u/GroundHawk13

I know I should be practicing instead of looking for affirmation but man, playing bass is HARD. I got my first entry-level Ibanez 5-stringer a little more than a week ago, and I know that's a ridiculously short time, but I'm feeling very discouraged ever since trying string-crossing. I have dyspraxia so naturally doing "fingery" things isn't my forte, but I thought I could work around it. These days though, I'm not sure. I keep messing up really simple stuff, it's like my hands just go "fuck you and this fiddly thing". Did anyone else have as much difficulty early on? Am I overthinking it or should I try some focused exercises or something? On a side note y'all rock, this shit is way harder than it looks on video.

I've been struggling a lot mentally. Thought learning an instrument might help, so I saved up and got an electric bass. I was so excited to test it out, I felt happy for the first time in months. But nothing ever works, there must be something so wrong with me. It should be something fun and engaging, and instead it triggered my anxiety and somehow made it worse? I don't understand. I was just sitting there sweating with my feet cold as ice. I couldn't get into it cause I was just thinking "what is that buzz?" "What if I get an electric shock and die?" "What if this? What if that?" At the end I gave up cause even the sound vibrating in my chest as I plucked the strings felt threatening. I was literally triggered by nothing.

I'm so over all of this. I just wanted to have an escape. I just want to feel normal and safe. If music doesn't help, exercise doesn't help, meds don't help, wtf am I supposed to do?