What was the lowest point of your life, and did you recover from it?

The lowest point of my life was being born...and I still haven't recovered from it.

I find it interesting that some posters mention how much easier their low points have been than others'. While I do not disagree that some people have fewer/easier trials, over time I have come to believe that for the majority of us our trials, while different in substance, in many ways are similar in magnitude.

My low point started during a bad marriage which eventually ended in divorce during a time when my running was limited due to some health problems. At the time I fantasized getting hit by a car because I felt so down due to depression and anxiety, and the fear that I would lose my three children (I know, it doesn't make any sense). At the same time I struggled to care for my children while still attending school and struggled to make ends meet financially.

As I worked through these trials I learned of a family from church whose young son was diagnosed with cancer. They had to perform many different treatments for an extended period of time, including flying out to New York monthly for special treatments (AFAIK he is currently in remission). They did not have the trials of divorce or financial worries like I did, but I believe that their family was stressed every bit as much as I was through their own trials.

Two years following separating from my ex-wife I again encountered what for me was a serious low point. My ex wanted to get remarried and move out of state, taking the children with her. When this eventually happened I bemoaned my circumstances as I care for my children immensely, and I loathed my ex for taking my children away from me. I again struggled to contain the depression that I had struggled with for the previous few years.

Around this same time period I learned that my sister-in-law's cancer had returned (I had also recently remarried), and in seeing her I could see the the struggle that she was going through as she was unable to walk due to the pain, while both the cancer and chemo ravaged her body. Shortly after this my children returned as their mother separated from her second husband, while my sister-in-law's cancer once again went into remission. Again I saw that while my own trials were difficult for me to bear, the challenges that others around me faced were equally difficult in ways that were completely different from my own.

Less than a year after my children returned, their mother again moved out of state, taking them with her once more. I was previously looking for jobs out of state in an effort to move as well, but could not find employment. Eventually I decided that I needed to move without a job in order to be able to be with my children. Now, a year and a half later I still do not have a job that brings in an income as I never was able to find anything in my field (I am currently working to co-found a start-up company). Depression continues to rear it's ugly head from time to time, and the financial stress from having little or zero income has sometimes felt unbearable. However, through this all I have somehow never had my bank account reach zero and I have started running again and recently ran my first race in over 5 years.

Since moving I have also seen many others experiencing significant trials. I have seen a family member struggle immensely with depression and turn to drugs as an outlet. I have seen a single mother of two disabled children struggle to provide for them while dealing with health concerns that have prevented her from working for a number of years. I have seen a friend struggle with the long time incarceration of her spouse for a crime which he may not have even committed. I have seen many individuals struggle with the poor health and/or death of loved ones.

We all have trials, troubles, disappointments, etc. I am still not completely through my trials, but my faith, family, spouse, and friends have provided an immeasurable support through it all. I have grown in ways that I never could have imagined or anticipated were I to have never experienced the trials that I have gone through. I do believe and I have faith that one day I will come out on the other side of my own trials better off than I would have been had I never experienced adversity.

Good luck, and God bless to all the rest of you who may be struggling.

(warning: wall of words without any rhythm, development or chronological order. TLDR is provided at the end)

Talking about my problems makes me super depressed. But the only way out is talking to a professional [medicines and exercise by themselves won’t do it. I run almost daily (to run everyday is a goal). And tried anti depressants and Lithium, fortunately I’m clean of those shitz now.] So I’m stuck for more than a decade. My story is a story of lost opportunities, depression and social anxiety that governs my actions instead of me governing myself. I won’t talk much further and in details because I don’t want to become super depressed.

I had one single manic episode in my life and I was FEARLESS. Single episode and probably won’t ever happen again and I’m 99% it was marijuana induced (if such thing exists). I feared nothing (including social interactions, in fact not only I didn’t avoided it but I sought it), I was happy, the world was mine, I had total control of my life. And, incredibly, that lasted many weeks. Then... the day finally arrived. The day where I realized this was a fluke, that I was not “cured”, that this was going to end and I will become my older original self. That was many years ago so I don’t care much anymore about those weeks where I was absolutely and completely FREE. I miss being free.

I quit college (top school of my country), had cute girls literally calling me out but I’m stupid shy and let my anxiety govern me, quit a job where I could be millionaire (asset mgmt, btw one girl that called me for a lunch was coworker from there and when I declined her invitation she said “ARE YOU SURE?” and in real time I didn’t realized what she meant, just to prove how emotionally and socially stupid I am), and now I’m an intelligent, good looking 35 yo, virgin, without a degree, without a girl, without a job, without pride/dignity/soul, living off my parents, and without friends because I pushed them away and they’re all today well financially (they’re all intelligent too, just not handsome) and I can’t hang out with them because it requires money that I don’t have.

This last paragraph will be hard to believe and my apologies in advanced if this is too arrogant, but yes I’m handsome, intelligent (and skinny athletic). This is the only place where I can freeely say that, so yeah fuk it, there I said it. AND, in some unexplicable way, I managed to not be able to use that to my advantage. Life gave me only the best cards, and I managed to lose. People with 10% of my hand are doing much much better. This adds to my frustration A LOT.

I tried to kill myself once in the preparatory school for college because of a girl, of emo songs and of my natural tendency to depression that was already strong at the time. Plus, my age was in the teens and there you have it: a recipe for disaster. I told the poor girl about that (suicide attempt) lol. First attempt it was random superficial cuts on the wrist. Second attempt was more objective, I aimed for the artery which apparently pulses on my skinny wrist. This time it was deep (skin and fat layer sliced) but it did not hurt the artery. I will tell you, it’s not easy like you see in the movies. Never came to try again and don’t intend to (luckily, my teens are gone).

Right now the only meaning to my life is my two cats which I really love. I will NEVER abandon them so suicide is not an option anymore. To the girl that had to abandon her dog (one of the first stories), damn that was painful to read. The innocent creature was sleeping and had no idea. Poor dog. Don’t do that again (unless facing same scenario).

The only thing that matters in this world are all animals except *adult* Homo sapiens. Adult men will fuk the vulnerable (literally), instead of protecting. So I’ll finish with this message: Protect the vulnerable. All animals and all kids. They are pure. They are precious.

PROTECT AND CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE. DO NOT RAPE THEM IN THE ASS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN.

one of the running mantras right? just because you can it doesn’t mean you should.

when I re read this before posting, my heart started beating very strongly. I talked much further (but still not in details). So I’m already depressed. I’m stupid. it took some minutes to hit Submit Post buttton.

TLDR

- I have a family that loves me

- I didn’t lost any beloved one

- I don’t have problems with substance abuse

- Life gave me a great hand, only the best cards

- Yet, I still managed to lose. I’m in a low for the last decade with zero expectations (and will) to come out of it

31 years today, I was working two dead end jobs after I flunked out of college. At one of the jobs, I was stabbed by a 13 year old kid, who was showing off a switchblade to his friends. After I choked him in self defense, I joined the US Air Force. I graduated college eventually, even got a Masters of Science and I’ve worked for Aerospace company for over 18 years. I have a wife and two daughters and run up to 60 miles a week with my wife. I survived my lowest point.

I work at a large private financial company and am relatively high up in this company. Around three years ago, over a protracted period of time, I consistently bashed the sh*t out of my sort-of boss to a peer at another firm over an instant messaging type system. Because my [sort of] boss is seen as a god at my firm, I was taken to task, threatened with being fired, fined well into the six figures (closer to seven figures) for violating firm policies, and publicly humiliated to the entire firm over the issue. I have a very long non-compete and could not easily just leave, which was also hung over my head. Forward three years later and I still work at the firm, I still have to see these people every day. I hate them more than ever, but have been slightly more intelligent in how I express it. For their part, my [sort of, but definitely no longer] boss consistently finds ways to make my life difficult as he still holds more power over me than I'd want. At these moments I do have difficulty managing my hatred for this clown and his henchmen, who are complete talentless hacks. The only solace I have is that without my help over the last couple years, his job performance has tanked (but since people literally believe he is a god, it barely matters). I have probably/definitely destroyed any chance of moving further up at my firm, maybe over the very long term it could be repaired, but I never really aspired to that anyway. I am trying to take a lateral path to move completely out of the orbit of my ex-boss and his lackeys, but that has been less successful than I envisioned. I still do very well financially and have taken up a new hobby that helps manage stress related to these issues.

Only running 2:34 at 2018 Boston. Disgrace. Gave a medal to homeless man at parking lot, walked away, then he threw it in my head, saying: I asked for a dollar, moron.

Had severe brain trauma for a month, got fired, since I majorly srewed up at work because of that.

My life exactly, even to the 10 years.

Broken man.

I bought the book Power of Positive Thinking based off a recommendation from someone on here.

I was in a downward spiral of anxiety and depression at the time. (About 5 months ago).

This book has helped me a great deal in changing my outlook / reducing my anxiety.

I do not consider myself religious but there are some recommendations that involve religion. Having said that, none of these seem unreasonable to me.

Give it a try.

Read one chapter then take at least a week to try some of the suggestions in that chapter.

I have only made it through a few chapters but my mental health has improved a good deal and I attribute it in large put to the thinking techniques I learned in this book.

This is interesting because you're basically describing the modern human condition in the 1st world. Everything is possible and either within reach or just out of reach, seemingly insignificant things can keep us from being fulfilled. More than that, we feel entitled to "happiness" and "fulfillment" when these have never been guaranteed. Not something you can just decide not to feel -- it's part of growing up in America and getting your values and desires from what you see in the media and elsewhere. Not your fault. No real solution. Not so different from people struggling with "concrete" problems like addiction, poverty, etc.

I suspect the key is being grateful for and really appreciating what you do have: health, home, relative privilege (everyone has it relative to somebody) no bombs falling on your city, etc... MUCH easier said than done.

I was told I need to speak about her more, but still struggle to say her name aloud when not in private. This is my first time in a year and six months that I've spoken of this and I'm struggling to even write this.

At 28 I found someone that I thought I could be with for the rest of my life. She always wanted to help others so much so that she took her name to heart, "protector of men." She taught me how to not be so self centered and drop my ego. We should care for everyone no matter the cruel things they do, their experiences brought them to that point but we can add variables that will affect and start a seed of changes. I do appreciate that the last thing I got to say in this frequency was I love you, but I still want more and continue to push the limits of this known.

I can barely remember if anything at all the times I spent with her, which is probably due to the inability to cope with what happened. I told her father days before that I want to experience everything in life and well I was given the opportunity to go through something that few do. (Don't take my bit of humor as inconsiderate... I find comic relief in weird places.)

So that was a rollercoaster of emotion for me and took forever to get into written words. Not sure I'm even on topic now that I'm analyzing myself.

Cleveland Institute of Music?