What are your reasons for living?

[Sundog08]

When I feel so hopeless about life and the future I look for reasons to keep living. Can someone share what their reasons for living are? Intrusive thoughts haunt me day after day and I am struggling to find the positive parts of life.

[Rafiki11]

I live to help other people (and animals!). I want to improve the lives of others.

[lillyofthevalley37]

I think of how things could be a lot worse , and what I am grateful for, I think this life isn't forever and while we are here we should do our best , I also recently thought that are our words and actions last forever , suicide should never be an option , we should die when God decides it's our time, life is a struggle and there is suffering but I trust God 100%

[thara9643]

languages

[Hidden]

Let’s dive in. What are one or two of the intrusive thoughts you speak of, and how do those thoughts make you feel? Also, for each of these thoughts, would you call the thought a “fact,” an “idea,” or an “opinion?”

[Sundog08 in reply to Hidden]

The thoughts are ones I don’t think I can post here. Feelings are empty and guilt. I call them facts, ideas and opinions.

[Misfit23]

My main reason when I was at my worst was, how my mother would handle it. I'm a bit of a Mama's girl. Then my grandparents losing their granddaughter. Also my pets. They usually get me at the door and sleep with me. Would they think they did something wrong that I disappeared.

[mrmonk]

Some of my reasons for living are the poems I've yet to read, hear, and write; the relationships I have or may yet have; my cat.

And speaking of poems, here's one by Roger McGough that may add some perspective:

*

Stink

by Roger McGough

*

Sometimes I don't smell so good.

It's not that I don't care about

personal hygiene. I do. It's just that

sometimes the body catches up on me.

Like when I'm out all day and

refuse to pay for a wash and

brush up at the local municipal

on lack of principal. And hiding

away in some unfamiliar unkempt

saloon I console myself

there's no such thing as bad breath.

All breath is good. And sweat

means the body functions as it

should. I drink my bitter.

Put a pork pie to the knife.

Far sweeter than the stink of

death, is the stink of life.

[Halak41]

The only reason I haven't done anything yet is because of my cat and dog... especially my dog. There have been times where I've come home from work crying and on the brink of giving up, and he nuzzles his head against me, trying to comfort me. I can't do that to him. Same with my cat. She spends a lot of time sleeping on my lap, I spoil her. I can't do that to them.

[Hidden]

Hi Sundog08, my reason for living is that I’m already here & that’s good enough. If there’s a bigger reason than that, it may or may not work itself out on its own over the long haul. I can only handle getting through one day at a time, if that. That’s what works for me, but I’m far from having it all figured out. Welcome to our group.

[marsdream]

Life is hard. Pandemic just life in general. I look to God for my hope. That may sound cliche but I don't have hope without His word and my relationship with Him in my life. Jesus called himself the good Shepard. He loving cares for us. So I look to God to walk with me through my trials. Cry out to God and ask Him to take away those intrusive thoughts. I will pray for you. Father in Jesus name, we ask for Sundog08 to find hope in you. I just ask that you draw in Sundog08 to your loving arms and show that you are there for them. In Jesus name amen.

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to marsdream]

Amen

[Kainan]

That's a really good question. For me, if I were to get to the root of it, I was given a second chance, and perhaps I still have something left to prove. I wasn't supposed to make it after I was born, so I see it as can I prove to myself that my life was worth living. And it would be like a slap in the face to anyone who’s made my life possible if I did anything like that

[HisDaughter]

Dear Sundog08, I am very sorry about how you feel and what you go through! There have been times in my life when I didn't feel I had good reasons to live. Because of depression, I have experienced intense emotional pain and hopelessness. I usually go to God during my most painful moments. I hope that you find yourself a therapist who listens to you, if you already haven't done so. Counseling or therapy can help a lot. Some of us shouldn't live life without getting professional help. When we experience so much hopelessness it is very hard to find joy in anything and we also get some distorted thoughts about life and our existence. Please take care of yourself! Your life matters. One reason for living is God. God put you here on Earth and He made you special and valuable. God wants a relationship with you and He loves you. Please take care of yourself and help yourself!