u/CuriousCat21_

25 (F) My boyfriend left me after more than 5 years together, and I genuinely feel like my whole life is falling apart. I’ve been struggling mentally for a long time, and recently things got so bad that I ended up self-harming. I think it overwhelmed him too much, and now he’s gone.

I feel broken. My anxiety has gotten so intense that sometimes my body literally freezes. I can’t think properly, can’t focus on work, and every day feels heavier than the last. I’ve been considering antidepressants because I honestly don’t know how much longer I can handle feeling like this, but I’m scared too — scared of losing myself even more.

On top of that, my career is also going downhill. I’ve been on the bench for 2 months while layoffs are happening around me, and I constantly feel like I’m next. I worked so hard to build my career, and now I feel like I’m failing in every part of life at the same time.

I don’t even know what I’m expecting from posting this. Maybe I just don’t want to feel alone anymore. If anyone has been through something similar and made it out the other side, please tell me how you survived it.

I’m 25, living alone, working, trying to build a career and survive independently. And lately I carry this constant guilt that I’m not giving enough time to my parents.
The strange part is ,I’m not even out partying or “living my best life.” Most days I’m just working, commuting, trying to stay financially stable and
not be a burden on them. But still, every time I choose my career, a new project, or an opportunity that takes me farther away or makes visiting home harder, I feel guilty.
And the guilt is getting worse as I grow older.
I keep thinking, what if something happens someday and I regret not spending enough time with them? What if I was too busy trying to build a future that I forgot to be present?
My relationship with my parents is also complicated. I don’t think we ever had a very emotionally healthy or deeply expressive bond. So sometimes being there for them feels more like responsibility, respect, and care rather than emotional closeness. And that makes the guilt even more confusing because I don’t even know what “enough” is supposed to look like.
Sometimes these thoughts affect my career decisions too. I literally think about projects, work locations, and opportunities based on whether I’ll be able to go home often enough. And if the answer is no, I feel like a bad daughter.
I don’t know if I’m overthinking or if this is just part of growing up.
Does anyone else feel this way? Especially people living away from home while trying to build a life for themselves?