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Ask HN: Why keep living?

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Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#41

Post by jurassic »

I won't diminish your feelings by claiming this is a total solution, but getting regular exercise has really helped me come back from the place of despair I was in a few months ago. You don't need to be fit; I definitely wasn't. Something as simple as walking for an hour or two a day is free and has huge benefits; it'll get you up and outside of your normal environment, shake up your routine/rut, improve your sleep and hopefully help get you some of those feel-good chemicals pumping again. Any weight loss or fitness gains are a nice self-esteem boosting cherry on top.

I enjoy listening to audiobooks and podcasts while I'm out doing my daily 6 miles. Is there a book you really like, or one you've been really wanting to read? Get the audiobook and commit to a walking experiment for the 10-20 hours it takes to listen through that one book.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#42

Post by swombat »

Most of what was worth saying has been said already, so I'll just add a simple stone to the growing pile of rocks/comments that symbolise the fact that we care and want you to get better. This strange state of mind you're in will pass, one way or another. There are people around the world who, without even knowing you personally, empathise deeply and genuinely care about your continued existence.

You're not alone, though it may feel like that some time.

Every day that you continue to exist is a victory for all of us.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#43

Post by yetanother123 »

Feeling anxious and depressed for no discernible reason is the definition of clinical depression/anxiety. Please understand that, just as if you had a foot cut off and was bleeding profusely, you are acutely sick. Hence you need professional help. Nothing shameful about that, just like there's no shame in asking for a doctor to put your broken leg back together.

You would be surprised how common this is, even among "successful" valley founders.

Good luck. Get help today.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#44

Post by everyone »

Seeing as your posting here I'll assume you are of a logical bent.

One of the only certainties in life is that you will ultimately die. So why hasten it? You may as well just continue existing, you'll definitely die eventually.

Lets consider our lives like a video game, the score you get at the end is the sum total of all the happiness and joy you've experienced in your life.

Even if nothing good happens in all the decades of the rest of your natural life, that time would still not affect your score, neither a net loss or a net gain.

Also, this is an incredibly unlikely scenario. Moments of joy an happiness do have a tendency to happen to humans over time, so if you try to live as long as possible your almost certain to increase your score.

I know at times it may seem like you will never again experience joy, but you can refute this by finding examples of times when you felt like you would never again experience joy, and then subsequently did experience some joy. Even in your short post there is one example.. "I went through a very long period of my life where I was horrendously depressed" followed by.. "I finally got over it last year when I started doing small kind gestures for the people I care about."

Also in the meantime, you could occupy yourself by achieving and adhering to a strict daily regimen: have a normal sleeping pattern, get 20 minutes of vigorous exercise each day, eat healthily.

It would be a probabilistic miracle for you to not have some amazing moments ahead of you.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#46

Post by vishaldpatel »

Why keep living? Because it sure beats not-living. You'll have plenty of time to not live after you're not alive anymore. You might as well try out living while you're still alive.

Anxiety sucks. Personally, I tend to feel more anxious when I haven't been taking care of the basics - eating right, getting regular exercise, working on the things I told myself I'd work on, etc.. getting plenty of sleep etc.

The heart can be a fragile thing. You have to keep reminding it that everything will be alright.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#47

Post by [deleted] »

AYBABTME wrote: post #33
corin_ wrote: post #28

Dear OP, your second user account (an_tye_h3ro) is getting auto-killed, which you won't notice while logged in, so only people with showdead enabled can see comments from that account. I've sent an email to HN about it but they're probably fast asleep right now. Maybe see if you can post on the original throwaway again? Additionally, there's a dead comment from streetwiseherc you might want to read which will show up…

Just to clarify so OP doesn't think their being targeted on purpose: new accounts over Tor are prone to automatic bans.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#49

Post by DanBC »

Suicidal thinking is always something you need to see a good doctor for. A woman finding a small hard lump in the breast or a man finding a small hard lump on a testicle would see a doctor right away. I know you say you can't afford it but you need to talk to a doctor before you say you can't afford it.

Anxiety and depression respond well to cognitive behaviour therapy. Ideally this is done with an experienced qualified registered therapist but it's possible to do it yourself by book or website.

"Mind over Mood" is a good, recommended, book. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0898621283/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=...

A websearch for the English "books on prescription" scheme will return curated lists of good books.

"Mood Gym" is a recommended website. https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

But it is most important that you see a doctor.

Re: Ask HN: Why keep living?

#50

Post by ansible »

Maybe you can look at life this way.

The universe is billions of years old. And it will exist for billions of years more. A long, long time.

And we each exist for a very brief span of time in comparison. Less than an eyeblink, relative to that.

You have a rare opportunity to live, see, and experience all kinds of things.

The universe will go on long after us. So there is plenty of time to be dead... later. Plenty of time. No need to rush that.

Live now.

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