new member...lost and anxious

[okaychee]

i graduated college in may and at this point in time i have no idea what i'm doing. i still live at home. i have always been quiet so it is hard for me to make new friends. my friends from high school and college don't really talk to me anymore.

i've had my permit for about 3-4 years, but i still haven't taken my test. i drive sometimes, but when i do i get really nervous. i know u need to drive to move on in life, but for some reason i just can't get over this hump.

i have applied for numerous jobs, but nothing has come through yet. i see all my friends with their jobs and it is extremely discomforting. the only hobby i have is reading and playing video games, but both those feel like they have become a chore to do.

as of now, i've pretty much completely isolated myself. i don't want to go to my parents with my problem and my therapist isn't that helpful. i WANT to get better, but i have this constant anxiety that is just killing me. i don't know where i'm going, i want to disappear and leave all this behind, but i know thats not the right thing to do...please help :(

[jhunter89]

Hi there and welcome. How old are you?
Where r u from? I left school 7 years ago and I still don't know what to do! I have a job but I hate it and the pay is rubbish and I've been stuck there nearly 6 years cos I'm afraid of getting a new job, I don't even know what I wanna do anyway! All my friends from school have moved away and have decent jobs and great social lives. So I have no friends and don't go out much except to go to work! I've had my provisional driving licence for 6 years and still can't drive, though I would love to be able to, driving makes me so nervous. (sorry for turning this into about me) what is your dream job? Maybe you should see a new therapist and if you tell your parents what you're going through they might be able to help.
Sorry this post is probably no help whatsoever, but thought I'd try :)

[NatalieRegina]

My grandmother always says to me- "I'm 84 and I still don't know what I want to do with my life!"
Point is.. you will never get someone patting you on the back and telling you you're doing the right thing. That's the hardest part for school leavers. You've been told for years where to go, what classes to take, what to do next. So, by the time you've finished, you're let out into the world and have no idea where to go.

This is something that only you can know and will take time. You know what helped me? An internship. I didn't do it in school, but after graduation (as jobs were hard to find). It was a short-term commitment (already sounded good) and I got to know the industry and whether or not I wanted to work in it. I did and they offered me a job, as they often do if they like your work and want to keep you on. Maybe worth a try? If you're at home and not earning anything right now, might as well try out some free work experience. This will also help quell your anxiety. Trust me- it completely changed my life.

[jhunter89]

Yeah maybe do some voluntary work, would look good on your cv! And you might make new friends and maybe boost your confidence

[alankay]

Okay, you need to get calmed down and have some control over your anxiety. I would speak with an MD/DO as the counselor seems not to be resulting in much anxiety reduction/control. It sounds like Generalized Anxiety and maybe some Social Anxiety and both can be helped. If the counselor can't find a root cause for you anxiety and address that it might be best to try an ssri for a while and see how it helps. Once you get some control over your anxiety you can start to work on lifestyle changes, education on anxiety, etc, which will help you(IMHO). Often times a benzo is added with the ssri and the the benzo is dropped after a week or two. PM me anytime. ALankay