Why is life so meaningless?

You seem to take a lot for granted…

You sound incredibly depressed. Are you seeing a counselor, or taking any meds? If not, I strongly urge you to look into it. Life can be so much better than that! Believe me, I speak from long experience. Take care.

I’d recommend looking into why you’re so depressed more than anything. I felt like that once, but with lots of work and an active attempt to find the good in life it got better.

its not meaning less if you do something with it. get a good education, good job, hobbies that you enjoy and stop being so down and depressed and fix your life, that is the root cause of your unnecessary sadness

Life is not meaningless, and it is not boring. If you are feeling that way, you may well have depression. Please talk to your doctor as a starting point.

You deserve the joy and content that life offers.

Because you are depressed.

Your life can certainly have meaning. But the thing is, you can’t depend on other people or other things to make you happy, you’re the only one who can truly make yourself happy. I think we’ve all felt that life was meaningless or felt useless at one point or another. As the others suggested, maybe you need to seek professional help, there’s absolutely no shame doing that.

I am particularly disturbed by your tags, including ‘death’.
Please speak to your doctor. Things aren’t always bleak.

Life is what YOU make of it. You need to make things happen for yourself, and you will see it’s not meaningless. If you do make things happen for yourself, and you still feel this way, I agree with the others, you are probably depressed and need to see a counselor or therapist.

@sebulba
You’ve found Fluther. Now you won’t feel depressed but just like you’ve entered the Twilight Zone….but seriously talk to a professional if you’re feeling desperate. And know that people do care. And if you just want to talk, there are many of us who will be more than happy to talk privately. Just click on an avatar.

@sebulba23 Not to dump your own question back in your lap, but why do you think life is meaningless? You really didn’t give us much to go on. You seem to be reaching out, but we can’t help much if we don’t know what topic we are helping with. Can you give us some more details??

Welcome to fluther. We have some great people here who will do what they can to help. But you need to help us help you, ok?

sebulba23, you can pull through this just fine. :) it really sucks to be down and it does take a bit of work to pull out of it but in the end, it’s worth it.

recently, i’ve come to understand life simply as: EVERYTHING YOU REMEMBER! so, when you say “life is boring” you’re really saying: “what i CURRENTLY remember and know about life bores me.” So, the solution is obvious:

YOU NEED TO CREATE NEW POSITIVE MEMORIES
really, you need new, fond memories. your current ones ARE BORING YOU TO TEARS. life IS boring as long as your memories are boring. consider this post.

GAIN AND MAINTAIN FRIENDSHIPS
Another thing that many neglect is the need to find and maintain good friends. PLURAL. We are social animals! We NEED people to feel complete. Some FEW people don’t need others, but they are not the majority and if YOU are unhappy and without a close circle of friends, then you need to do whatever it takes to change that. Meaning, identify your social issues and then learn how to overcome them. ask if you need tips on that!

about your boring memories
You can’t do too much about the boring memories you already have. you just have to admit that they are insufficient at the moment and acknowledge that new, better ones are desperately needed!! They aren’t useless to you though so don’t forget them.. i mean it would suck to have to learn English all over again… ha.. but it is unreasonable to expect happiness and meaning to suddenly come to you while all you’ve got are those memories to work with. Later on you will learn how to think about your boring memories in a new light that makes them less boring but for now consider them a lost cause and don’t rely on them for your happiness.

IN CONCLUSION
Make new memories!!
Make new memories!!
Make new memories!!

make many. not just a few. and make them damn good!
Memory Suggestion #1: Paint your living space. pick amazing colors, don’t “not care what color the walls are” figure out a great color for your walls and get the paint job done on your next pay check as a priority. The memory of having painted your walls in the past will alter your experience of reality in the present (because your walls will now floor you every time you walk in the door!)

@ninjacolin Wow, I wish I could give you a lot more lurve for that.My answer seems so ignorant and obnoxious compared to yours.

Life is only meaningless because you’ve decided it is.

Give volunteer work a try. You might be able to bring meaning to your life by helping other people. It certainly wouldn’t hurt. Put some time in at the local soup kitchen or work for the Park Service. At the very least, you’ll spend less time sitting around contemplating the lack of meaning in your life.

Try a hobby, get together with friends, travel, there’s so many options!! Find what you would like to do write it down on paper, it clears and organizes your thoughts. Sorry if it dosent help I tryed!

@sebulba23 I hope you will at least return to this thread. Many people took the time to try and help you. They took you seriously, but a post and run will begin to look like the little boy who cried wolf. If you need real help, please reply soon.

@sebulba23 Life is meaningless because we have all made it that way, but you can blame technology for ALL of it. You should go kill Bill Gates and Al Gore. Oh wait… I forgot… there’s no point.

You’re the only one that has problems/issues. How’s it feel to be unique and special?

To the people who see, to think depression can be cured by hobbies, friends, education or employment…. look up Depression. For real.

It shows a lack of understanding and thought. Depression often limits a person abilities to do even the most basic task to function, even mild depression.

You wouldn’t try to cure lupus with a toy train set. Why would you treat another medical condition the same way?

@Sakata kinda harsh, weren’t you? I thought we were here to help.

@chyna *shrug

as for @asmonet‘s comment:

absolutely go see a doctor

as soon as you start talking “clinical depression” you’re immediately talking pills and drugs. i’m not entirely opposed to that. i think they can give you a good kick in the ass so that you have a bit of motivation to work with and that’s great. but PILLS aren’t the solution to depression. Having an enjoyable life is the solution to depression.

but it’s hard to have that while working at a job that you hate. you can’t have that while your spouse is abusing you. you can’t have that while your diet is lacking all the nutrients that your body needs to do it’s thang… you can’t enjoy life unless life is enjoyable. And pills alone can’t give you a better life. In fact, a problem with many (not all) pills is that they F up your sleep leading to more unpleasant memories of being cranked awake all the time and lacking sleep..

But ABSOLUTELY go see a doctor and see what they might suggest but ask questions and know what’s going on. Ask for something to help keep you stimulated when you want to be stimulated but sleeping like a baby when you need to be well rested. Tell her/him about the advice you got online even. S/he needs to know what’s going on in your life for a better diagnosis. Set up an appointment today, but don’t wait for it. Start this sh*t now:

Form new habits of positive behavior to quash your habits of negative behavior
Dedicate yourself to redesigning your life and creating a new pool of memories to draw from during your up times but be sure to get all the rest you need during your down times. The goal is not to get ”the right prescription” the goal is to create the kinds of memories you really want to have. Decide: If you happen to be alive, would you rather be enjoying it or hating it? If you would rather be enjoying it, then give up on negativity, give up on not caring, give up on living your life the way you have been because clearly it hasn’t been working to your advantage. Be consistent with this for a few weeks until it becomes your new habit because your current ones are depressing. We are creatures of habit.. whatever we do we get good at. Including thinking negatively, including thinking positively. ANYTHING we practice we will eventually get better at doing.. Including being depressed, including being happy.

/rant

the painted walls thing is huge, by the way.
that and having good food at your disposal.

Wow ninjacolin, great answer.

@Sakata Technology isn’t the cause… technology is the reason you are sitting there complaining to people all around the world instantly. Put yourself back 100 years and you would have only been able to complain about the horrible world to your co-workers at the local textile factory where you are paid $0.02 a day and will probably die in your 30’s.

Go back further still.. say 1000 years. You would probably be begging for money in the same clothes you grew up in, on the mud filled streets of a little village. Or out in the field of a local land owner that you were born to work for – essentially a slave, no hope or dream of ever leaving. You can’t read, can’t write, and you get to eat boiled bone soup every morning for breakfast. And probably die in your late 20’s.

100,000 years. You are wearing some loose fitting skins from a deer-like animal freezing your ass off because your flint stone fell out of your satchel as you ran for your life from a pack of wolves. So you eat some ants and slugs you find on a nearby tree. Your hair is 3 feet long and full of 15 years of dirt. One day you trip down a hill while hunting and break your ankle… you lie there and starve to death and have your eyes plucked out by a bird while small rodents eat the rest of your carrion.

We have it pretty good today because of technology like: shovels, axes, wagons, spears, flints, soap, books, furnaces, power-plants, electrical grids, ships, aeroplanes, engines, canoes, paddles, houses, frying pans, breweries, textiles, shoes, lingerie… this list is damn long!

Actually, pills alone can be a wondrous help.
You’re thinking of depression with external causes only.

Some things are just hormonal, chemical, whatevs. As for the sleeping, that’s something you can eliminate usually by finding the right medication for your body.

you can get through this, im willing to listen, nice name by the way, there is away to get out the depression black hole,we can all help you

@asmonet You are right. that is if in fact the asker is depressed. At this point, all we can do is guess. We can’t and shouldn’t do a ‘sidewalk diagnosis’ over 29 words. this may be a temporary thing and not clinical depression. But unless the asker posts again, we may never know. It’s been 3 hours now, and still nothing.

@scamp: I agree, but even if it is temporary, pills in my opinion are the way to go. It depends on your ability to cope over time. I coped, for years, then decided…I was sick of just handling it and wanted something better.

With my financial situation, multiple family members health and my own to deal with…Celexa is pretty much a fucking miracle in 10mg. Stress caused depression, not anything I did. Every outside factor is currently trying to kick me in the ass. So, temporary or not, I still think if you’re depressed enough to say life is meaningless, and have death as a tag it should be an your first method of intervention on your own behalf.

Unless, the OP is just looking for a pity party.

We have to be very careful when advising someone to take medication tho. Celexa is a wonderful thing, but it takes up to a month to get the full effect. It is also for clinical depression, not just a temporary “bout of the blues.”

I just really wish we could hear more from the asker so we would know more what type of help to offer.

Again, I agree. I am only pointing out that I firmly believe medication is an excellent option. One that a few years ago I would have judged contemptuously as being ‘beneath me’. I also wish they’d chip in to the discussion. And it looks like they’re doing so now…or at least crafting a response.

@asmonet “Some things are just hormonal, chemical, whatevs”

i agree. but a lot of doctors won’t think twice. they’ll usually whip out the prescription pad and have you on a program without suggesting ANY life changing options.

I strongly advise speaking to a Psychologist before speaking to a Psychiatrist. Let the Psychologist know that you would appreciate a recommendation for a psychiatrist if ever he thinks it could help.

“pills are the way to go”?!?! the human animal is NOT designed to take pills. They are NOT “the way to go” but they are a viable “last ditch effort.” You sound as if you’re merely taking the easy way out thanks to your luck with money rather than fixing your life itself. you’re a human. you’re expected to think your way through life’s problems not pop a pill for them.

(don’t take this too offensively, please. i really only mean you well)

I am soooo embarrassed. All of your answers were very well thought out and definitely helpful. The thing is, I am not depressed. I was sitting with my friends, and we couldn’t find anything to do. So I played around on the internet, and one friend suggested fluther. I was led to believe this was that new service for cell phones, where you send in a question and receive and automated reply. I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is true. I feel so bad that I have potentially wasted all of your time. I didn’t know until after I sent this that it was a service similar to yahoo ask, and the registration was so quick, I didn’t even think about it. I do think these answers are helpful though for people who may be depressed, so still useful. I am sorry if I wasted anyone’s time.

@ninjacolin: Why are you directing that at scamp?

@asmonet I see that! I agree about Celexa BTW. it’s great stuff. much better than Paxil.. what a nightmare that was!!

@sebulba23 Thanks so much for explaining! don’t be embarrassed at all. We have all had our bored to death moments, ha ha!! I’m just glad you are ok. Now that you see how caring we are here, stick around and get to know us better. You’ll be addicted in no time!!

@asmonet.. because i’m an idiot, why?
lol, i edited it.

@sebulba23: It’s cool, we’re way better than Yahoo Answers. More than you can imagine. We try to be a respectful, understanding and compassionate community. Please, look around, get a feel for the site, you might end up really digging us. :)

I’m sure none of us are angry, occasionally we get people who like to use this site as a way to test people and push buttons, it looks like that wasn’t your intention and anyone who might have been offended by that behavior surely isn’t after that apology. :)

@ninjacolin: You said it.

Thank you, I am glad you understand. And yes, so far this is much cooler than yahoo ask.

@ninjacolin: We have differing opinions on this clearly.
Medications are created, tested thoroughly and given to help ease or cure physical and mental ailments. The human body has the capacity to absorb and benefit from chemicals, natural or synthetic. In my opinion the human body is designed for it. Within reason. I am not suggesting we all run out and munch on drugs for funsies.

Think.

@sebulba23 yes, we understand, and in time we will all probably have a pretty good laugh over this. Fluther to save the day… ha ha!! Enjoy the site!

Don’t you love it when new kids learn from their mistakes graciously? Such a breath gust of fresh air.

well, you’re wrong, asmonet. pills are extra crap your body isn’t really expecting to have to deal with. quick fixes aren’t the “best” way and often are not necessary. Just look at sebulba. He came on here by mistake and the next thing you know dude’s going to be all drugged up cause of you. i hope you feel terrible!

I don’t know what I think about the drugs personally. I know people that have gone through hard times, and they seem to have helped. Is it more mental? I really don’t know, but I know that they, like anything else, are abused.

And I hope you don’t procreate.

Isn’t it lovely when we’re all rude to one another?

oh that’s it. I’m having babies right the f*ck now!

At least there is balance in the force, one kid who apologizes and acts like an adult and another who throws a tantrum. Yay!

And as of now, I will cease feeding the trollbaby.

oh i’m harmless. :)

I dunno…

@sebulba23
Grrrrrr..
http://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html

^ age old wisdom, sebulba, pay attention!

The boy who cried wolf, I know… I feel so stupid, honestly, I don’t know how I didn’t know this wasn’t real people. I thought it was as mindless as a google search.

lol, it’s cool. have fun.

@sebulba23: You know better now, chin up. :)

That’s a nice version of the story at least. It’s not like the boy was eaten, or anything cruel like the grimm versions.

@sebulba23
Ask us a real question.. We get cranky unless we’re feverishly typing. :)

^He speaks the truth.

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see what?

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Not sure about the above answers from seventh sense and tinyfaery. Want to add two cents about depression.
Meds are VERY helpful as is talk therapy.

Whatever

Yeah, tinyfaery, that was a bit weird. o.0

@tinyfaery. Your response is coming across as a strange combo of letters and numbers.

Was that too cryptic? LOL
Sometimes it’s a rythm and not a meaning. Look at asmonet and previous answer for clue.

@cdwccrn
No she akready fessed that it was a hoax. She’s not depressed or anything. She was just chillin’ with her girfriend and got bored of making crank phone calls.

oh the hilarity!

This has been one of those days where I feel like a jerk haha. It started with this, and then later, I ended up honking at someone on the road and yelling at them cause I thought they were going to hit me, only to find it was my fault. I think… I need to pay more attention to things, especially lately. Here’s a question: How many of you have just completely come off as an asshole with absolutely no realization or intention of it, and on what occasion?

Ask that! On the main page!
:)

Sounds like fun story time, we love that on fluther. See?

Okay, I posted that on the main page.

Find someone less fortunate than you and make their life a little better.

PHHHT!!! Life is not meaningless. If you are bored, it is your own fault! Go out and do something interesting!

You know, when I eat breakfast, I generally stay away from Life. It’s exactly for the reason you suggest. There really is no meaning to Life. Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran, Special K, even granola. Now those are cereals with meaning! Also, Life doesn’t taste very good. Kind of like a bland version of Chex. Especially now that Chex has fifteen varieties! Now that’s meaning! Life only has three varieties! How boring is that??? Life is so meaningless there oughtta be a law!

Still, what I don’t understand is how you can be bored without a point? Every borer I know has a point, or else how can it dig into things? What kind of borer is digging into you? Like an Mikita drill? Ouch! Those things can be painful. I wish you could find something else to do. I mean, everyone likes to jab a good needle or glass sliver into themselves from time to time. The blood is so pretty. But seriously, a drill? You could do yourself some damage with that. So I’d get bored in some other way, if I were you. Seriously!

@daloon – You will find a more meaningful Life here!

@forestGeek: hmmm. That would have had interesting possibilities, too. ;-)

. o O ( Do the game pieces stay crunchy, even in milk? )

@Grisson…Yes they do:(

“To live consciously and courageously, to resonate with love and compassion, to awaken the great spirits within others, and to leave this world in peace.”