My life is going downhill. I am a 16-year old boy from India. I do not know what to do in my life anymore. My long star-crossed love of my life has a boyfriend now and I do not know what to do. I have been taking Xanax for 3 months now. If anyone is out there, please help me. My family is dysfunctional and ignores me. Help me! Please Please.
HELP YOURSELF:
- Thank you for reaching out to Teen Central! This is a great place to start and we’re happy you decided to share your story with us. You are really going through a tough time right now. Someone who means a lot to you has moved on to a new relationship and you are hurting.
- Working with mental health professionals is a really good way to take care of the difficult feelings we experience. Medications can’t take away the pain you’re feeling completely, but they can help you feel calmer or think more clearly so you can cope with your situation and be safe.
- If you ever feel that these feelings you’re dealing with are too overwhelming, or you start to feel hopeless, please know THERE IS ALWAYS HELP OUT THERE! If you are residing in India, there are several ways to talk to someone right away if you ever feel like you may hurt yourself. Write these numbers down and keep them somewhere safe that you can find them easily if you need them: Sneha Foundation India (914) 424640050 or the Vandrevala Foundation (186) 02662345 (they’re both 24 hours per day/7 days per week), or Aasra (982)0466726 (they offer telephone based counseling in English and Hindi).
- When someone we care about starts a new relationship, it’s easy to feel alone and left behind. If you feel that you’re family is not able to help you right now, please consider others you might be able to talk to. Neighbors, friends, other family members, trusted adults in your community or religious group, or the professional who prescribed your medication may be a good place to start. Please do not be afraid to ask for help, even if that means just asking someone to listen.
CONSIDER THIS:
- This is an important time to remember to take care of yourself. Clearly you have been trying by seeking help through medications, and there are some other ways we would suggest you try. Check our the Teen Central page for the LEARN section about dealing with grief – you have suffered a loss, and some of the information may feel helpful. Also look at Wellness for some ideas about ways to be kind to yourself and Depression for some possible things that relate to you.
- Some people find that keeping a journal and writing down how they feel on a daily basis helps. Others find that trying to do little things that they enjoy can also help. Cooking, listening to music, watching TV, spending time outside, drawing, dancing, exercising – the list is endless, but the most important thing is that whatever you do is something you enjoy. Try creating a list of activities that bring you peace, calm or some happiness and aim for at least 10 minutes every day.
- Is there someone that could help you connect with your family and help them understand that you need their support? Tough conversations are sometimes more bearable with someone there to help you find words, or sometimes writing down what you want to say first and then trying to talk about your experience.
