especially encourage you to continue to try new things. Don't stop! Just because you haven't found something that really floats your boat yet doesn't mean you should call off the search. In fact, it should encourage you to continue looking, so you can find something that makes you happy. I would especially urge you to try to find a "creative outlet". It doesn't matter what, and (this is key) you don't have to be good at it - just as long as you enjoy the process. I've found that "creative hobbies" seem to have a much better effect on lifting moods than non-creative ones. So think it over, and think about what you might want to try your hand at. Drawing cartoons? Photography? Photoshopping pictures? Writing fanfiction? Woodworking? Building models? It really doesn't matter as long as you think it'd be something you might enjoy. Give it a try.

    Good luck to you - and keep us informed!

    Lex
     
  5. Tom

    Tom Guest

    thanks for the advice lex, i do like woodwork as my dads a carpenter and its always been interesting to me and im mildly decant at it, i built a fully functioning model catapult afew weeks ago for coursework so i cant be tht bad. ill see what i can do with that =]

    thanks agen and i dont think there wud be anythin wrong with me physically, mums had quite abit of training in this area when she was deciding what to do and she hasnt picked up on anythin so ill get it checked out if needs be but tht wont be for a while
     
  6. kgmn

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    Study Abroad -

    It will change your life


    Scholarships are available here

    www.yfu-usa.org


    if that isnt intellectually stimulating than I dont know what is :wink:

    pm me if you have questions
    most scholarship applications are due soon - but they pay off! You could travel and live abroad for 2 months this summer for virtually no cost!
     
  7. kgmn

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    oops, you are brittish.

    go to yfu.org and find the brittish site. either way it is great
     
  8. Tom

    Tom Guest

    wow thanks, that does seem interesting and shud provide somet fun for me 2 do =] if i can apply and be accepted in time tht is
     
  9. panda

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    There's always volunteering for something.I've heard it said that it takes our minds off ourselves.
    Also, if I may be so bold,looking at "he's gone and now I feel so lonely =[" every day must bring you down.Perhaps it's time to move on.(*hug*)
     
  10. Tom

    Tom Guest

    yeh i was gona remove tht but i keep forgettin, and i need a new sig to replace it with lol. but i will remove it for now, im not sure tht has any effect tho as i never read it anyways
     
  11. panda

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    Good point Maybe it's Subliminal
     
  12. Tom

    Tom Guest

    well if it was then its gone now. just i still need a good sig!
     
  13. Jamie

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    Damn Tom... sorry to hear you're feeling down. You mention being good at college, being good at your subjects, etc and always challenging yourself. But you didn't mention (or atleast I don't think you did), whether or not you actually enjoy college?

    Whilst I'm technically minded, and love to be challenged... I just didn't enjoy college and since leaving I am so much happier. I can't explain why, but I just am. Coincidentally i'm now looking at going back to uni.

    And you seem to be keeping yourself really busy, but remember it's equally important to make sure you get some down time. Long days lead to long weeks and even longer months and it soon gets to you (welcome to my world :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:)... so if you can try to have some TOM time.

    Jamie
     
  14. Tom

    Tom Guest

    i have plenty of me time and i do love college, i always want to be better than i am already and for me that is education. and apart from tht i love the friends i have their and cudnt imagine bein without em, god help me at the end of this year when we go off on our separate ways =[
     
  15. Paul_UK

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    Seeing that idea and your mention of enjoying woodwork etc, how about finding a way of putting them together?

    For example there are charities that collect old furniture that would otherwise be thrown away and fix it up to give to people who can't afford their own. Or charity shops that sell old furniture to raise funds. Since you enjoy and are reasonably good at woodwork/carpentry, maybe you could volunteer to help with the fixing up bit? You do something you enjoy, you feel you have achieved something when they are done, and you are helping others. Plus you get out and meet new people.
     
  16. Bromptonrocks

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    Hey Tom

    Really sorry (for you) to read your post. I've felt like that in the past and the feeling comes and goes. I call it a "stagnating" period - they can last for ages or just a short while.

    What Panda and Paul_Uk said has worked for me. I do voluntary work once a week and the "fulfilling" feeling I get out of it as well as taking my mind off "me" works wonders. Without going into detail here (I'll tell you on MSN if you want), the work I do enables me to see that what I have (humble though it is) is a lot better than some of the unfortunates that I have to deal with. I've been doing it for 13 years and whenever I think where am I going, what is there to life, etc I remind myself of just how much I DO have going for me and things are not as bad as I'm making out. Your life falls into perspective.

    As others have said, you're still young and you will have years to do fulfilling things. You're already taking steps to ensure that by studying hard. Uni will be a totally different experience for you. My daughter's proof of this and she's only been there one term. Currently, you're approaching the end of a long road which has involved schooling since you can remember. It's easy to think that that is all there is to life. Not so. Hang in there and soon the door to the fulfillment room will open before you.

    Think about doing some volunteering like Panda and Paul_Uk have mentioned. It may be what you need. As you've said in one of your other posts, "Don't knock it 'till you've tried it."

    Good luck, Tom. You deserve it mate.
     
  17. Tom

    Tom Guest

    thanks paul and B, ill look into them but im not sure how long ill have to do that, esp with the final exams rush starting about a month after the jan exams finish =[ and i have spoke with my parents about the exchange program and it does look amazing and they agree, they have noticed my lack of fulfillment in life and think it could be good for me. if i do go id like to go to america/australia or canada and if i ahd time and was close enuf mabe meet afew of u =]
     
  18. Paul_UK

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    With volunteering you decide how much time you can give. Maybe a few hours one evening a week? It is best for you and for the charity to make it a regular arrangement though.
     
  19. Tom

    Tom Guest

    well atm my timetable is:

    monday : not free until 6pm but ive had a day at school then followed by work so wudnt be in the mood

    tuesdays: get off school at 3pm, have about 4 hours of homework to complete tht was set on monday and tuesday and ill suually do this later on so mabe there is an opening here for something

    wednesday: same as monday

    thursday: same as tuesday, just i have to go out for an hour or so some weeks and i cant get out of this so mabe not the best of days

    friday: same as monday

    saturday: working till 4pm usually, then ill do the rest of the homework that was set for that week. possibly an hour or 2 i could volunteer

    sunday: my day of rest! and finishing off any odd jobs i have to do and so dont really want to have anything plannedn for these days

    so if i cant find any more time then it seems that i can volunteer for a max of about 5 hours a week. but now im starting the exams in january, str8 after them i have 3 pieces of cwk to get done and all the others tht ive wrote will be handed back for altering so that could take upto 6 weeks to get all of it done. this get me thru to about mid march, then i ahve my first final exams in june so id mabe get 2 months where i could volunteer and its not a hinderance to my studies. and then the exchange program, id love to do it and have spoke to the parents about it =] im going to be applying asap.

    but if this was about half a year ago sunday and saturday would include archery from 5-9pm and then 10-2 aswell on sundays

    mondays-thurs id have archery again 7-10 indoors and friday it was 7-9 so i am glad i dropped archery to give me aload of extra time =]and then id go there an hour earlier or so to help set upand start shoting about half an hour before most arrived.
     
    #19 Tom, Dec 23, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 23, 2007
  20. InaRut

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    I think this is a feeling we all get as we're growing up. Do you know what you want to do with your life? Doesn't it feel like the highshcool systems (in Canada at least) try and push these thoughts on you kinda too early? Right now, I feel like I should be going out into the world and doing something more then working for a factory.

    Do you have an older sibling? Because with 2 under my belt...rather over (since they are older) I often feel like I have to catch up to them. They are at university...on their way to what ever carreers they choose...with their 2 girlfriends...and life seems to be headed in a certain direction for them. And it's frustrating for me because I'm stuck in home, no one there and working in a factory. So I feel like that too.

    Really I think it's just something you feel when your growing up. When you start to look at certain people in the world and think, "I should be there." But what you realize is all those people have been where you are....and eventually you will be where they are.
    Also great work with school and such :slight_smile: You are one smart cookie...You better teach me Archery when I go off to England.