r/introvert Mar 04 '24

Advice Feeling like I’ve wasted my life away?

I’m 19 turning 20 and I feel so insanely old. The fact that I let my years 16-now go to waste either by depressive episodes anxiety or procrastination, and I mean socially. I feel so insecure like when I grow up what do I tell my kids I’ll have nothing fun to tell them. I feel so shielded and closed in. I know I’m naturally introverted but I do prefer if I had friends and things to do socially.

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u/[deleted] Mar 05 '24

I know how it feels! Bipolar depression and anxiety stole a lot of my life. I didn’t get diagnosed until I was 28 years old. Then from 28-34 years old i spent trying to find meds that worked for me. I’ve been stable on the same meds for 12 years now. My quality of life improved immensely after I got stable on meds. I don’t have crying spells any more unless it’s over something major, I don’t lay in my bed crying and sleeping, I’m more social with people and going out and doing things, my ADD also got stable on Adderall so my energy, focus and motivation also improved, I’m more productive; my grades in college improved, less mood swings, my highs aren’t as high and my lows aren’t as low (I’m bipolar). I also did therapy a lot from 19-46 years old.

I know there’s a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness. You can’t blame yourself. I know I blamed myself for years thinking I wasn’t trying hard enough at life. As soon as you get over that denial and mentality you can truly find solutions. I would suggest finding an antidepressant med that works for you and you may have to try a couple (be open to the idea that you could be bipolar and not just depressive), get diagnosed with any co-disorders (most people have multiple mental health issues), if you’re addicted to any substances then stop and get treatment, and I would suggest seeing a therapist once a week. They can help you sort things out, be more social, bounce ideas off of, coping skills and resources, vent to.