How can I maintain my sanity?

Question

Hi, I am a 17 year old teen who is fed up with chronic depression. Instead of haing a normal life, My thoughts are often preoccupied with death and suicide 24/7. Although my mind is in constant emotional tormoil, I still cling a little hope that things will look up.

I feel the certain need to just be alone and recuperate. I feel that if I could be in peace for at least an hour, my sanity will not be lost. There are some woods about a mile away from my neighborhood and for some reason I feel led to go there.

But that is just my take, I would like to ask what really would be a wiser decision? If I ran away from home without into a secluded forest area how would my mom react to this? Despite our differences I still care about her and her feelings. Thank you.

Answer 1

Do you know why people think about suicide? Because we are an arrogant species. Other animals wouldn't think of such a thing. Know what? Sometimes we get depressed just because of our chemical unbalances. Get some sleep. When you get up, change you routine. Make an effort to make one change a day, whether it be big or small. I think you should find a hobby. Once I was depressed... I went bungee jumping and felt a lot better. If you were to die, you will not find relief. You will no longer feel anything. I would live just to keep my relatives from hurting. You will accomplish nothing by running away. Just close you eyes and you can be anywhere you want.

Answer 2

Going into the woods for an hour at a time sounds like the perfect way to get some peace, if you are sure you will be safe and all right there. Otherwise you could go where there are people but you could still be alone, like the zoo or a museum or a quiet library or something. If I were your mother I would be worried about you, not the fact that you need alone-time but the fact that you seem very depressed, and I would wonder if you were in some kind of trouble that was causing you to feel that way. I'm not saying you are, I'm saying that's what I would assume.

I think you may need a change. If you plan to leave for college, know that college life is nothing like high school. If you haven't thought about college, please consider it (maybe living in a dorm), for the sake of getting out of your parents house and meeting new people and doing new things. It sounds like you need some "fresh air" in your life in more ways than one.