Do people just not like me?

I would second the recommendation to have a thorough evaluation by a medical doctor, regardless of whether you decide to do therapy or not. If there is a physical/chemical issue affecting your state of mind, the sooner you catch it the better.

As far as making friends, you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. If you meet someone and promptly tell them how bad people in SL are, how bad your life is, how much this/that annoys you, etc., they may feel sorry for you, but they may also choose to avoid you thereafter.

Strike up a conversation by giving someone a compliment, or asking where they got those great shoes, or if they know a good place to explore/shop/roleplay in SL. Hang out where newbies are coming in and teach them how not to put boxes on their heads. Try being something different like a dragon, alien, robot, animal, or any kind of roleplay. These can all help you to change the focus from "you" to "new".

Also remember, people love to talk about THEMSELVES. A good listener is always everyone's friend.

Just a thought - have you considering becoming a dog in SL? Many people like dogs. They will try to pet you and love you and take you home with them.

Self-help books often say, when you keep doing the same things, you just get more of the same results. Why not try life from a different perspective? The canine perspective is far superior! But then again, I am a bit biased.

Additionally, since changing species isn't yet possible in RL, enlisting the help of trained medical professionals is always a good idea when one feels they really can't go on.

Be careful though! There are lots of Koreans on SL, and they like to catch dogs, cook them and eat them.

Pep (I'm with the Koreans on animals; they are great, especially with the right sauce)

True! Having worked at a pharmacy, I'd rather avoid any medications having seen what the side effects are. A pill for the cause then one for the side effects and one for the side effects of the 2nd one, and another for the side effects of the 3rd, and so on.

Herbal/Natural remedies can be just as bad.

Alcohol!

Pep (Just the one effect)

Well....don't turn to craigslist.

Agreed. Herbals are simply less refined drugs, and plant materias are the basis of many drugs. Therefore, herbals can have similar side effects or allergic reactions and should be used with caution.

The best "natural remedies" are good nutrition, good exercise habits, good sleep habits and stress management. (I have plenty of room for improvement in all these areas...)

Cassandra,

I'm not a professional therapist, but I have had some experience dealing with my own depression. My depression was most likely different to yours; no two peoples' situations are ever quite alike. So whether you take this advice or not, here it is.

Talking about my problems was the most helpful thing I ever did. Even expressing yourself as you have here is a start. Being depressed is an intensely lonely experience, driving you in on yourself and isolating you from other people. The words in your profile suggest that's how you feel right now. If you can't take this to a friend, find someone else. Your doctor, a counsellor, or an anonymous volunteer on a helpline. In the UK we have Samaritans, I understand that the nearest thing worldwide is http://www.befrienders.org/index.asp

There's been a lot of good advice so far, but you'll have to find what works for you.

same med they have me on. I never heard of Hashimoto's Disease before.

Not sure what caused mine, the dr ran a series of blood tests and the results showed that the thyroid was underactive.

Some days I do not notice a difference, other days it is like I am my old self.

(I dunno yet if they have the right dosage for me either, so that could make a difference)

ohhhh that is the continent I have my store in LOL
(I am in Jeogori)

small world eh...

I hope so too, I know how it feels to think you are hated, and to always feel like people ignore you (and as she put it, are snobs)

Sometimes it is not something we can control, and during those times, life looks the bleakest.
See a Dr, it might be as simple as it was/is for me.

Granted I am not all the way to being my old confident self, but I am getting there.

not into any menopause as of yet, but there are other female issues I have that do cause many side effects.

The op said how she wanted someone to talk to, someone to basically tell all her woes to.

Well I could bore the socks off of folks with all the things I have wrong with me LOL
(I thought it was um.. what's it called...psychosomatic?)
(the one where you "think" you have things wrong, but it is all in the mind)
but that is not my case, I have been diagnosed with all these stupid things, annoyingly stupid things, and have to deal with each thing on a daily basis.
If I let it get to me, yes it gets very depressing, and yes I do feel like the will to live slips away, the... why even bother defeatist attitude.

Then I remember those who love me.

(Also I would not dream of trying to discuss my personal issues with a complete stranger in a video game/virtual world)
(it is one thing to share tidbits, or moments in time, with folks you have been conversing with, but to try to find someone who wants to hear it all, fat chance, especially if they are a stranger)
(other than a dr of course)

ya i'm more or less saying most things are something self created from habbits and diet and things and can be handled before they would even need to have a prescription from a doctor..

i used to live on 3 hours of sleep and drank tea non stop the whole time i was up and eating like crap..

i shopped late or early when people were in the stores less..and god forbid there was a price check when checking out..
i would most times say ..whatever it is i'll pay it..just to get out of the line and to my car..

i started sleeping right and cut back on tea and changed my diet to shopping for fresh foods in the outer section of the grocery store and slowed down on the inner isle

now i'll slap a coupon down in a heartbeat in the middle of the first day of Christmas shopping with people doing the omg not a coupon heavy breathing and not give a damn if i am holding up the line or not..i'm getting my deal lol

i used to get tired from being in the sun and found out it was lacking in salt in my diet..

it's a heck of a lot cheaper and better in my opinion..


i do the same with my house hold products for just about everything..
from cleaning products to shapoo's..
baking soda and white vinigar are about all you need to do any household cleaning and more..
not because it is the green thing to do but because it just works better

Depression is a chemical imbalance, and you can be treated for it without seeing a psychiatrist. When you say you're depressed enough to kill yourself, that sets off a big red flag with most people, especially when you're having a hard time communicating with other people.

Cassandra,

Try supportforhealingisland It's a British organization that has made themselves a part of second life. They have group meetings for depression, anxiety, and many others. The people who go there have a range of issues of their own so they would be an excellent choice to to talk with.

When I first came onto SL I was suffering from horrible agoraphobia and hanging out and SLOWLY making friends really helped me at the time.

At the very least please check it out.

That's exactly what I found out about my condition years ago. The doctor even did a sleep EEG on me, and said the chemicals in normal people's brain, serotonin, etc was significantly more than in mine. My brain receptors arent firing as they should be. Hmm..strange stuff. Maybe Im an alien.

I'd like to NOT be on meds, the side effects are not fun! Two years ago I got myself off of them, the withdrawals were worse than the meds themself. I spent a year trying to live without them, and it was horrid, so I got back on them. True, I dont live the best life style, I drink diet coke, beer, and stay up late.

I think there's still two forum members that's yet to offer some advice.

Where the hell are they?

I dion't have any advice to offer.

Now there's just one.

On diet and nutrition.

It is easy to "talk the talk" about diet, nutrition and herbal alternatives.

I tried them all. I tried SAM-E, Zinc, Omega 3's, B-12, etc all for my "extreme" bipolar (schitzo-affective).

I radically changed my diet and went vegan in 2005 and still no escape from the symptoms even with daily yoga and meditation.

The only thing that helped me was going back on my meds, and just this past February i started doing dairy again in my diet (cheese, butter).

Excellent nutrition is a good thing, but nothing is a replacement for prescription medication, except if you are strictly talking about depression and the effects of exercise releasing endorphins thus staving off depressive states - which still does not work for everyone but is at least one non-medication fix that works for more people than it does not.

Speak poorly of prescription medication all you like, but the moment you are curled up on the floor in the fetal position because your dreams just crossed into your reality and walked through your front door to stand before you - then tell me how bad prescription drugs are when they make all that madness go away.

Sure i am not trying to say all prescription drugs are great. The first bipolar meds i was on had a reported weight gain of 60lbs - but Rolling Stones magazine did an expose on that drug a few months back and it turns out the weight gain was really 100lbs and the drug companiess were keeping it secret - i gained 45lbs, but 3 months of Naked Juice and going vegan melted that weight right off.

Prescription meds can be bad, and many are, but unfortunately, even through their bad side-effects can come peace of mind and sanity and a preference for the side-effect over the symptoms and for that many of us who take prescription medications are thankful.

I find sl much like life, a work in progress.

I am so much different now than when I came to sl. I too have times where I felt I was alone. If you want to be adopted into a family, im inworld and I can arrange for meeting with my sister. She is always adding to her brood.

But your situation is much deeper than sl can solve. I hope you take to heart the many wonderful suggestions forum members made.

Good luck to you!

Okay, I think that's everybody.


Thread closed.

Good luck. This may be true but it is not healthy or wise advice.

Depression often leads to death.

- 5% of depressed people will commit suicide.

Even you do not receive drugs from a psychiatrist, there is a great deal to learn about dealing with your particular depressive condition from a psychiatrist.

Most anti-depressant medication only works for a small percentage of the population 35%-45% of the population. So no, a psychiatrist is not a cure all but it is for many the best start.

Is the taste decent? It sounds intriguing. I was about to start a 3 day diet but this looks more interesting.