Feeling Something Big Is Going To Happen.

So I'm still young at the age of 20 but recently in the past year I've come down hard to reality. I wish I could go back to when I was 17 running a muck drinking and smoking not thinking about how the world runs and what life really is. At first I looked at religion last year a lot and I just couldn't find anything in them that made me feel secure and go back to normal life. It just got deeper since then, not falling into any religionous beliefs. I'm not sure if it's me when I smoke weed and think too much about life or not, I've stopped smoking weed for a month to see if it made any difference but it did not. I just want to know if I'm normal or if I am actually going insane.

I constantly everyday think, why do I exist? What is life? Does God exist? Are we an experiment of alien beings much more intelligent then us, like we are more intelligent and bigger then rats? Are we not alone? Is something going to happen soon, for example, 2012? I think about these and alot more so much that my own life around me seems to just be a blur. I phase out of conversations a lot. I also get bored of anything REAL quick because I know what I am doing is nothing compared to having those questions answered. I feel like I need a psych to help me because I am feeling anxiety kick in, although I know that won't help because what I know (or want to know) I can't just forget.

I find it hard to make sence of how I am feeling in the last couple months / past year. I hope someone can understand and reply with something positive. Feels like something big is going to happen and ignoring it just makes thoughts worse. Maybe someone here is a psych and help a little.

Also recently smoking weed makes me think about those questions rather then enjoy my stoned time. It makes me depressed sometimes because I can't and know they probably wont be answered. I get paranoid real quick, when I watch the news, I used to watch and think nothing of nuclear weapons and terrorists because my mind was too busy on drinking out etc.. like North Korea got me all worked up thinking WWIII was going to go down, haha. You are free to laugh at a fellow paranoid stoner.

James.

You smoking too much or something was in your bud when you were smoking..lmao

I do see humourous value in what I am experiencing as well. I do feel like it's just me tripping out or whatever, but it's all got me curious and thinking too much.

Like my brain only just kicked in and I opened my eyes to a whole new maturity level.

James.

Hey James, you do not sounds insane or wrong in any way. These are the questions that most everyone asks as they go from the carefree childhood to adulthood. In a way, the questions do start to be answered...but that answer is different for each individual. You are starting to question the world around you for yourself because you are becoming a part of that world yourself. You do not have to be tied to anyone to form your own feelings, beliefs and ways. Some of the anxiety could be caused by the fact that you are starting to understand that you are now your own.

As for the something big happening, I do not worry too much about it. Lots of big things happen and really all that you can do is make sure your "house" is in order. For me, I let things come and go. I do not get too anxious over events because in the end they are transient events anyway. Whether you take the biblical view of around 10,000 years or evo view of 4,000,000,000...anything "big" we might experience is a drop in the bucket, so why worry? I live my life because I am alive. I strive to be helpful to others, even if I do not have all of the answers. I aim to live in such a way that I do not cause harm to another; spiritually, emotionally or physically. I can only keep my little corner of the universe clean and I feel that no matter what happens "in the big picture", that is all that will count for me. I apologize as I have not provided any real answers that I can tell.

You do give me a perspective in which I could try and use in my life though so I thank you for that and hope it possibly helps me overcome some feelings.

Dude, I've been there..

In the last 6 years since my divorce, I've had the same questions. But as I have a scientific mind (do it for a living). I looked at is rationally from an outside perspective..
The scientific method is our very best way to answer questions about reality.
I could point you to websites and podcasts that talk about these things. The skeptical/Atheist groups out there are a huge help to those who dare to question reality..

When it comes to beliefs, you must always take the null hypothesis, Nothing is true till proven otherwise. Standards of evidence need to be as high as possible. Be almost anal about it.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.. All claims, even scientific ones, thought they are rarely extraordinary..

Is there a reason to believe in god? Is there a reason to think that life is anything other than the eventuality cause by the existence of our universe as it is.. Life can exist, we know that. The universe creates (via super nova) every single last bit of matter that makes you or I. The eventuality of life is not avoidable in such a universe. Evolution takes us the rest of the way.. You grow plants? You know that sometimes the plant just finds a way? It's just as alive as you or I, It "wants" to live. I'm anthropomorphizing the plant, but you get the idea that all the plant can do is live, otherwise it wouldn't be a plant anymore.. You and I want to live for the same "reasons" as the plant. To live is to experience, to die is to - -. The persistence of life and evolution via natural selection brings us to where we are, why we are.. As for "who" we are, that is not a question science can answer. It seems likely that it is a invalid question. Like "Why are unicorns hollow?" Just because you can form it in to a question, doesn't mean it can even have an answer.

The bottom line is, the best we can do, is use the brain that evolution gave us. Evaluate and criticize a claim, all the evidence for the claim (remembering to hold the highest possible standards of evidence, and be prepared to let go of the most cherished belief) and follow the trail as far as you can take it, when you get to a point where you can go no further, that is the extent of your knowledge, anything after that is not reality. Be comfortable with saying I don't know. Specially since you've studied all the evidence yourself thoroughly, you can be reasonably sure that nobody else knows. And if they do, and they can prove it to you, then you will too.

It's the best anyone can do, then there are always lies and ignorance. Ignorance is Bliss, cause you don't know how wrong you are.

If you want I can PM you some info, some books to read, some podcasts, and websites..

Hey Tym, the PM would be great to read through, I will see if I can relate to any of it, I probably will enjoy the read anyway.

I sometimes question myself whether I should do something in the science area. I just don't know what path I would take in a scientists career; I always enjoyed learning about things such as DNA engineering, Quantum Mechanics, things that help me understand who we are, who I am. Although I was in the highest maths classes and a good student I just suddenly quit school in year 11 regretfully and just started working full time for the money. Don't know what kind of moneys in the scientific career I'd be interested in anyway

James.

Hi Skroatz

I dont want to write many words, i feel this one could be interesting for you: http://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA#p/u/0/GtS8ntxJdNs
Its a talk of a buddhist monk who has been a theoretical physicst. His talks are quite deep and not really about believs, more about having fun while finding a deeper meaning in life. Hes quite a good psych.

your not crazy im much the same way and age, this world is fucked and weird just look at it the way i do that until proven otherwise we live once so find stuff or something your passionate about and do it, this will help you find some meaning

Perfextionist420 said:

your not crazy im much the same way and age, this world is fucked and weird just look at it the way i do that until proven otherwise we live once so find stuff or something your passionate about and do it, this will help you find some meaning

Click to expand...

I seen your thread just down from this one. Exactly what is in my head. It's like I just opened my mind to see things in a way I never did previously, and it's kind of disturbing. I feel like I'm going to go insane in a few years because I keep going back to square one, time will tell. I thought it could be schizophrenia from weed or something but I would know and wonder if I didn't smoke anyway. So maybe life is just getting really messed up where some people can't enjoy life as much as they used to.

Skroatz you are not alone here. I am 22 and have recently been feeling as though a big change is underway. What this change actually is I can only speculate upon but here are a few thoughts. Perhaps this change is a new direction of human evolution driven specifically by this new exponential growth in technology. The internet, nuclear power, all this electromagnetic radiation; maybe it is rewiring the human mind in strange and novel ways and part of this we are beginning to feel with our anxiety and that constant push pull feeling that we are being spread thin. Or maybe all this 2012 talk in the media and online has got us all paranoid, either way it should be a fun ride and I try not to worry about it.

I don't mean any offense, but to me it sounds like you could do with a good hobby... something to obsess over besides your existence. (Not that contemplating the universe and your place in it is a bad thing, but too much of just about anything is... well, too much). So, a hobby. Not something mindless or just distracting like video games, but something creative that you can direct a good amount of your mental energy toward. Maybe playing/writing music?

I know exactly what you're going through. I'm now 25, but I started having the same anxiety/thoughts when I was 23, completely Christian, and married. I am now agnostic and I feel like I relate a lot to Tym who posted in this thread earlier.

Basically, there is no one who really knows what the hell is going on. We exist, that's it. Anyone who claims to "know" the purpose of life etc is either ignorant of their own delusions, or trying to mislead you. It's been a hard road out of Christianity as I am now divorced because of it. You're sort of lucky you're going through this at 20.

Basically, I found most of the answers to my questions via science and the scientific method. I consider myself a skeptic, and find the weekly podcast "skeptics guide to the universe" both entertaining and extremely informative about the skeptic movement. You might want to check it out if you're interested.

You think of these things with or without pot, but really I relate to you when you say the pot will make you depressed because you'll think about existence and become frustrated that you'll never get the answers to your questions. I can totally relate, and still struggle to not obsess over it. Good luck bro and peace.

What you are doing, and what the weed is inspiring you to do, is to think critically. Your only problem seems to be that you need guidance in how to think critically without fooling yourself into thinking life is worthless. It's healthy for your mind to feel doubt, doubt leads to questions, and it's understandable to feel frustrated, scared and even apathetic when those questions don't have satisfactory answers.

Skeptics guide to the universe, - an escape to reality

I agree with bartender, this podcast helped me a lot in learning how to interpret reality. It doesn't happen with just one listen, but eventually you will pick up on their methods. In the meantime it's a decently entertaining podcast. They also have a companion podcast called 5x5, they are short an concentrate on introducing you to skeptical concepts.

Another fun and less involved way to introduce yourself to critical thinking is Captain Disillusion. He takes many of the 'paranormal' videos on youtube and shows you how silly they are. They might not directly answer your questions, but they will hopefully show you that life shouldn't be taken at face value.

The better you understand reality, the less intimidating life seems. Once you clear your mind of myths and untruths, once you make yourself aware of common 'thinking' mistakes, you will be free to contemplate the true mysteries of the cosmos, big and small, and the fact that you wont get answers to these new questions might seem awe-inspiring rather than depressing. A lot of the questions you ask and are getting depressed about, turn out to be rather mundane when you get under the surface. Correctly experiencing reality will help you to better understand your place within it.


[video=youtube;a15KgyXBX24]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a15KgyXBX24[/video]

You're jsut a slick nutted kid, give a few years a a couple of devorses and you'll see that life sucks then you die..

i'm just turning 22 man i was exactly the same.
I hate not knowing and would almost go into a rage because i couldn't find out what was real. questioning every thing all i can say is sooner or later it wont be so bad you will learn to except that you cant know all the answers.
and like perfextionist says this world is "fucked" everything seems to be backwards and find something your passionate about and do it.

I myself find it amazing to look back on how much i have grown over a few short years.

your thirst for knowledge is a good thing feed it

i went threw same shit expect i was 15...bout 21 now just started to look at it like i have better things to worry bout bigger things out there get into a nice grow before you know it youll be so busy with life you wont have time to think about shit like that just the way i look at it but hey who am i lol

In sociology, this is just another phase in your life, where you actually "find yourself". Think Pantheism though. Makes sense to me.

OP, I hear you man. This is the phase of life when you start to see all the bullshit... how fucked up everything really is... it drives you crazy... more so if you are truly a good person...

What you need to see is that amongst all the BS is that there are SO many beautiful things in this universe. So many things to get, as others have said, passionate about. You will figure it out.

it could be that your at a point in your life where your sun sign may progressing into a different sign and this would result in a general change of mind and character. we all go through two or three sun sign progressions in our lifetime. whats your date of birth?