Hello Stranger, I read your post and began to cry. Your message took me spiralling back to my childhood. I read your words and they were the same words I have written so many times about myself. I am 32 now and still in the same place. I did not have this resource to help me back then. Now I have children of my own and I am working very hard to get it together for them. I want to be there for them when they reach their teen age years. You write and articulate very well. I would even venture to say that you have a talent for it. Perhaps you should use writing as an outlet. Set a goal. Get published. You may be able to help others. You are obviously intelligent, and have a bright future ahead of you. Try to embrace it before it's too late. Sometimes, like last night, I think it's too late for me. Today is hard. I feel as if I've wasted half of my life being depressed, and now wasting the other half being depressed about being depressed. We need to come out of this, somehow. We have to climb for our lives!!!

hi stranger. i am exactly where you are, and have been for some years. i live in a fantasy land where i'm constantly thinking about "what if i were this" or "what if i were that". it's a horrible place to be when you have to come back to the real world. the best thing i can say is hang in there. a lot of is probably teen angst, which i know is lame, but everything is so much more dramatic when your younger. and i wouldn't worry too much about the boyfriend thing. it's natural to be shy, especially feeling the way you do when rejection is the last thing you want to deal with. but i promise, there will be someone who understands you, and likes that. no one falls in love and gets married at 17, so don't think you're weird. i know it's rough, but see if maybe there's someone you can talk to, anyone you trust. i know it sounds stupid, but it really does help. you're not alone in this.

Hey Stranger, Hang in there. High school is tough because the peer pressure to keep up and fit in is so incredible. Once you graduate, you will be exposed to a whole new world that will provide you with exciting opportunities. You will meet new people and build new and exciting relationships. you will meet the right person one day, don't rush it or force it you will know and be in love the rest of your life

Hi Stranger, Please don't give up. When I was 17 (some years ago) I was a mess. I hated everything. Both my bothers were away at college, so i got blamed for a lot around the house. I lived to work and to drink. I also found that I was able to build a relationship with my bothers (something I never had). I know alcohol is not the answer. I think what got me through a lot, was cooking and running. I worked in a restaurant and the chef taught me a lot. I also expermented at home. I am not a great cook, and some of the concoctions I come up with I won't make again. But it does bring a sense of peace. I too have/had very few friends. I did not date until college. But I found if I pushed too hard, I pushed people away. Just relax. Maybe not the first, time, But things will work out. You will begin to define yourself and friends will come around. I know I tried so hard to get a girlfiend. Looking back I was probably way too forward, snobby, obnoxious. whatever you want to call it. Make friends, get his/her advice and maybe coaching. The boyfriends will follow. smile,

hi i remember those stressful school days. i drank way too much. my social life meant everything to me and i wasn't very good at it. my advice, now looking back? get involved with schoolwork, clubs, a parttime job. if you become fairly good at something, you will be amazed at how many people will become drawn to you. don't worry about popularity or dating, it will develop. your late teens and early twenties can be wonderful years. think about learning a trade or attending a community college in the future. doors will open

Hi stranger I'm 17 also. I understand some of the things you are feeling right now. It is hard being young. I work and go to school and most of the time that had been all the excitment i had. Well here lately I have just been making myself get out of the house. Going to a neighbor friend's house, taking walks, going to relatives, going with friend, etc. It keeps my mind off of things that bug me. I'm not saying everything is perfect now, but just try to do things you like. When I get upset I write poetry. It makes me feel a lot better. Since I have been working it's like I don't do much with my friends any more either. See sometimes I'll be off work and nobody asks me to go with them b/c they are use to me saying "I can't I have to work". Just ask your friends, Hey ya wanna do somehing on my next day off. we don't getta hang out much now. Just make yourself appear happy cause even though you may be pretending it has helped me before, it makes me actually feel that way after a while. See cause a lot of times your friends or anyone may be afraid to ask what's wrong cause they don't wanna gt on your nerves, so then u end up not tallking. then they think its them sometimes and stop talking to u as much. If you act happy then chances are you'll start goofing off and stuff and end up having fun. Just try it. I have had boyfriends BUT a lot of them had been afraid to ask me out b/c they thought I acted like I didn't like them. Most of my ex boyfriends are guys that was not from my school. A lot of people at school don't know me cause I don't talk much. in ways I am shy but I'm really not. i just don't talk to people usually unless I know em. Since I have gotten a job I have came out of that habbit a lot. Just talk to people about anything. Don't drive them nuts but just be more open. I had to push myself. I was tired of everyone thinking I was shy. i did it too. It helps a lot. But it's not that guys don't like you. I bet there are a lot but yes guys will be afraid to ask you out if they think you don't like them. You have to show them a little that you like them. well i hope this helped. please write, it would be good to hear how you are doing.

Stranger, Thank you for sharing your story with us. You have come to the right place :) Please feel free to roam the site at your own pace. If you look to the left of the screen under "TOOLS" you will find our Depression Test. This test is not a diagnostic tool and is not a replacement or substitute for a physician's advice. The purpose of these tests is to prepare you with information that you can present to your physician. When you're finished the test, you can either print your Final Report or email it directly to your doctor. This may help better assess the ituation for both of you. Please also try our depression diary. This can help pinpoint where your depression originated from and what may trigger it. This can also be a useful tool to take to your doctor. If you have any question or concerns with our site or please contact Support Department at support@depressioncenter.net. We are open to any questions or concerns you may have. We are always here to help and support Josie ___________________________________ The Depression Center Support Team.

Hi Stranger, I'm sorry you're feeling so down. The teenage years can be a very rough time. It's been a while, but I remember. What you don't realize yet is that you're really not so abnormal. A lot of those people who pretend to have their act together are just as lonely and insecure as you are. If you could read their minds and hearts, you'd see it's true. At this point in your life, you're trying to find out who you are, where you fit into the scheme of things, and how you measure up against the rest of the world. And, if you're anything like I was you're probably too hard on yourself. There's nothing wrong with being a little shy. As you get a little older, you might even find that some guys find it attractive. You have to remember that teenage boys are insecure too. Yet it's normally up to them to make the first move.If the girl is outgoing, it makes their role a little easier. As they get more secure with themselves, they don't find shyness so challenging. You've got a whole lifetime ahead of you to date; don't worry about so much. If there are any activities/hobbies that you really enjoy, spend some time on that .... friends will follow - male & female. Lighten up on yourself. I'm sure you have many good points; concentrate on those for a while. I really hope you feel better soon & come back and talk some more when you need to. You're NOT alone - we're all here for you. Kate14

I think it will help me to just write about this stuff. I'm only 17 years old and I feel like I'm wasting the best years of my life. I can't remember a time when I felt normal. I feel like I'm stuck and I can't move. When I'm not working or at school, most of my life consists of sitting at home by myself thinking about my life and how bad it is. I have a problem with fantasizing about situations that might have happened or could potentially happen. I don't really live in the real world. I always feel so alone. No one seems to identify with me. It's strange because I have friends, but I always end up feeling like they don't really want to be with me because I'm not as fun as they expect me to be. I want to have fun but I just feel trapped because I never can. No one ever invites me to do anything fun with them. Then I start to feel like people hate me. I've never had a boyfriend or even been on a date. I feel like this is somehow my fault. I really just want someone to love me. I have a problem talking to guys though which makes it difficult. Some of the guys I know say I come across as snobby and aloof. In reality I'm just really shy. I don't want to intimidate guys but I feel like I do sometimes. It really hurts me because I feel like I have so much to give but I never get the opportunity. I'm frustrated. I just hate living like this. I can't escape. I can't move on and no one understands me or really wants to be with me.