Finding meaning in life

[Popinjay]

I don't believe in God. I don't not believe in God. It's just too difficult a question with an answer that is far beyond my grasp. That being said I feel very lost in life right now.

I don't know why I should live and subsequently I don't know how I should live. I feel very indifferent to life at times. Not suicidal but I just really don't care. For example driving home last night I just kept my foot on the gas pedal till I hit 120+. Reason eventually got the best of me and I slowed down.

I've been reading a lot of philosophy in school lately and I really like it. These guys are all great writers with very interesting ideas about life. The problem is I don't know who to believe. Nobody has definitive proof to their arguments and everyone has a different outlook. I really want to be able to believe something but I am not willing to do it blindly.

So where do I go from here? I know I need some sort of meaning to my life, some reason to live. I feel I have the capacity to accomplish great things in my life (just like everyone else). However, I often hamper myself with acts of stupidity -- such as, neglecting to work out when I know I have to, or playing poker like a fool (raising every single hand very big in NL). As it stands now the only thing I can really say about my life is, I don't know.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Has anyone been through something like this and come out successfully on the other side?

[treeofwisdom7]

not one of these again. let me help u out my friend
i found out the meaning of life when a girl came into the store and bought pooper helper.. she said she was using it to lose weight.

this is the meaning of life

[dan123]

life sucks. it's boring and only azzholes come out on top, but their existence is paper mache. Their is nothing to life. Its a big mistake, an explosion happened and matter was created and a bunch of selfish, egotistical verman slowly developed out of scum and rapidly sending the earth back to it's empty lifeless beginning. there is no escaping it. we are doomed and "making something of your life" is futile. Nothing is happening, we are living and dying at once.

[David Sklansky]

The idea is to not let an intellectual understanding that something is "meaningless" or trivial keep you from enjoying it. For instance many women tell me golf is stupid because it is just hitting a ball into a hole. Yet so many enjoy that game. And it is possible to do that even if you agree with that assessment. My father once asked me why I would ever go into a strip club. "It's just skin", he said. That set me aback but only for a moment. Playing Frisbee is another personal example for me.

For someone like you it is important to understand that you don't have to fool yourself like religious fanatics do or those who riot at soccer games. You can come out the other side, I think, possibly at first with the help of medication but also with the little trick I just gave you.

"Has anyone been through something like this and come out successfully on the other side? "

Yep, me.

[LostMyMoney]

[ QUOTE ]

For someone like you it is important to understand that you don't have to fool yourself like religious fanatics do or those who riot at soccer games. You can come out the other side, I think, possibly at first with the help of medication but also with the little trick I just gave you.


[/ QUOTE ]


Wow, David, that is some really shitty advice. Using medication to find meaning in life should be a last resort not a first option. I hope that PJ doesn't heed that part of your advice unless he deems it absolutely necessary (something that I didn't gather from his post)

Drugs (even drugs prescribed by shrinks) are not the key to happiness...


Edit for clarification: I thought your general advice was good but the part about taking meds as a first option was TERRIBLE

[Bodhi]

Yeah, except for the last bit about the meds, that is one of david's better posts here in the psych forum. Meds should be reserved for the suicidal; otherwise we're just ducking the problem.

[Bodhi]

You're not alone. I think most people go through this at some point in their lives.

As a former philosophy undergrad, I don't think you're going to find the answer to any of your problems in philosophy. You need an emotional solution, not an intellectual one.

[Popinjay]

[ QUOTE ]
You're not alone. I think most people go through this at some point in their lives.

As a former philosophy undergrad, I don't think you're going to find the answer to any of your problems in philosophy. You need an emotional solution, not an intellectual one.

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you mean by emotional?

[Aytumious]

[ QUOTE ]
Meds should be reserved for the suicidal; otherwise we're just ducking the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think if you did some research you'd find that this is not the case. People who suffer from anhedonia could benefit from meds and they may not be suicidal.

[Bodhi]

[ QUOTE ]
What do you mean by emotional?

[/ QUOTE ] LOL, you really are studying philosophy! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

By 'emotional' I mean the feelings, attitudes and affects that your life is largely devoid of at the moment.