I just want to start off by saying that I am not suicidal. On that note, I just want to ask if anyone feels or have felt the same way that I do currently. I find myself thinking a few times a day about what is the point of life. Do I even need to be on this earth? For example, I look up on Google Earth and zoom in and the closer I get to my home, the more buildings…etc I see. I suddenly have realized that I am literally a spec of life, perhaps like an atom. What is the point of going to work everyday to just come home, make dinner, pay bills and repeat. What is the point of life?
I know my family needs me, and I needed my parents, my kids will soon be needed by their kids and so on and so on. It is just a never ending cycle of working, not working, homemaker, perhaps just sitting around all day with an occasional walk with the ultimate goal of making sure we eat, take our meds (or not if you don’t even have a mental or physical problem), go to the bathroom, clean ourselves…etc…etc…etc.
Am I making sense here? When I look outside and see insects or animals, I see many, just like the humans around me, but these insects and animals can suddenly die and life moves on as if they were never there. I just struggle now with the question of “what is the point?” and have gotten to the point that while I don’t want to kill myself, I find myself not caring if a tree suddenly fell on me or I have a fatal heart attack.
I think the point is that we help each other. Every person, no matter who they are, has impacted another person’s life in some way. Even people you don’t know have probably been influenced by your actions.
If you’re searching for a deeper meaning in life, I highly recommend volunteer work. Being able to take an active role in helping others really helps me to feel like my life matters and makes a difference.
I don’t think there are universal answers to this. In fact, I think there aren’t any answers at all for someone troubled by thinking too much. I think the challenge is to question the question, to make it disappear. The other day I had a thought, related to this. While there are activities that are ‘locally’ purposeful, clearly, when thinking far enough like you say, the purpose disappears, like you say, either into circularity or into regress. On a small scale though, I enjoy many things that aren’t even purposeful in this local sense. Absurdities, jokes, games… Perhaps, then, on a large scale a purpose isn’t needed either to enjoy. I found this a comforting thought.
Well I have an answer based on my spiritual beliefs and a more plain answer. The plain answer is you have to make your own point in life. No one is going to come down from the sky and give you a purpose, you make one for yourself.
I made my purpose to help others and improve the mental health field in some way. I also think I want to do my best to create my own little paradise while here. Someday I’ll have a little house on several wooded acres with lots of pets and books around me and a job I’m good at and enjoy and it will be wonderful. So I guess my lesser purpose is to create that paradise for myself.
@zak you can be a philosopher.
As for the substance, there is no easy answer to the question of why we live.
I want to seek professional success because I have no choice.
I would rather not live, but if I’m already here I want to be a member of society
in magnificent standing.
I prefer an absolutely equal society, but so long as there are those above and below,
I will struggle to go up, and in parallel try to make society more egalitarian.
I’m just living on the outside chance I might produce some great literature. Sometimes I think I am making progress, but there is always a setback. I’ve just written a couple of stories I’m rather pleased with. But, I’m heading back out on the street where I will be more concerned with survival than writing.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I guess what I have taken away from them is that I basically need to find a purpose or a goal. My therapist said the same thing to me yesterday. I guess I just need to find something that very much interests me. Now that is the hard part lol. My meds leave me pretty flat unfortunately.
Whether I am suicidal or not I also struggle with the question “what’s the point?”. I have children and a wonderful husband and a few good friends but I don’t see a point for them either. Perhaps it is just a symptom or a side affect of meds. I sometimes long for a tree to fall on me too. I know the sun will super nova one day and all of this will not have mattered. But sometimes a little moment of love gets through and I think “this is why I’m here”. If it’s worth it or not I really don’t know.
I’ve been wondering everyday for over 35 years what the point is. And I have a belief system/faith. But I still don’t understand the point of my having to be here doing all these meaningless things every day.
I hear on the news about the chaos people create and I wonder why. I hear about so many deaths of people all over the world and I wonder why I have to stay here when all I want is to be with God. I bet the vast majority of people who die every day do not even want to!
I truly don’t understand. But I’m nothing if not obedient. God told me not to kill myself. Until that changes, I’m here.
I feel bad, like I should appreciate life more, but when I believe in a better place after here, it makes even less sense…
Perhaps a kick up the arse to remind you to appreciate what you do have! A family and children for a start. Some of us can’t ever have that.
Learn to appreciate every living thing and every kind act. You’ll soon see that life is about living the moment. Every breath when people with cystic fibrosis can’t even have that. See, feel and grasp every moment for you don’t know when it will end.
you still want things. you just need to figure out what they are, and go after them. besides which, if a tree fell on you, wouldn’t the rainbows and flowers miss you?
I used to think that I had no purpose. I have realized that I do. I took care of my step father, cared for my mom who was dying, I am raising my husband’s daughter whose mother is an addict, I’ve cared for my husband’s dad, mom, uncle and 2 nieces. I have a purpose. Even people who I see at the grocery store routinely I believe i make my mark on them.
I can understand your question. Years ago, before I was MI and I had goals, I was much more passionate and excited about life. I am trying to get my mojo back. I have hit bottom completely and I have to start over. It’s baby steps. I am one of those people that likes to have a goal at any given time. Right now it is school and all the mini goals that go with that. I also have a goal to get more fit. Later I will have new goals as I accomplish my current goals.
Maybe having some goals and moving toward them will help you feel more purpose and joy.
Thanks again for the additional comments. Basically, I need to find a purpose and a goal, just something to focus on. I was doing that all yesterday and writing down ideas, maybe I will get some sort of spark in my head and stomach this week. Fingers-crossed
