Posted by SLS on July 19, 2009, at 6:45:47
In reply to Re: I'm extremely unsuccessful in life » Deneb, posted by SLS on July 19, 2009, at 6:38:54
I almost forgot to mention that you would feel like a loser no matter what you did or did not do, as this phenomenon is part of your mental illness. It might be that CBT would be a way to change the negative messages that are being produced by the illness into positive messages. I have seen it work.
- Scott
> > I haven't accomplished anything in life.
>
> I guess that depends on what your definition of success is. First things first. If you were to work with your mental challenges and make progress, that is indeed a true achievement, and can be viewed as success. It takes an enormous amount of work to bring you to a place where you are functioning well enough to formulate and pursue other goals.
>
> > I don't have my degree yet, I don't know how to be in relationships, I have no close friends, I don't have a career, I can't drive, I don't have a house, I live with my parents who let me live rent free and I feel like a teenager.
> >
> > I'm very socially delayed and I'm getting old. I wish I wouldn't grow older. People expect me to be an adult, but I don't feel like one.
>
> These things may be true. There are many people, including me, who were significantly delayed in self-discovery and maturation such that I was most able to accomplish some of the things you mentioned. Others things I have not YET accomplished because my depression has been an impediment to functioning well enough. However, I still consider myself a success. I have come a long way in battling my mental challenges, challenges that I know most of my peers in high school could never handle as well as I have.
>
> > I'm such a loser.
>
> You FEEL like a loser.
>
> That's because you are comparing yourself to others and defining success as being able to follow the scripts of other people's lives. Be the author of your own unique script. I guess that will demand some creativity on your part and acceptance of the challenges that you must work with. You are not totally stuck. I see a curious and willing mind. You succeed at learning more about yourself. This is a major step towards health.
>
> The measure of achievement lies not in how high the mountain, but in how hard the climb.
>
> The measure of success lies only in how far one feels he must climb to get there.
>
>
> - Scott
poster:SLS
thread:907424
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20090714/msgs/907464.html