What am I going to do?

I do not know what to do. I am a 22 year old male and I have not the slightest idea what to do with my life right now. College or Job are the options. I do not want to do either because I feel there is no point in either since I really do not know what it is that I would like to be doing or learning. That is my main problem. However there are many factors that produce this problem. Such as how I was brought up and my past experiences such as high school, jobs and the relationships I have had with family and people and I grew up with. I am currently on Paxil, 20mg, although I take two 20mg pills as per my choice resulting in a 40mg dose, I don't have a good explanation as to why I do this, but I assume I think it is helpful. Funny enough, I have missed two days worth of doses and should soon be feeling nauceous and quite sick and unable to focus at all soon if I don't get more of this chemical back into my body soon, luckily I was able to bring myself to call my psychiatrist's office today to have the secretary tell the doctor to call a new prescription refill into the rite-aid the pharmacy. hopefully she remembered to do this and i will be able to pick it up tommorrow since i have already not been able to bring myself to do it tonight when she said it would be called in by. oh the difficulty in my head. so talk about goals huh, being able to pick up your prescription as a goal for the day. wow, some human being i am. there is more to this story, but if anyone has a response to this they feel is worth sharing with me, by all means go ahead. thank you for reading and this is just a taste of my struggle.

Hello, and Welcome to the forum! I think Ian gave you some really good words of encouragement. I'm glad that you took the initiative to call your Dr. about your meds - good for you. Keep talking to us, OK? You don't have to struggle all alone. Warmest regards. Peanut

<font color=blue>HI FROM PEANUT </font color=blue>

Hi sordid,

I just wanted to address your comment, "......I feel there is no point in either.........."

You said that you don't believe there is a point in going to college because you have no idea what it is you want to do with the rest of your life????? What better place to get ideas?

When I had declared a major (thought that was what I wanted anyway!) everything else seemed interesting to me sometimes. I was majoring in psychology, but often felt bombarded with more interesting, exciting choices: being a journalist looked intriguing, or a freelance photographer, or a graphic artist!!!! Then I continued in a related area which provides various oportunities (though I don't mind telling you now, wish I had gone in the writing direction!)

My point is, that at my "advanced" age (38!) I wish I could give you a swift kick you know where, right through this computer screen! Have you taken any classes yet? If you can, maybe start with only a couple, while you work part- time. I loved all 6 years of my college career.......would've been one of those professional students if I could have! Just let yourself go and take it all in. Before long you'll probably be wrestling with the problem of too MANY interests as opposed to not enough! You are lucky to be at this stage of your life, make the most of it.

Pebs

<font color=purple> The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated--Gandhi

Sometimes I lie awake at night in bed and I ask, "Is it all worth it?" And then a voice says, "Who are you talking to?" And another voice says, "You mean, ' To whom are you talking?'" And I say, "No wonder I lie awake at night."--Charlie Brown </font color=purple>

sordidmesh,

Welcome to the forums! I'm glad you're here. If you decide to persue a college degree (and it can open a lot of doors to a better job), many colleges will allow you to sit in on classes as an observer. This will allow you to get a feel for what the course is all about and how the teacher/instructor runs his/her course. I went back to college at age 38, and had three courses I liked. I sat in on all of them, and by doing so, I was able to decide on Design Drafting. I liked the creative side of the field. The money isn't bad either .

Of course you have to do what you feel is best for you. I hope you'll continue to come here and let us support you. There's really some great people here. I hope you're able to get your meds straightened out soon, I know what a pain in the backside that can be. Remember, you are a worthwhile human being, you'll get to where you're going. We'll do our best to help you.

I'm hoping it works out for you.

bp

I will sail my vessel,
Til the river runs dry,
Like a bird upon the wind,
These waters are my sky,
I'll never reach my destination,
If I never try,
So I will sail my vessel,
Til the river runs dry.

Hi Sordid...........welcome to our group. Alot of us are on meds right now, I'm on Prozac 40mg but going to change that next week, and struggling. Yes, you will start to have withdrawal and it can be horrible, so I'm glad you contacted your doctor.

Feel free to vent and struggle with the rest of us................just know that you aren't alone.

Mary Alice

Hello,

Thank you for replying to my post...Yes a few days later now since I posted that and I thought I'd post an update about myself....Still no job, still no schooling...unemployment has finally run out...Sept. 20th was the one year anniversary of me not having a job...my car insurance will be cancelled on the 29th because I won't be able to pay them by then...my car payment will be two months late as of october 1....macys, sears, nj turnpike (tolls), t-mobile, sallie mae and i'm sure there a couple others are all asking me for money (bills)....my only option is to get a job....some more background on me.....i have worked several jobs since i was 16.....as a junior in high school i helped design and promote website for a very small ..i mean very small.. 5 employee company that was in my town......it might sound nice, but it was very boring and i probably was not paid right...i mean minimun wage for that type of work...but hey i was 16 and it was an intro in to the work world for me, so i appreciate it for what it was and the experience i got from it....and they lost out in the end since i just never came back from christmas vacation after being there for a year and a half....so after my senior year in high school was over my mother gave me an altimatem (spelling) either go to this computer school or go live with your father...i wasn't comfortable enough to go live with my father so i choice the computer school...kind of forced to do it....so while their for the 7 month program, it was basically like being in adult highschool...i liked it better than being in highschool though because most of the people were older, a lot older than me so the anxiety level was kept to a minimun but of course not totally gone....back to how it was being in the computer school...my feeling is that i didnt try hard while their since i was forced to go and was not sure why i was really there. i mean, computers interest me and yeah maybe i could understand what was being taught, but i just did not have the will power to do really well there...however i did get my diploma there and ended with about a c+ average, yay....going there hasn't been worth anything to me to this day, 3 years later.....(mind you there are a host of other social and emotional problems i am having all through out my high school and post high school to present day, but the degree of these problems vary and lighten as time and events take place) after the computer schooling was over, i was happy and could just go back to doing nothing and waiting..from then to now i had two other jobs, the last of which really left me with a very bad taste in my mouth for people in the work place and how low they can be......so where am i at now? well i told you in the beginning.. no job and basically no money. we just moved into this new house about a month in a half ago....we relocated to south jersey from north jersey, so i know NO one down here and my days are very boring and uneventful...i do like it that i can go to beach often since its so close to my house and things like that...i keep myself busy by keeping up on current events like politics and things going on in the world, i have interests in those things....but right now that means nothing since i dont have any idea what i am going to do other than "get a job" of some sort..i am thinking of either home depot or lowes right now...but an evening shift...look at me thinking i can even get in at those places, maybe they are not even hiring, why would they want me...how would i know...this sucks

oh and btw, my name is Matt...you guys (and girls) don't have to keep callling me sordidmesh..it's just a stupid self deprecating user name i thought up.

Hi Matt and welcome - this is a great group of people here and hopefuuly you will find something of value to assist you in your journey.

You know, I can understand completely what you mean by not knowing what you want to do. There are so many dog-gone choices and just what do you want to do for the rest of your life and just how does one go about that??? AGHHHH!

All that is just so depressing, isn't it? But - it is something you are going to have to do. I mean - the time comes and you just got to get off that fence.

As great as college is, it isn't for everyone. It doesn't have anything to do with one's intelligence, but rather, their interestd and their ability for tolerance. Voactional schools can be just as great for someone who would rather work with their hands, and hey, there's good money to be made out there - depending on the job.

And as great as it would be to just sit around and do whatever we want to - life just isn't that way because sooner of later the money is going to run out.

So if college isn't your thing - no biggie, but, you should consider a vocational school for a trade. And here's something else (a tool to help you decide) - do you want to work a job so you can earn money, or do you want a job (career) that will allow you to do things you enjoy? There is a really big difference you know!

For example - if it's just about getting some money to get this or that - heck, just about any job, even part-time can do that, but what just any job can't do, is to allow you to work 4 days a week and take 3 day weekends, go sky diving, whenever, or golf, or just whatever you want to do.

And it is very important that you either get a degree in a college, or a skill in a vocational school. At present, there are so many people - more people than jobs, so unless you're able and planing on creating a job that will allow you to make big money (or on wining the lottery - but don't hold your breathe here because you're actually more likly to get hit by lightening first) - you have to have something that says,"I'm qualified! - HIRE ME".

I don't know where you live - but I know people with college degrees working in fast food restaurants - so if you don't have something that shows you're educated or qualified - you're out of luck.

Somthing else:
- Does where you live or want to live have anything to do with what you want to do?
- Perhaps you could look through the yellow pages of the local (or not so local) telephone book and see whats hot and whats not.
and,
- Take a day or two, and drive around your community or town, and write down the different businesses, how many there are of this and that - which bussiesses prosper and which don't, and look for reasons why ( but only in the fields that interest you)

I know if I were hiring and I had a choice between 2 people:
one had a college degree and the other had a high school diploma - I'd be hiring the one with the college degree.

But I think that by your coming here - you've taken a very important first step. Now, it's time for you to take another ...

Best of luck to you, But whatever step you take, college or vocational - it will be a step in the right direction.

Your friend Sam

Thank you for your reply.

Another update on me. I have a job interview tommorrow at Lowes, the home improvement store. I am happy about this and looking foward to it...I'll keep you posted.

Matt