Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with desperate

Help me stay awake!

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:54:58 -0800

I'm starting college tomorrow, and I have a problem. If I have to sit through a long talk (class, lecture, church, doesn't matter what) I'll start falling asleep. It usually happens around ten minutes into it, regardless of how much sleep I've had the night before. I've tried going to bed earlier, sleeping longer, pinching myself and drinking water through classes. I don't drink caffeine in the morning, so I know it's not a crash. This tiredness only lasts as long as the class does; as soon as it's over, I regain full alertness and it's as if I was never tired at all. I had this problem my last two years in Highschool and did very poorly because of it. My notes would end up a scribbled mess because I would be desperately trying to stay awake the entire class (note: this isn't just limited to things I find boring.) It damaged my relationship with the teachers because they thought I was just staying up all night, when in reality I would sleep anywhere from 8-12 (I know sleeping too long is just as bad, but at the time I assumed it would help) hours and was trying everything in the book to fix things.

I took a year off, and I thought that it had fixed itself, but I went to a few orientation sessions and low and behold, the problem is still here.

I'd really, really like to know how to get over this so I don't end up failing and having a poor relationship with my professors because I can't stay awake.

I should add that it isn't just instant falling asleep; it's a constant struggle with halfway falling asleep while trying to take notes, feeling my eyes closing, looking sharply in one direction to try to jolt myself awake, trying to stay awake but thinking random thoughts/attempting to say/experiencing things that indicate I'm falling asleep and having a dream. (I don't say anything out loud.) It never feels like full-on sleep to me, but when the class is over and I look down at my notes and the teacher comments I can tell it's at least akin to it.

Hopefully I've been descriptive enough here.

Anonymous because I don't want anyone to know I've been falling asleep during the mock-classes, and it's a sensitive issue regardless.

I'm boring, depressed, lonely and extremly pessimistic

Anonymous — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:51:18 -0800

I have no interests at all. Nothing appeals to me. I don't know if it's cause I'm depressed or boring. What's the difference???? Is there really even a difference???

If someone is chronically depressed, most people don't care. To them, they're just boring. Nobody cares about why they are boring, they're just boring.

I know I'm depressed. I been since I was 21.. but now I'm stuck in this position.. I'm older.. in my 30's.. have NO friends, and no real interests.

I try, but everything feels so, like I'm forcing it. I took up photography. But it feels forced. I took up art.. again it feels forced. I take classes because that's the only way I will actually do anything. I have no desire to do it if I'm just sitting at home..

When I'm home, like right now, it feels too lonely to do anything. I think the problem is all these things I'm doing are solitary and I can't figure out what the hell to do that involves people--yet I actually enjoy. And how do I experiment with this?? Everything feels so committed. Like if you want to join something that involves people, there is no 1 hour trial. You gotta buy equipment, you gotta train, you gotta be all serious about it. How can I just go out, one Saturday afternoon, and try some stuff. Not commit, not be too involved, in fact, not even be seen. I don't want to interact with people while I'm figuring this stuff out. Cause I'm way too freaking depressed. I'll be moody and grumpy and won't have that "positive attitude".

But if I can find something I truly enjoy, involve with people.. I might be able to be positive. But what??

Oh Dear.

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:47:05 -0800

My life is kinda fucked up and I'm at a complete loss at the steps I need to take in order to not be so fucked up. I am 25. I weigh nearly 300 pounds. I went to a very exclusive high school. Flunked out of one of the best small liberal arts colleges in the US. Went to a "college"(more like a high school in the UK) in the UK. Attended, for three years, one of the UK's best schools and flunked out. Attended a community college in San Francisco. Transferred to a UC. I failed to attend the last half of my classes and exams at said UC last quarter.

I drink very heavily. My doctor prescribed .5 mg of alprazolam for anxiety 3 times a day. I don't know what to do at my school in order to stay a student.

I want to quit drinking. I spend all of my time online. I am afraid that I have alienated myself from all of my friends except for drinking buddies. I don't know anyone in my UC town.

I am a genius, according to most non-specialized standardized tests. I am very good at math, coding and I love literature. I feel that if I can quit drinking I can do well in my classes. I may still be a student here for another quarter and can provide documentation about my mental problems if it comes to it.

I love and trust metafilter. What should I do with my life? I am scared.

Feel free to contact me kali.scot@gmail.com.

It's long, and gross

Drunken_munky — Wed, 03 May 2006 10:08:27 -0800

Recommendationfilter: places to get a haircut in Toronto? I desperately require a haircut! Any place in Toronto appropriate for a 20 year old? I'm willing to travel to the oft avoided land of "pretty expensive", if need be, but I'd rather not go anywhere that requires me to make an appointment. I'm flexible, though.

What say you, metafilter?

Prom Help

C17H19NO3 — Mon, 02 May 2005 17:49:16 -0800

My high school prom is coming up. I am a senior and am going to graduate this year. I plan to go, but cannot work up the courage to ask this certain girl to go with me. I did not go to the prom my junior year, due to money problems and the fact that I didn't have a date. All the friends that I have that are female all say that I'm good looking, but they all have dates (and I have no interest in them other than being friends). So that may not be an issue for me.

The real problems are that this one girl that I'm very interested in knows me somewhat (she's a client at the tanning salon I work at after school, as well as the Blockbuster in front of the salon), so I'm not sure if I should ask her outright. The other problem is that when I do try to ask her, I completely balk as soon as I see her. I don't think she knows that I'm interested. I also have a real hard time talking to girls I like; when I do have the guts to initiate conversation, I never know what to say and feel like crap.

Any advice on what I should do and any advice on growing balls big enough to be able to ask her/talk to her, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Help me get back on track

keswick — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 14:01:54 -0800

Help me turn around my life. I'm caught in a trap. [mi] I'm a intelligent and creative guy stuck in a dead-end job. I took AP classes in high school and honors courses at a state college. Depression and anxiety derailed my college career, and I've been stuck in a series of no-future jobs since. I can literally feel my brain atrophying. I finally have the anxiety and depression under control (I think) and I want to go back to school. I recently turned 30 and I'm pretty much at a loss on where to start. Part of me is still defeatist and says it's too late. Tell me I'm wrong!

I think I'd like to become a professor, but other career options are definitely not ruled out. My interests are: history, journalism, and photography. Where do I go from here? Should I go back to school? How does one do that when they can barely pay all their bills as it is?