Therapy for 20-Somethings

Tired of Feeling Like Sh*T

This is not how you envisioned things would be. You feel like a mess inside – stressed out and wondering what the hell you’re doing with your life.

Your Personal Life is a Damn Mess

You’re so used to swiping left that your thumb has a blister. You’d rather stay home most nights rather than go out. Dealing with sex, mixed signals, mind games, ghosting – you feel jaded when it comes to dating.

“My ex and I finally broke up after I found out he was seeing someone else (if you could even call it that). Two years together, and he pulls this sh*t. I’m not going to lie, that stung. Now suddenly I have trust issues when I meet someone new.”

“Dating blows. I swear, I may scream the next time some assh*le texts me “Hey” at 4 AM. I had this guy who I met while out with friends randomly Snapchat me a d*ck pic. Like some rando stranger, I’d just met. Right, like let me get right on that.”

“People act like the label of bf/gf is marriage. They play all these mind games. Like if I text you, why does it take 5 hours to respond?”

“I’m 27, average in looks, got my shit together, I don’t drink or do drugs, and it’s hard to find someone interested in me. The rejection feels pretty soul-crushing after a while.”

Friendships Are Disappointing

And even though you have friends, those relationships can be meaningless, and you often feel lonely.

“I had a friend group but noticed that I was like a free therapist. It really wouldn’t have bothered me if things were reciprocated, but they weren’t. After a while, I felt emotionally drained and grew tired of being treated like crap, so I backed away.”

“I kept feeling used – like I was the last resort friend who got asked to go out when no one else was around. It just got old.”

“My supposed best friend started dating my ex without telling me. I found out after they’d been together a year. Seriously! An entire year – Like, who does that?”

“One of my close childhood friends ghosted me out of the blue. It was so weird. I thought she died. Then she contacted me through FB Messenger after not talking for 3 years to be friends again. Um, no.”

Responsibility Burnout

You have all these things you’re “supposed” to do, and it’s overwhelming. You know how to work hard, yet you’re unmotivated and uninspired. Wanting to get ahead and continually feeling behind, you’ve jumped through all these hoops – but for what? You’re exhausted and feel overworked, but for no good reason.

“I kept thinking if I took more classes, I’d figure it out. I was pre-med, pre-law, pre-veterinary… I was so stressed out that I took a year off after college to save some money and then go to grad school. Five years later, and I’m still at the same job, busting my ass for something I don’t care about.”

“I had all these to-do lists that I never completed. It made me feel better when I was writing them, but then I’d get anxious when I kept finding them incomplete.”

“I’m fine at work. I can get a ton done and just power through it. But then I end up procrastinating on my own errands and things and that stresses me out. I make a good living now and went to collections over a $25.00 bill just because I kept putting off paying it for some reason.”

Decision Fatigue

Uncertain about the future and afraid of failure, you struggle with making the right choices about life. What career should you have? Should you switch jobs, get another degree, move? Should you be saving, how do you invest?

And then, there are little things that weigh on you. What should you be eating? Should you eat out less, cancel your gym membership? Should you go with TurboTax again or get a CPA?

The questions are endless, and you sometimes feel paralyzed to make even the smallest of decisions.

“My parents were overachievers and it was just expected that us kids would do a lot, and we did. Girl Scouts, piano, dance, gymnastics, track, swim, volleyball…we were always so busy. When I was finally on my own, I didn’t even know what to get at the grocery store or cook. It was kind of a joke.”

“I have a lot of anxiety and struggle to make simple decisions, though I’m fine with the harder ones. Things like what to wear, what snack to choose… it’s like my brain shuts down and I start to panic. I didn’t know this was a thing.”

“I doubt at least one decision every single goddamned day.”

Imposter Syndrome

You feel like a sham, like you’re not really good enough and you don’t fit in. And when you are successful at something, it ends up feeling empty. You discount your accomplishments and worry people will “find out” that you’re not as smart or talented as everyone else, that you’re really a fraud just pretending.

“I worked hard and had good grades but really thought I wasn’t smart. I became so anxious and worried that people would think I was dumb when I didn’t know something. It started to get to me socially and I stopped speaking up.”

“I’m self-taught and don’t have degrees to back me up but have a lot of experience. I needed constant reassurance from my boss and coworkers that I was doing a good job for me to calm down.”

The Quarter-Life Crisis Is Real

Unfulfilled and unsure about the choices you’ve made, you’re painfully aware that you’re not reaching your full potential, or think you’re falling behind everyone else. Feeling lost and wanting more out of life, you just want to say “f*ck it” and escape somehow.

“I would try to squeeze more than was humanly possible into my day. I kept trying to prove myself, and it was never enough.”

“The main thing I noticed was that I was irritable all the time. Like my tolerance for bullsh*t was gone and I just didn’t care.”

“I’m first-gen. My parents busted their butts to give me an education and all the extras, so I’d have opportunities they didn’t have. But I resent like hell that I don’t seem to have a say in anything. At the same time, I feel guilty and obligated to do what’s expected. I just feel like sh*t and am already tired of life.”

“I had all these exciting ideas at work, but management shot them down. It suddenly felt like my career was a dead-end job and I had zero idea what to do next, or even the point of it all. It was pretty depressing.”

“I worked ridiculously hard and bought my first house. But I felt trapped. I kept thinking; I should sell it, cash out my 401, and travel before it’s too late.”

“One afternoon, I lost it in a meeting and walked out.”

Feel Better and Get Your Sh*t Together

Life shouldn’t feel like a chore or like you’re trying to prove yourself all the time.

Call me at (720) 845-6600 or email drjodiebenabe@somethingwildwellness.com to schedule a free 20-minute consultation.