Arianna

I have a fear of being lonely. I also fantasize about having a large family and always being around company. Could my fantasy of being with people be connected to my fear of loneliness? Why would I have a fear of loneliness? 

I have friends to talk to. I don’t get to see them often cause of the pandemic but we text. However, I don’t feel like a meaningful connection. We talk and catch up and joke and stuff but I want to feel closer and I don’t know how because I’ve never had a very close connection with anyone except one friend who passed away. Lately, I’ve been having this problem of just creating pleasing scenarios in my head were I’m happy and have company that I enjoy and I’m getting lots of attention from them that I want. Could this be like a maladaptive daydreaming problem, or ocd even though the thoughts are nice like fantasies, or can these thoughts be caused by me feeling lonely? I prefer living in these thoughts in my head than in real life. I wish I could live out these scenarios in real life and have a deeper connection with others. What could my problem be... is this normal... what is something I can do, any advice? 

I feel like I keep on daydreaming. I don’t know if this is ocd behavior or if this is a way that my body is coping with past events. I’m not even sure. I wouldn’t even know what event it is trying to process. I feel like I want to be in a daydream state to numb myself. Has anyone experienced this? What is my problem? Any advice? 

Why does my mind have to be constantly stimulated or entertained. I’m someone or something is not entertaining me my mind will wander off and start becoming anxious or depressed. Is this normal or is this a mental health problem? 

I have lost 3 close family members within the past 6 months. I’m not sure if I’m experiencing cumulative grief but I feel numb. I feel scared of how I will replace these 3 people who I was very close to. I feel like my support network is smaller because of this. When I was younger I suffered from depression but I don’t think I am experiencing depression right now even though I feel numb because I am not constantly crying. I feel like I am pushing my emotions on the back burner because I don’t want to feel upset or anything but on the other hand I feel like I need to cope with it and don’t know where to begin. Any advice for me is appreciated. 

Even though I am emerging into adulthood, I feel like I am still a child. I worked at a summer camp and I couldn’t get any of the kids to listen to me. I had felt like a child myself there. When a child was getting yelled at I felt like I was getting yelled at. Then I wonder what will it be like when I have my own kids one day? How will I be able to parent if I still feel like a child? Others I have spoken to say that they feel the same throughout their whole lives. It’s weird to think that I am the one in charge of the kids at the summer camp when I feel like someone else is supposed to be in charge. Does anyone else feel or think this? 

My older brother is 15 years older than me. He is my sister and I’s current legal guardian. I was talking to a friend over text that my older brother told me to stay away from and not talk to. When my little sister was walking by she saw me texting this friend. Then she started saying how I wasn’t supposed to be talking to them and I told her to mind her business and not to say anything to my older brother. I even gave her $5 dollars. However, at dinner time my little sister and I were fighting over the tv remote and she said out loud that she was going to tell our brother who I was talking to earlier if she didn’t get the remote. Our older brother heard this and asked us who I was talking to. I said that I was talking to one of my friends that he approves of and then she said no it’s the friend you told her not to talk to. So then I pushed my sister and she hit me. My brother asked me to give him my phone so he could see who I talked to. I said no it’s my phone. Then he dragged me to my room and said either I give him my phone right now or I spend the rest of the day in my room with no phone. So anyways I gave it to him and he said I will get it back in 24 hours. I know I probably shouldn’t have been talking to this person but I was lonely and I feel like this is my sisters fault for opening her mouth. Even though our older brother is our legal guardian I don’t think he should be able to take my phone away. He said it was his house and his rules. What’s your opinion on this

My boyfriend and his ex’s family started communicating again after my boyfriend telling me for years how much they sucked. I found this odd and by the change of the way he spoke of them, he started speaking down about my family. After this event I kind of lost feelings for my boyfriend but on the other hand I am confused and I want us to be happy together like we once were. Is there a way for things to go how they were after this, should I just move on, should I work on things... I am so confused. Advice please. 

I currently work part time but I want to work full time in the near future once I finish my class. However, even with working part time I find myself becoming so exhausted that my body just feels like a deflating balloon and I just want to go home and lay down to rest. I am worried how exhausted I will feel working full time if I’m feeling like this by working part time. Is this normal? Can I do anything to get more stamina or energy to make it through the work day? I can’t do anything after work like cook or errands because I become so tired. 

My friend told me she is going to ask me to be the godmother of her baby once she makes it out of the first trimester. However I don’t know whether or not I want to be the godmother. I want to do it because we always talk to each other and I’d love to be there to support her baby throughout his or her life. On the other hand, this baby got conceived by a man who was cheating on his wife and he is now angry at my friend for wanting to keep the baby. There is lots of drama going on between them. That is something that I don’t want to be stuck in the middle of. I don’t like the nature of what happened (cheating on spouse then baby being born). I don’t know if this is a situation I should get involved in by becoming a godmother to the baby. What is everyone’s opinions. Would you do this, why or why not?

I feel like I’m constantly thinking about stuff. I feel like I’m stuck in my own mind. Then I feel like I can’t think of any new thoughts cause my mind is so consumed by the stuck thoughts. What is this and why is it happening? 

I’m a mentor with an organization similar to big brother big sister and I volunteer for this. However, I am the mentor to two teenage girls. It’s still in the beginning of our relationship but sometimes I don’t know what to talk about with them. What can I talk about, say or do so it’s not boring? 

I’m very chill and act like a friend instead of an authority figure. Could I work with kids if my personality is like this? In what type of setting? Can my personality become more authoritative with practice if needed and how?

I’m mentoring two teenage sisters. A 14 and 17 year old. The 17 year old always talks and shows up for our virtual meetings every week. However the younger 14 year old sister shows her face like once every 3 weeks. (I don’t know if she is shy or takes time to open up or doesn’t want to talk or is insecure). I only send our meeting link to the 17 year old because I have her email. Should I start sending the email with meeting link to the younger sister as well? How can I get her more engaged? Is this something I should bring up to my supervisor? Why may she not be talking or engaged?

Because I don't have a big family I fear that I won't have people in my life down the road. Is this normal? It makes me sad.

Whenever a family member of mine is going to go out I get anxious and feel lonely. I get this feeling of being alone or something. What is this?

I'm getting my teen cousins Christmas gifts. They are 14 and 17. I asked to see their lists and they showed me and mentioned they both really wanted this shirt. It was 30 dollars. I was planning on spending a little less on both of them like 20-25 dollars. However, I would spend the extra few bucks if it was something they really wanted like this shirt. Would they be happy with many small cheaper gifts or would they be happier with the one shirt that they really want?

I feel irritated, angry, cranky, upset, lonely, and a little anxious. This happens to me all the time. Could this be pms, anxiety, or depression? Who would I talk to about this, my doctor or a therapist?

I feel stressed and overwhelmed. I have so many school assignments, I'm worrying about work, and I am stressed on top of it which is making me feel anxious and depressed. What should I focus on. What is more important right now? Work, school, or mental health? Should I stop working to focus on my health and education or is work experience important on a resume?

My brother who is 15 years older than me was in charge for the weekend. In his eyes I was misbehaving so he asked me for my phone. I didn't want to give it to him at first but eventually did. He told me he'd give it back to me after 24 hours of being respectful. A few hours later I kept bugging him to give me my phone back and drove him crazy. He told me "no" so then I just got so angry I didn't even think and just punched him. He said "this is not acceptable go to your room" but I did not and then he picked me up and carried to my room and shut the door. I started started screaming and left my room then he saw me and told me to go back to my room until we've both calmed down and then he will come to talk to me about what happened. What should I do now?