Do you ever feel like you don't know who you are?

How can you allow other people to get to know you if you don't even know yourself? Does anyone understand?

I do, and I feel the same way.

yep i understand u. i thought this for a long time (and still sometimes do) but then i found out that even though i didnt really know who i was my housemates did. one person told me exactly what she thought of me after we had fallen out and although it was really difficult to hear since it was all bad stuff she helped me understand myself more.

i guess what im saying is just because u dont feel like u know urself it doesnt necessarily prevent others knowing u. if u have the courage to ask an honest person in ur life how he/she sees u, u may be able to lean a lot.

A way to get to know yourself is to challenge yourself with new things, then observe the process. Learning new skills and traveling to new environments that awaken your senses are ways to see yourself in action, and get to know yourself.

learning who u r is very difficult especially if you really dont want to know who u r , are afraid to find out who u r or really dont like who u r authentically once u start to find out what that is. i have gone around with a social mask on for years. trying to be what i thought i had to be for others to like me. that takes so much energy its draining. i would wonder why i was always so tired and its becasue the mental energy used to be something u r not and constantly hide your true self is overwhelming and the depression and anxiety it casuses is overwhelming. i guess we just have to accept ourselves as we are and so be it, if someone doesnt like u then so be it. at least those who do will know the true u as will you. just let go, observe yourself, be very aware and try and detach from the chains of self hate and free to be true, real and authentic.

In as much as three words I can sum up my entire idea of who myself is "I don't know". I was when I was and now am this. My world is mostly still within, dreams and other have passed or not realizing they went by. Without is a word I can only say I felt once. Without a self I can say I ask all the time. Today I watched as two men were speaking, then two women or one of the men. It was at my mental health center. The speed of descision what to say was normal to me. An average conversation. My life is where I sit and try to think of words phrases and can't. I do say some things, but my motion is slow and my words are far between, confused and misunderstood. Those are my illness conversations when the illness is obvious and shows. I don't think of me having anymore but a injured self. One that can't do everyday things but scattered those thoughts are. And with mostly a blank thought. It's not a granted peace, I think I'm dying. I was also diagnosed with schitzophrenia paranoia, and depression. I pray It's the depression not the other. My art world went from walking people to blank colors, It's true. Well, my attitude is better and my motion will be I hope.

Sometimes you just wing it. Exposing yourself to new and different things is how you learn if you like something or some one.

Human Beings are amazing creatures.

I was told to go with my gut feeling along time ago from a great therapist. So far it has never failed me.

You may not have a clue, about an activity, and when you do it and love it, You can say wish I started sooner!

You seem to just get out there and go! How will you ever know,
if you live your life in a way were you dont try new things?

Thank-you for your comments and concerns. Today I had a session with my theropist. It was explained to me that I really am here and not to worry. The time between major crisis in my life and now put me to question alot of others and create a time in my life when I wasn't experiencing me. The people around I put a wall up and forbid anyone and all others from what was left of me, not even knowing what that was. I was paranoid and sufforing. It wasn't a time of my life I can completely remember either. Im willing to try again, but just as I say Im ready I need to see others living and experiencing life before I think I'll have it again. I'm starting now, today. Meds,diet,weight loss and a new understanding. My primary care and assistant walked me through those first couple. Thanks again.

Thanks for letting us know you are doing well.

I think a lot of people struggle with their identity.A lot of people identify themselves in terms of who they are NOT. "I'm NOT rich". "I'm NOT good looking". I'm NOT smart enough". "I'm NOT worth crap" etc. To find out who one is, it might makes some sense to stop obsessing all the time about who he/she is not. Surely people are not ONLY who they think they are NOT but ultimately are who they want to be. We all want to be happy and to have inner peace in the end, bottom line. But that doesn't necessarily mean that if one thinks all the happy thoughts like "I'm worthy", "I'm smart" etc then they are going to be like that in the end. With anxiety/depression negative thoughts are symptoms of the illness itself and getting to the root of the illness/anxiety is the way to fight against the thoughts. Sometimes thoughts determine behaviour and ultimately the lifestyle BUT other times it's the other way round.

Things that people do have an effect on the way the think. Self-destructive behaviour results in self-destructive/negative thoughts. How can one logically feel good after doing a bad thing. Unfortunately that's EXACTLY what anxiety thrives on. We feel like crap and we don't think twice about doing crappy things AND we do crappy things only to end up feeling like crap again.