Emotional Health
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I Feel Like I Wasted My Youth. How Can I Change That?

Published: December 08, 2020
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 18 years old and am now in my senior year of high school. Since turning 18 last month, I have felt really horrible and depressed. I come from a broken family. I am really shy and have no friends. They say that one's teenage years are supposed to be eventful and the best years of youth or even life. Yet I have wasted mine by being shy and alone. My best years have been boring and lonely. I never made any friends, never been able to have meaningful conversations with people, never had fun, my strict mom never let me have any extra-curriculars. I am probably not even going to have a real graduation because of the wuhan pandemic. I feel like I seriously messed up by allowing my youth to go to waste by being shy and unwilling to try to have fun. I hate myself for it and I want to cry. I keep looking back on my wasted uneventful youth. Any tips or anything? For the record, I don't live anywhere near New Jersey.
Signed: I Feel Like I Wasted My Youth. How Can I Change That?
Dear I Feel Like I Wasted My Youth. How Can I Change That?,

TeenHealthFX is sorry you feel like you wasted your youth and feel depressed. We understand how hard it is to look back on high school and feel like you missed out on so much. The important thing to keep in mind is that you still have a lot of life left to live. Being 18 means you are still young and have plenty of opportunities to go out, make new friends, and find things that make you happy.

Try to look at the silver lining and look towards the future. Even though the past can bring up hurtful memories, you have the ability to change starting now and make some great new memories.

We strongly recommend reaching out to a trusted adult and/or school counselor. You can also text the Crisis Text Line by Texting HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor to help you through your struggles. In addition, check out our national mental health resource page for additional information. If you need immediate assistance, call 911.  

Signed: TeenHealthFX

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