u/Foreign_Object247

Okay, this will be long so brace with me, alright? So, as the title suggests, I have a difficult time feeling empathy, not only to people but also towards situations. I was generally a very empathetic kid when I was young, I wore my heart on my sleeve I would say—I wanted to fix the problems of everyone and everything in the world, and I had the aspiration to do as much good in the world as a person possibly could.

Whenever I heard about accidents, crises and general injustice happening in the world, I would always ask my parents/aunts etc. if there was ANYTHING I could possibly do at my young age. I was always told that there's nothing we could do, that's just how the world was and stuff like that. I suppose in my early teenage years I went through tons of fake friendships so that damaged me a little, I guess??

Today I really do try my best to care, for people and the world, but find it difficult to find the empathy points. Whenever I hear about misfortune happening to people, I say I feel sorry, and that the world needs to get better or something, but even if I imagine it happening to myself, I find it that I don't care much. When it's about climate change, the data centers being built and polluting our world, I try to do my research and spread awareness, but my main thought in the end is that the world is going to shambles and we're going to die in a few years anyway.

Is there anyway I can improve myself as a person? I wouldn't generally say I'm apathetic, nor that I have some mental disorder, but I might be wrong as I'm in no place to get therapy or a diagnosis. Any answer or advice is appreciated.

Okay, this will be long so brace with me, alright? So, as the title suggests, I have a difficult time feeling empathy, not only to people but also towards situations. I was generally a very empathetic kid when I was young, I wore my heart on my sleeve I would say—I wanted to fix the problems of everyone and everything in the world, and I had the aspiration to do as much good in the world as a person possibly could.

Whenever I heard about accidents, crises and general injustice happening in the world, I would always ask my parents/aunts etc. if there was ANYTHING I could possibly do at my young age. I was always told that there's nothing we could do, that's just how the world was and stuff like that. I suppose in my early teenage years I went through tons of fake friendships so that damaged me a little, I guess??

Today I really do try my best to care, for people and the world, but find it difficult to find the empathy points. Whenever I hear about misfortune happening to people, I say I feel sorry, and that the world needs to get better or something, but even if I imagine it happening to myself, I find it that I don't care much. When it's about climate change, the data centers being built and polluting our world, I try to do my research and spread awareness, but my main thought in the end is that the world is going to shambles and we're going to die in a few years anyway.

Is there anyway I can improve myself as a person? I wouldn't generally say I'm apathetic, nor that I have some mental disorder, but I might be wrong as I'm in no place to get therapy or a diagnosis. Any answer or advice is appreciated.

Alright brace with me because this will be long as hell (sorry in advance...). For context, I'm 16F and she is 16F too, in a long distance relationship for about a year and a half now, and honestly this is my first ever serious relationship (like yeah ig that's obvious). I've never done this before so I really have no idea how to approach this, so any advice would be GREATELY appreciated!!!

So, for about half a year now I've been having an identity crisis that made it difficult for me to uphold the relationship – in the end I still tried my best to keep in touch and talk with her regularly. I think I did alright with that, ig??? About a month ago, I asked her if we could take a break from our relationship because I finally confessed about me being unsure about who I am as a person, sexuality-wise, romance-wise and gender-wise, to the point where I had depressive and suicidal thoughts. She agreed and said she understood, so I left it at that.

I have identified as a demisexual lesbian since I was around 10, though now I realized I'm probably cupioromantic/sexual (someone who doesn't feel romantic/sexual attraction but desires a romantic/sexual relationship) and quoiromantic (someone who has difficulty distinguishing between romantic and platonic feelings). I came to the conclusion because when she asked me to be her girlfriend, I accepted with enthusiasm despite not quite feeling the romantic attraction, and also not feeling any difference with what I felt towards her and, for example, my best friend. I knew that I care for her deeply... but just not as a romantic partner.

The reason why I'm having such a hard time doing this is because she honestly is a great partner. We text rather often, she's kind, caring, she gives me advice when I need it. I can tell she REALLY loves me. She also has a messed up family situation, and I simply don't want to add more to her plate than she already has. Worst part is probably that when I asked for a break, I said that I sincerely loved her and what I felt towards her was real. I guess that's on me, but I was severely confused.

How do I approach this gently and with tact so that it hurts less than it needs to??? I'm so scared of doing this, I know this will be a lose-lose situation, but I'm genuinely worried she'll be so devastated and that I will ruin everything between us.