are you able to actually enjoy life?

[bsammy]

heres the deal, for the longest time i have had my hobbies and interests and i enjoy them somewhat but overall, i find that im unable to simply enjoy life.i can get little bursts of pleasure here and there but i feel like life is so much work and effort compared to the little reward i get from it.i feel like i was born unable to get enjoyment from the small things like others do.many times i have to 'fake' that im enjoying things or else people would think im weird.makes me wonder if they are faking it too.im not sure.

its to the point i dont even know what i want out of life, what an ideal life would be for me as im so abnormal.i can mimic a normal persons life and still feel very unfulfilled.

so out of 10 id say the enjoyment i get out of life is maybe a 2 or 3.how to change that i dunno..what do you rate yours at?

 

[MrJones]

I feel like that too.... I see how people seem to enjoy their lives and it's like I just can't. Not that it's filled with misery or something, I just can't seem to enjoy it. It's weird.

I'm sorry I can't say anything useful, but you are not alone.

Btw I don't think I could rate it

 

[moon_x]

mines about 2 ... I have a wall blocking my way!

 

[pinata]

Not really to be honest lol. Everything seems like such a struggle :/

 

[lisalove22]

My life is so up and down (not bipolar), but sometimes everything sucks and its like 2/10. Sometimes i feel better and i can "enjoy" life. When I "enjoy" life its lik 5-6/10. Still bad, but I feel ok at that time. Right now its like 3/10.

 

[Kinetik]

I generally feel alright these days, minor up-and-downs and perpetual brain-fog notwithstanding. Earlier this year I was drinking heavily (alone) and found myself in some really dark places; that's when I struggled with what I know deep down about holding on and getting through the rough patches. My heart and mind were very much at war with each other. But eventually I turned a corner and a handful of positive, long-term prospects literally fell into my lap. So as of the last few months, I'd put myself at a 7.

 

[IcedEarth25]

I've been feeling alright recently. but most days i can go down to a 2/10 or a 3/10 which i don't say about and i get so much stick off people i know cause they know somethings wrong but i won't tell them, for personal reasons of course. Some days i just feel down to the point i stay in all day and do nothing constructive, listen to sad love music lol and drink lots of coke, but am getting better as long walks help to clear my head aswell.

 

[Silatuyok]

There were years in my life when I would have hovered anywhere between a 1 and a 6...it's only in the past few months that I feel I have pulled it up to an 8 or 9. I hope it's not temporary, but it's hard to tell what the future holds. Sometimes you just have to wait for things in life to fall into place, and do what you can to hang on in the meantime.

 

[razzle dazzle rose]

I know I have the capacity to live a fulfilling life. And why I am not...well, I don't know. I have a hard time measuring things with numbers, but my life is really sucky at the moment. I don't want to be a big drama queen but I have nothing to live for really. My whole life has been a bunch of struggles with little real enjoyment. I can appreciate the little things just fine. It is the little things that keep me going these days, like enjoying a good meal or listening to a good song. But I can't enjoy my life 'cause I am so damn lonely. I need people. Yet, I can't handle having people get close to me. I know what I want. I even know how to get it. But it is just like I can't get myself to do anything about it. I can't get myself to react. At this point I really think I need a miracle...it would be wasted on me though.

 

[razzle dazzle rose]

Sometimes you just have to wait for things in life to fall into place, and do what you can to hang on in the meantime.

I really do hope that is true!

 

[elek2ronik]

I know I have the capacity to live a fulfilling life. And why I am not...well, I don't know. I have a hard time measuring things with numbers, but my life is really sucky at the moment. I don't want to be a big drama queen but I have nothing to live for really. My whole life has been a bunch of struggles with little real enjoyment. I can appreciate the little things just fine. It is the little things that keep me going these days, like enjoying a good meal or listening to a good song. But I can't enjoy my life 'cause I am so damn lonely. I need people. Yet, I can't handle having people get close to me. I know what I want. I even know how to get it. But it is just like I can't get myself to do anything about it. I can't get myself to react. At this point I really think I need a miracle...it would be wasted on me though.

Anything is possible.

 

[MikeyC]

I know I have the capacity to live a fulfilling life. And why I am not...well, I don't know. I have a hard time measuring things with numbers, but my life is really sucky at the moment. I don't want to be a big drama queen but I have nothing to live for really. My whole life has been a bunch of struggles with little real enjoyment. I can appreciate the little things just fine. It is the little things that keep me going these days, like enjoying a good meal or listening to a good song. But I can't enjoy my life 'cause I am so damn lonely. I need people. Yet, I can't handle having people get close to me. I know what I want. I even know how to get it. But it is just like I can't get myself to do anything about it. I can't get myself to react. At this point I really think I need a miracle...it would be wasted on me though.

Maybe you need to do something drastic...like fly to Australia?

I'm sorry you're not really enjoying everything, Rose. Maybe you just need a little push in the right direction and you can get the ball rolling? I do agree that it's the small things that keep us going - they're very appreciated. Hang in there, Rose, and I'm here if you need me!

As for me, it varies. I can enjoy life but there's always a small feeling of pain and dread that never disappears. I can be very happy, though. My "rating" ranges from about 1 to 8.

 

[this_portrait]

Nowadays I don't enjoy it, because I have no one to enjoy it with me. This has been really getting to me, so I'd have to rate it as a 4.

 

[razzle dazzle rose]

Anything is possible.

Thanks for reminding me I can't keep waiting for something to happen 'cause that something may never come. I am like a junkie but without the drugs and I need an intervention. I really do have to make it happen myself though. So I got some cantaloupe just now and that is cheering me up. Tastes so sweet and it is so cold. Yay fruit!

Maybe you need to do something drastic...like fly to Australia?

I think that is what it will take! :: I need to go on an adventure.

I can enjoy life but there's always a small feeling of pain and dread that never disappears.

I get that feeling too. And I kick myself 'cause it is like "You really need to be here, in the moment, and enjoy it while it lasts."

 

[MikeyC]

So I got some cantaloupe just now and that is cheering me up. Tastes so sweet and it is so cold. Yay fruit!

At least you're eating something healthy (even though I much prefer honeydew!). I just had ice-cream. Yay chocolate! Yay transfats!

I think that is what it will take! :: I need to go on an adventure.

"A change is as good as a holiday" as they say. I flew to Western Australia last year. The return flight was over $800 and I stayed there for only THREE days. But you know what? I don't care. I did it and I enjoyed what I saw and I would love to go back. Maybe you should do the same thing. Maybe not to Australia, but somewhere else in North America. You will enjoy it a lot!

I get that feeling too. And I kick myself 'cause it is like "You really need to be here, in the moment, and enjoy it while it lasts."

Yeah, I hear you. If only it were that simple.

 

[OceanMist]

All I have are short bursts of happiness. Like a night of drinking, a bet, or a good meal. Most of my life is boring, full of anxiety or dead.

I don't enjoy most of life. I kind of just look at it as just life. I know exactly what you speak of when you say you see other people enjoying their life. These people enjoy their lives because they don't have an anxiety disorder weighing them down. It sucks that we've been dealt a bad hand of cards in life. I guess you could say it's literally depressing.

The only choice I have is to just try to make the most out of my life.

Happiness rating is a 3. Tough to grade. Too much analysis of my entire life, lol.

It reminds me of when someone asks you what you are thinking now. That question bothers me because people think about what they think about. It's not always about feeling good or bad, it's just in the moment. Analysis isn't necessary.

 

[Niteowl]

Easy! I don't believe that I need to have lots of friends, or travel, to enjoy myself. I enjoy working on projects with my friend. I enjoy watching my Batman animated series DVDs. I enjoy reading books about mythology, and comics. I enjoy listening to music. I enjoy volunteering and doing my bit for the community. I enjoy learning new things and solving problems. I enjoy being a good brother and friend. I can do all of these things, so how about I just say 10?

 

[Phoenixx]

I also have short bursts of happiness. Whether it be for an hour or two or for a day, but it only happens occasionally. And it never lasts for more than a day though. For the last 3 months, most of my days have been either "blah I don't give a crap" or "depressing." So overall, I'd say my life has been a 4.5/10 these past few months, with an occasional good day here and there.

Today was about a 2/10. -.-

 

[Imogen]

I don't think I can rate it at the moment, because I'm in a very negative phase of my life, and I know to do so, would make me even sadder. But I know that right now I'd don't particularly enjoy life and I just ghost through it and hope I'll sort out the negativity and begin to enjoy my life a bit more. I'm stuck in a terrible loop of having no job due to graduating with a degree I can't use in my home town, having no friends in my home town, no money and lots of student debt, so my life revolves around it all the time and sucks the fun out of things.

When I'm not stuck in a horrible rut, I find I do enjoy life. I could easily give it a ten, because I have my sculpting to work on, I can help my big brother out, help my family out, but I guess the down periods are always the thing you focus on most?

 

[bsammy]

i have to wonder what people that are truly enjoying life(or claim they are) are doing posting on this forum..seriously why are you here or maybe you are giving support..

like another poster said it is brutal to realize that we are dealt a bad hand dealing with this disorder..it makes life very hard to enjoy..im 35 years old so i doubt i can make huge changes that will just simply allow me to start enjoying whats left of my life as i dont know what to change..it just seems like something in born inside of me that is resistant to this..

this all makes me realize that if we arent enjoying life, then whats the point of continuing the struggle?just to say we didnt give up?