Are We In Hell? Feeling Depressed, Don't Know Why...

I had to repost my comment from another thread because I'm feeling low. Sometimes good people need words of inspiration no matter where it comes from. I didn't want to post this on my Facebook page because I don't want my 31 Facebook friends to know I'm feeling down.

I'm a man, I raised my daughter alone, she moved 100 miles away when she turned 19 (she's now 20), she has issues that I try to help her with...she's slowly learning. Everyday it's a different life path that she's gonna take. I can handle helping her with advice and advice only because I'm poor but after awhile of plans changing for her everyday and myself coming up with new suggestions for her...it ends up wearing me down. Settle on ONE plan and stick with it! Listen to Dad instead of your know-it-all boyfriends! Geez!

Here's the post:

Thanks for making me think...deeply.

A lot of things went through my mind reading your OP and the last thing that popped into my mind was "Are we waiting to escape from this Hell?"

What is Hell?

Hell is seeing a loved one die. If we don't see our parents suffer and die THEY see us die an untimely death.

Hell is feeling alone. Are we alone in the universe? We like to think not but so far nothing has been proven to us that we aren't alone in the universe.

Hell can be extremely hot or extremely cold in which both extremes are very uncomfortable and cause death. Space is cold, extremely cold. Fire can turn our bones to ash.

Hell is not knowing we are indeed in Hell. That we don't realize we need to escape from Hell. That we are in a self-imposed Hell unaware that we put ourselves here.

Hell is not knowing what this feeling of "Waiting" is that we feel and yet at the same time, feeling we ARE waiting for SOMETHING....something unknown to us. ARE we waiting to die to escape from Hell?

Will we be reborn into this Hell over and over again until we come to some sort of realization that frees us from Hell?

Instead of Hell being a place what if Hell is a state of being?

Wow! Blowing my own mind...I need to go watch some Spongebob Squarepants to get happy again. This is too depressing

Right now I just want to hide away for 3 months, get back in shape (lose 50lbs.), and come back stronger and kick some ass in life. So if anyone can help out with words of inspiration it would be greatly appreciated at this time in my life.

Thank you ATS friends.

Which is heaven and which is hell?

To have everything.
To have nothing.

reply to post by Phantasm


Aye, I shall inspire you. Drink lots and lots of water (depression is usually just a symptom of dehydration). The weight, a trifle. This year I gave up potato chips, french fries, most bread, sugar (again!) and all that comes with it, and, as a long time vegetarian and once again a vegan, discovered quinoa. Ah, the food of the gods, the mother grain. Good stuff.

As for your daughter, she's 20 now, bye bye birdie. When she's ready to listen to you she will, but that may not happen for years. So all the energy you gave to her as she was being raised can now be used for others and yourself! And to cheer you up even more, if you happen to be a liberal minded fellow check out HBO's "The Newsroom" (watch it from the first episode). If you're not liberal, check out "The Newsroom" so you can see what the liberals really think!

My words of wisdom, or some of them anyway.

Spongebob has gotten me through many a low point, let me tell you...

I have a sister who, when I give her the advice she asks for, makes me feel like I'm banging my head bloody against a brick wall.

Boundaries are good. Peace and quiet and only engaging the world when you have to can be healing when it gives your mind/heart/soul space to sort things out.

Be gentle with yourself. Don't judge the dark places. You are worth the time you take to create your own process.

You can live your future nostalgia now.

Have to start somewhere to experience going anywhere. Bottom is a pretty smart start if you really think about it.

Nobody should listen to me. I've always been the dumbest person I've always known.

reply to post by Phantasm

Will we be reborn into this Hell over and over again until we come to some sort of realization that frees us from Hell?

Perhaps this realization is that life continues on after death?

Once that is realized... then one must find a purpose to life...

And what better purpose is there then to love your neighbour?

Why are you depressed?

What are you lacking in your life?

Ask yourself questions and free yourself from this hell...

If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you.

When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

We sure aren't in heaven. That's for sure.

S n F so more help can come

I dont have much to say but "Keep your eyes on the Prize"

I'm not suicidal but THIS song hits home...

Keep plugging away. It is not for nothing that you struggle for. We're not in Hell...this is the world, and Hell is a 404. Read lots of funny stuff, it helps. Get some friends and a hobby.

You are not in hell, it just feels like it, trust me i know.Been there, back here again.

It's all inside you, you know why you are depressed, you just have to admit it and start fixing it.

Relax and start working with your self, you propably have tons of questions but no answears, you can't get back if you do not find the answears or just some solutions to your worries.

Try to take one step at the time to not confuse your self, cause to many things will just make it worse.

I used writing when i lost control, it's an awesome tool, but can take a long time, especially if you are not used to write.

But try writing down your thoughts, cause most of the time, your answears are right there in front of you, and if you got them on paper, they are much easier to find.Remember to read what you write, sometimes again and again.

You can get a lot of help, but only you can fix it, no one else can, they will only advice you, or worse confuse you even more.
The same if you choose doctors and medicin, it's only a help, not a solution.

If you are deeply depressed it might take a long time, don't expect it to be gone in a week or go away by it self.

It took me 6 years to get back on track, but if i had the knowledge back then that i have now, i would have been better much faster.

Relax and don't strees your self, and you will be fine.

You're not in hell.. you're living life... Most generations have felt this way at some point or another... we're sheltered by our own lifespan.

What do you think the people thought during the great depression when bodies were piling on the streets?

What do you think people felt during world war 2 in concentration camps? or when cities were bombed to oblivion? .. I shouldn't have to mention the times before that... they were even worse... the early settlers battling life and death .. not knowing if you were going to be attacked in the night.

Every generation it seems has a reason to feel this is it.. this is horrible.. there can be no worse.. but we're limited to the scope of our own lives and our own visibility ..

The difference with newer generations is we have greater visibility which means that even though, relatively speaking? those of us on here have it pretty damn great compared to most of those before us.. we still tend to think the world has gone to hell ... it's all about perspective... at least you're not out there in the great depression with bodies everywhere, people jumping out of buildings.. or having to deal with food rations during world war 2 .. or being someone in one of the cities bombed to oblivion during that war... Now look around you and think "gee, am I really in hell?" .. as you flip off your cable tv, set your alarm and lay into a warm bed =)

Perspective.... it's all about perspective... there were far worse times in our history than now... Ultimately things have improved overall .. but we're a very informational driven culture and we know all about what's going on in the middle east even though much of that turmoil has been going on for thousands of years.... now CNN delivers it to your bedroom while you're there eating funions.

No.. this isn't hell .. it's actually pretty damned cushy compared to how those before us have lived... but that's not to say it's good.. so of course people need to stay active in fighting for what matters...

reply to post by Phantasm


My beautiful friend, please do not let this trouble you. I meditate pretty much religiously and have seen other sides of reality and I must say of all the infinite amount of knowledge locked away the superconscious..the ONLY thing that EVER mattered was that of the Path of Love. Whatever your mind can conceive, it can achieve..and believe me, NOTHING is impossible. The ONLY way to crawl out of darkness is to seek love in God, yourself, your family, and your fellow human beings and feel the faith you have for your creator that all will be well. "I think, therefore I am" and The Law of Attraction are laws we must ALL abide by. Think about your future and shape it with the power of the mind, soul, and heart. Each and every day think of that selfless and loving setting that could set at any time in the future. Every morning and night and it doesn't even have to be a large, energy-consuming thought. Just one small created memory that is pure of love and faith. See it, smell it, hear it, touch it, ALL in your mind's eye. Such as long as you also abide by the Law of Love that applies to everything...then God will give what you and the loved ones in your life NEED. Be thankful to have experienced than to never experience at all. Rest assured..I know you already know all of this. Best of luck my good friend. I hope that I could have fulfilled all of our destinies today..the ONLY destiny...that of Love.

ATS, the new psychology website

Your thread really hit home for me. My dad suffers from depression and when I moved out (at the same age, now been a few years) he too had been feelings really depressed, lost a lot of weight and is still on a 16 hour work-day/energy drink regime. I worry all the time for him and all I can say is that your own well-being is much more important to her than financial help. I moved out with 0$ dollars saved and over the years have learned how to manage with the help of my dads advice along the way. We are now closer than ever, even though he is quite a distance away. Just hang in there. You are somebody's most important person in the entire world. Hers.

Thank you ALL for your replies. I feel better already. I will refer to your words whenever I get to feeling down again.
Thanks again. You helped.

reply to post by Phantasm


Your daughter sounds like the typical twenty-something. She may not listen to your advice bc she's under the assumption she knows whats best. Don't worry, experience is the best teacher. She will learn. Just be there to support her with your love, she'll be fine.

As for yourself, spend some time in the sun. Go on a hike, reconnect with nature, exercise.....these things help with depression.

Continue writing down your thoughts.....writing is cathartic.

Message me if you ever need to talk.....I'm a good listener.

My mother is going through the same exact thing you are, she keeps telling me everyday that shes so lonley and that she assumes a boyfriend will bring her comfort, i have told her a man is going to make you happy.

She also cries all the time for no apparent reason, for me its very tough to deal with a loved one being sad all the time, im thinking to myself that she (my mom) has no reason to be depressed to begin with, she has everything that could make someone happy.

Also she just turned 65 and shes worried about getting old.

But what i can tell you is what im telling her, what your feeling isnt the end of the world although it may feel like it at times, you`ll have your good days and you`ll have your bad days, get out of your place and join a book club.. meet new people other than the ones on the computer, take a weekend get away

im not that good at giving advice, i apologize.

One day soon the days wont seem so dark, i hope you feel better real soon (((hugs)))

There is a lot of good things that have been posted on here already but maybe i can help a little.

I do not suffer from depression or have any kind of illness (that i am aware of) but sometimes i go through strange mood swings that will last a day or two at a time. When this happens i get really down on myself and have bad thoughts and feelings. What i have learned to do when this happens is to improve myself. When you are feeling down, the best way to boost yourself back up is to listen to inspirational speeches or read quotes. Another thing i have found helpful is finding myself a good hobby. I bought an acoustic guitar about 9 months ago now and whenever i need to get away from the pressures of life i just sit down and start playing.

Improving yourself is the best thing you can do to make yourself feel better. Trust me, no matter how bad things get it's all about your mentality. The mind is a powerful thing and with a lot of effort you can completely change your mood. Music is my escape, and it is powerful. I don't know how you feel about classic rock but check out the songs "I'm in a hurry" by Alabama that works for me or "take it easy" by the Eagles.

Also, check out this website and read a few of these quotes.

www.marcandangel.com...

Hello OP I have some words that may lift your spirit.

Though I do believe the plane of existence we inhabit is "hell", it's all in what you make it. Death is the release into the embrace of everlasting love. We come to this planet with a veil over our eyes so we forget who we are and what we are here to learn. You are here to express love, find your true self, and learn to love and embrace yourself as the energetic ever lasting consciousness you are. If you focus on the negative, the negative is drawn to you and surrounds your every being. If you're feeling like crap, take some time for yourself away from what is making you feel this way, and focus on the positive. Shift your consciousness to positive thoughts and visions and know that other people's decisions and actions have nothing to do with you, or are they doing it to hurt you. Your daughter needs to figure things out on her own. Love her no matter what she decides to do, but don't let her decisions effect you emotionally. Know that nobody anything does is directly because of you, but a mere reflection of what they are putting out into the universe.

Lose that 50 pounds! It's a lot easier than you think! There are plenty of work outs you can do within the comfort of your own home Feel better about yourself OP, because lastly you are never truly alone. You are connected to all of us, whether you believe that I am you and you are we, or we are just connected through the internet