Feeling like i lost my chance at life

[mimi000]

Your 23 years old. Barely out of your teens! And you think your too old to achieve your goals, so your not bothered about anything?? That's just really negative . Can I ask why you have come onto this site, and what you want to get out of it? Do you suffer from trauma/ptsd?

I have complex ptsd from years of childhood trauma. I find it comforting to read about other people's experiences and seek help and comfort in other survivors.

As for the age thing, It's so weird but I've kind of always felt old. Even in my teens I felt like I was older a lot. Its a symptom of cptsd to have unequal development in a sense. I feel too old sometimes and too young other times. And I always read stuff online about how people in their 30s are old and even though i know its illogical, I always feel like I'm running out of time

 

[mimi000]

I think there is an article on this sight about thought stopping and/or cognitive distortions.

Have you tried thought stopping?

It sounds like you have some beliefs ("everyone is doing better than me", "I should be ahead of where I am", "I am too old to sort this now") that are limiting you. Those thoughts aren't true, but they feel true. And you find confirmation of them in interactions which confirms to you that they are true.
The thing about cognitive distortions is that we can always find proof they are true when we are focused on looking for that proof.
But....thought stopping, counter messages, with a lot of practice, help to change it around.

Because it's not true.
Are there people your age that emotionally and socially and financially more sorted then you? Well of course!
Are there people your age that are emotional and socially and financially less sorted than you? Well of course!

Maybe the question is, why are you comparing yourself to others?
Working on building your sense of self and self worth will help to stop you comparing yourself to others.

It really really is doable.
But it takes work and commitment.
And, very annoyingly, healing is not linear. You will have easier and harder times, and relapse back a bit and then go forward again. But stick with it.

What was the of the goals you set yourself that you would like to pick up again?

This was really helpful thank you!!

As for my goals, I've been looking into applying to college, I've wanted to get back into making art and I've also wanted to start my weight loss journey. I'm procrastinating on all of those right now

 

[Freddyt]

Tbh I do have goals but I just feel like I'm too broken and "old" to achieve them. I feel so much fomo all the time and like I'm running out of time. So I don't even bother trying at all

PTSD is a lying bastard. 50 years I have lived with it, I know. The only way you run out of time is by not using the time you have. You have lots of time and unlike me, who figured out 45 years down the road there was complex PTSD, you have a chance to fix it and live a better life for a large part of your life.

I am way down the road from where you are and fighting like hell to have a few years of peace and happiness in my life. No giving in to depression or wanting to curl up and say all that stuff will defeat me, because PTSD? Lies to me all the time.