<p>I am so sorry you are feeling this way. Please know that it will get better, look how many people there are here that care about you that don’t even know you! Aside from the counseling suggestion, why don’t you try some clubs that aren’t so school oriented? A cooking class? Working at an animal shelter? Think about joining a running club, I really don’t believe I have ever met a runner that wasn’t friendly, and they do have groups for every ability level.</p>
<p>So lets look at why we parents make our kids nuts with advice:</p>
<p>It comes down to closets. </p>
<p>Let’s start with Closet #1: It is stuffed with projects that were started but not finished. It would take weeks to clean everything out and get things organized and “flying right”. We’ll call this Closet “Life of a Parent”.</p>
<p>Now let’s look at Closet #2: It only has a few things in it – and lots of space. It has a ton of potential. It could be turned into a workbench! A gift wrapping station! A mini library for music! A little elbow grease and some creative imagination and we’ll have something wonderful! We’ll call this closet “My kid’s life through my eyes.”</p>
<p>So which is more fun to spend an hour discussing? Closet #2, of course. </p>
<p>I highly recommend you say to your folks “Wow, I think I’ve become your hobby. I know you love me – but it’s not ok for me to be your “fix it” hobby.” – it may take a joint trip to a family counselor to communicate this – but you really need to find a way that they get the picture that they don’t get to play “Organize this closet” with your life. </p>
<p>Find a way (or a phrase) to gently and continually remind them that they are interesting, vibrant people – and they would be terrific in graduate school themselves – or pursuing other “Clean your own Closet” paths.</p>
<p>“Snap out of it!” - Cher</p>
<p>Please do follow thru with seeking an evaluation for depression. Do not be afraid to try anti=depressants for situational depression. This does not mean that there is something wrong with you or that you are less than. It simply means that you could benefit from taking medication for just a short period of time (6 months) to get you feeling better. My son went through some difficulties adjusting to his first semester at college after facing a break up, difficulty with engineering curriculum, adjusting to being a small fish in a big pond. After taking anti-depressants for the first time in his life, for just a short period of time, he began feeling better. There are some anti-depressants that can also help with social anxiety. Don’t look at it like it’s a weakness to use medication to help you thru this rough period. I’m not advocating taking medication for years, just to help you with this situational depression. The longer you go feeling badly, the worse it is for you. Google symptoms of depression and see if you have any of them. If so, print out the symptoms, highlight the ones you are experiencing and take this with you to an appointment with a Dr. Doesn’t have to be a therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist…a regular Dr. can prescribe antidepressants. Above all, seek guidance through daily prayer. Pray for God’s will for your life. it works.</p>