Wanting to feel significant
Almost all psychological theories posit that people need to feel significant and that they matter. Theology does the same thing. Yet it seems like so many are struggling with feelings of loneliness, inferiority and directionlessness. So to fill the void many abuse drugs and alcohol, or turn to sex or food or exercise or.... Anything to alter the mood and lessen the feelings of despair.
I have struggled with this a majority of my life and it stems from my childhood of abuse. I have filled my void in various ways at various points in my life. Education was a biggie early on. I lived and breathed academia. Then I threw myself into work. A workaholic. And relationships... and most recently alcohol. None of that improved my innate feelings of "not being good enough". In fact, most of it reinforced those feelings.
So, now I am trying to find a balance and not run to the "next thing" to fill that void. It's tough to break a lifelong pattern.
Any thoughts about this? How did you cope?