I have every reason to be happy, but im not. Why?

Hi, i'm new here but im hoping some of you can help point me in the right direction.

A few years ago I was under quite a lot of pressure and was becoming quite anxious and irritable because of it. On top of that, as I have never really felt right within myself, I decided to go and see a psychotherapist. After a few weeks of weekly sessions he determined "theres nothing wrong with you, stop wasting your money with me". He did suggest I do some mindfulness meditation which help no end and I still do today.

Now though, those troubled times are behind me. I'm self employed and my business appears to have a promising future. I'm under some financial pressure at the moment but, probably thanks to the mindfulness, I do not consider it to be a problem that I can not overcome.

I am a 36 year old man. An only child, estranged to all my family except my Mum. Some might describe me as quirky, i'm certainly a non-conformist. I don't really have any materialistic desires and I don't consider that I need anything more than I already have. I'm probably something of a loner. I do have friends and people seem happy in my company but, even when I was a child, I just seemed to get depressed if I spent too long in the company of others. I do not have a partner but I have dated on and off. Where girlfriends are concerned its not long before I start to get depressed in their company and value the freedom that I have being single even more.

So what is it all about? I have every reason to feel contented but I do not feel cheerful. I am apparently the person I want to be and satisfied with the direction im going in but I still don't feel "right" in myself. How can I find out why that is and how I can improve it?

p.s Thanks for reading this long post.

Second paragraph should have read "a few months of weekly sessions".

I feel similar to what you describe. So many things to be thankful for, which sometimes I do forget to feel grateful but even when I do realize it, I don't feel content. There's nothing really wrong in my life to account for my depression but depressed I am. Depression doesn't have to have a logical reason; sometimes there are psychological causes for it, or sometimes it's chemical. And, just because one therapist didn't have a solution for you doesn't mean there isn't one. Try another one. And a third if you need to.

Best of luck to you

Thanks Charlene.

Perhaps you can help me understand this. If its a chemical imbalance surely I can do something to raise the levels of what ever it is that makes me depressed. I've been on seroxat in the passed and it really doesn't agree with me. Is there anything more natural I can use?

I was wondering if I was experiencing loneliness but the more I think about I just dont feel I ever have been "wired up" for close interpersonal relationships. That said I just can't understand why I can have a successful, creative and productive week but finish it all off asking myself "whats the point of being alive?" Can psychotherapy really alter ones perception that much?

Just a friendly reminder that no one here is a professional to give any recommendations as to any type of vitamins, supplements, or medication. You can share what has worked for you or what hasn't worked for you, but do not recommend something to anyone on this forum.

Sorry to reply late. But yes, medication can help. There are natural remedies out there, as well as lots of prescription-required kinds. Some people take well to one, some do better on another; sometimes things work initially but then stop; sometimes dosages need to be increased; sometimes additional meds are needed. Sadly there's not one approach that works for everyone. In my case, what worked best was an anti-anxiety med. I'd never been diagnosed with anxiety even though I definitely have it because I thought everyone worried as much as I did so I didn't disclose it. However, that, too, has stopped working as well as it once did.

Don't give up, keep trying, and yes, psychotherapy is very beneficial too!