I started this job at a small business in 2024.

Previously I haven't had any issues with my back or any need to pursue help from health professionals.

Whilst at this job my back has been slowly worn away (lack of a better term).

Last year and this year I hurt my back at work. Although I did tell my boss about the last one, I never pursued Compensation, this time I did. Since the injury in 2025 my back issue has become a chronic problem (doctors words not mine) and I have to continually exercise and stretch to prevent any problems and issues arising.

My boss is convinced that my back injury didn't come from this job and that I've done it outside of work, somehow.

This job is physically hard and if I had back problems before it, I wouldn't have taken the job.

Whilst I'm dealing with the work compensation, my boss is consistent with the notion that I didn't do this at work because Ive had a lot of problems, while at this job, with my back. Ive called in sick a fair amount in the last year because of it.

I didn't do workers compensation because I don't want to work, I did it because I feel like I deserve restitution, I've lost money from work I cannot do, I've paid hundreds out of my own pocket for doctors and physios to help. I don't know how to control the situation or stand up for myself without feeling like I'm going to break down. I feel I'm being belittled and coerced to believe it's not the job.

This injury has changed my life, there are things I can no longer do. My overall well-being has decreased. And I feel my boss just doesn't care and I'm just another issue.

I just need some advice on things I could say, do or approaches I could take.

Hi, For starters I am M21 and i've been looking in for collages, as when i was in high school i took gap years since i was in a bad state of time. Ive been looking ag local colleges but none of then offer anything i like (That is Art/ Animation) and any I do find, Are for above skill level that i possess. Is it just that collage is not for me. (As i thought collage was for hellijg you build your skills up more, not pushing away) What do I do. Do i give up on collage and just work, or try and go eveb if i dislike any course offered.

Pretty much the title, i’ve grown up poor but never felt it at an early age since my mum was good at hiding it.

My mum and dad split up when i was 7 due to my dad cheating and being an alcoholic (i’m 20 now) and he hasn’t been in my life consistently since, basically disappeared for a year and then came back to see me every few months.

since i turned 15 and he’s had another child who is my half brother he’s really been trying to mend our relationship and put more effort in but because i’m only able to see him once every 2 months on average it’s just not really possible to become close, add that on top of the fact that he just started trying way too late i don’t see him as a father figure at all but more like some guy in my life who tries to give me advice occasionally.

i don’t look up to him at all as he’s not particularly successful. he just worked bar jobs for decades and then suddenly switched to public transportation so he’s not someone i aspire to be at all. i think the main reason for my resentment with him was that he split our family up and put us in a very bad financial situation when leaving, refusing to pay child support and other things.

i always resented my situation growing up but as i’ve gotten older it’s become more apparent, especially since coming to uni where a lot of people are privileged and have trust funds or at least just not penniless. it’s really made me realise how much other parents have set up their children for success while mine haven’t.

dont get me wrong i had a okay childhood and always felt loved from my mum but i can’t shake the feeling that my parents having me was extremely selfish. i believe they were irresponsible for having me before having certain things you need to give someone a good life. examples of these would be:

financial literacy

a support web of people

a good amount of savings so one mistake or unfortunate event doesn’t cripple you financially

a car

a house or some way of getting on the property ladder

i think the main reason for my resentment is the realisation that my parents have not helped for my future at all. the reason i have a savings account at all is because i’ve been working since 14, the reason im able to survive in uni is because im having to work 50 hour weeks while doing an engineering degree. a lot of people in my life are able to just chill out and focus on their studies but if i do that im unable to afford rent and other life necessities. my point is that everything i have in my life i’ve had to scrape for it and it’s difficult seeing so many people just be handed things to them.

honestly if i’m being an ungrateful brat and need a reality check please tell me but in the meantime what are some good ways to get over this feeling as it’s clearly not benefitting me.

I feel so hopeless and scared right now because I don't want to lose a ton of weight or be malnourished, but eating feels like torture. I feel really nauseous every time I eat. I haven't thrown up yet but I almost did after breakfast this morning. I hate eating at this point.

This started when I was on a double course of antibiotics due to an infection. The infection itself was scary and stressful and I've had to quit my job because it was work-related (I work with animals) and I'm scared of an infection like that happening again. I noticed that the antibiotics seemed to make me hate eating and ruined my appetite, but it's possible that it was also related to stress and anxiety. The loss of appetite and hatred for eating has persisted for over a month. Eating feels like a grueling chore and it makes me sick. I don't know if I have an eating disorder and I don't know if I've been eating enough because of this problem, but my weight still seems healthy/normal as of now.

I'm terrified that I have gastroparesis. I haven't been to a doctor because I'm about to lose health insurance due to quitting my job. I'm so scared and I need help. Is this just severe anxiety? I don't know what to do.

I lost my dog recently and I’ve been trying to choose an urn for his ashes.

I thought I would know what I wanted, but I honestly feel so unsure about everything right now.

Part of me keeps thinking that I’m making this decision while I’m still in the middle of grief, and I’m scared that later on, when things don’t feel so raw, I’ll look back and regret what I chose.

Like what if I’m choosing based on how sad I feel right now instead of what I’ll actually want long term?

I know this is something that’s supposed to be meaningful, which is probably why I’m putting so much pressure on it.

I keep looking at different options and thinking:
“Is this really the right one?”
“Will I still feel this way about it months from now?”

At the same time, I don’t want to wait forever because I feel like this is something I should handle for my dog.

I feel stuck between wanting to make the right choice and not trusting myself right now.

I`ll try to put it as concise as possible.

I`m from a very infamous country that`s on the news a lot and I`m finally kinda can afford to move out to EU through a blue card. I haven`t landed an offer yet but I think it`s complitely doable by the end of the year though not easy by any stretch.

But thinking about moving out and how it`s gonna change my life brings me to tears. And I can`t decide if it`s for the better of for worse.

The benefits are obvious - I might start making more money and live in a stable country. Unlike living in constant anxiety and turbulenced not knowing if my country goes north korea in 5 years or falls apart in a civil war. I know i can`t keep making more money and growing my career at home anymore.

I`ve also always had a kind of a dream to live abroad for a couple of years so if things get better at home, I might just come back as well.

But the change it brings to my life... oh god. I feel like `im about to choose the exact scenario i`ve wanted to not live my whole life.

The thing is I have a whole sad history in my family and my parents aren`t getting any younger and i`m scared to lose them before we can really talk it over and get closer. Which is incredible unlikely with me constantly living away (I have since 17). Coming back to see them from EU is gonna be MUCH harder. And they absolutely won`t be coming to see me.

Another thing goes from there - when I have kids, my kids are never gonna be close to their grandparents and their cousins. They are not gonna see each other regularly. I know it cuz it`s just exactly the way I grew up. My granparents dead before I learned to walk and this emptiness haunts me still. the lack of them. I never want this for my children and I want my family around when I have my own family. the way it was for my sister too.

But my family doesn`t understand all this. They can`t gather up the curage to support me. they don`t have a clue why i want to move, they don`t understand nor my very rational fear of our country up in flames, neither my aspiration to continue my career abroad.

I feel like I`m on a huge crossroads and about to strip myself of something i`ve never really had but hoped for (good family dynamic and having them around) and giving myself the ultimate adventure\dream (moving abroad). And somehow these two come together.

Should i trust my guts and risk it and go abroad? I feel like there are just too many factors involved and I geniounly can`t find any peace with any desicion regardiing all this.

I desprately need an advice or like a bigger perspective of someone who`s been there.

Basically my friend and i are best friends, for 9 years [were both 16] his grandad raised him from the age of like 7 due to legal reasons.

And about a week ago i was invited to the funeral but I'm not allowed in my hometown due to some social services stuff about my dad. And also, i just cant afford to travel to him.

It's been bothering me even if we dont talk alot on text and so i dont really know how he felt about that, but i feel like i missed an opportunity to once again help him out in a rough time.

Anyone able to tell me how I can help him out even while away from him?

I’ve just completed my jury service and while I am fully confident in what I voted for, and we were all unanimous on the charges and our verdict I still feel… depressed?

It wasn’t too serious but it was criminal and to be vague it was essentially a hit and run coming out of a car park. The three family members and an employee (all victims although only one was hit) were witness’ and it was really rough.

There was some a lot of tension in the room and the defences’ wife was sat watching the three day trial.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the verdict was guilty to all (2 alternative charges and one with deletions) and while I am so confident I made the right decision I can’t help but feel like my decision has now affected his life.

He’s a carer, on benefits, uses his car to get around and be a carer for his dad and as I was coming out of the court earlier I saw the wife sobbing and it just made me feel so distraught. I feel a little off now, a little depressed.

I assume this is a fairly common feeling but what are some ways to overcome it?

Hi I'm 21M and I have been noticing in recent months that I have to constantly remind myself to pay attention to what people are saying, especially in meetings at work and in class lectures. My mind keeps drifting off, either daydreaming or just thinking about things. I also feel that my brain is constantly outputting thoughts to the point I'm not always paying attention to what I'm doing and also to the point it can be overwhelming. I know many people from my generation have bad attention spans but I'm starting to wonder if mine are particularly bad. I am also scared that this will negatively impact my future career. My girlfriend is certain I'm not neurodivergent and that attention issues come from playing video games but I also have been told by many people in my life that they are certain I am somewhere on the autism spectrum. Should I ask a professional about this? I'll answer any further questions. Thanks!

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So short story,if I become friends with someone I get nervous and scared to talk to them as a friend because I might get too weird or make them uncomfortable and ruin it or I might not fit their vibe,I wanna get close but idk how to

I still wanna have relationships with people, but I struggle because I can barely relate to anyone my age. And most of all, my personality is too odd and uncanny. At least I think so. Maybe it’s my fault. I can’t interact with adults, so I’m kinda stuck. I just want the sadness gone.

Hi straight to the point. Its all started when i was first year of high school and my mom become schizophrenic and she was urgently hospitalized for two months at this time i was so depressive. I skipped school like a 3month playing games at home started bit of drinking. One day i skipped school again at the time my big brother moved to other country and he lefted his guitar and said DONT TOUCH IT becuse its pretty expensive. Well i started playing it and i fell love with music it become my passion going local shows, buying gears with every money my hands land on (its still like that) writeing my own songs etc.

At second year of high school i skipping school so much they dropped me. I started working on warehouse and some factory jobs. Now last month i turned 19 and completed high school through an open education program. I stared a band with my friends next week we have a pratice and every member passionate and want to become succesful. They familys support a music collage my family dont. My mom said you dont need to be go to music collage if you want to become succesful and she is right about it. My dad dont support me wanting to be a musican becouse my big brother failed at his music career. He wants to me be open a workshop like him he said he can pay for CNC full course like cad cam solidworks etc. and said if you want a open workshop for yourslef in the 2 years i sell my car and buy you a machine.

Now i understand my dad %100 he wants to be me better than him. Our fathers/moms are only pepole on the world wants to be better then them. He wants me to live a comfortable life while having no money problem + he wants me to not work for anybody only for myself. But i dont know what should i do should i learn cnc while try to have music career or drop music fully focus on cnc or even dont take cnc course go full on music?

The decision i am gonna choose will shape my entire life dont wrote anything stupid please. I have around 1 month to make a decision. I am gonna read every comment.

So for context, i am 24M, i am gay and i live in Egypt, which is extremely homophobic and my parents are dangerously homophobic to the point where they led me to major depression,now i am gonna finish medical school next march, and i dont want to really continue living here or with my parents. Salaries here are insanely low and i rely on my parents for food and a roof overhead which makes them control me easily because i am dependent on them. My salary currently is about 50 dollars , average rent in cairo is 170 dollars but my salary is gonna increase after march to 140 dollars which means i will be able to afford to live in a shared apartment in a low cost area but that would mean i might not be really able to do anything other than sleep and maybe some food.

Its extremely difficult to leave the country using my medical degree as i would need to do licensing exams for any country, and licensing exams are not cheap at all, so at least i would have to stay here in cairo for my residency but that means more mental health issues and more control from my parents and if i move out, i might not be able to afford food for the whole month because even public transportation isnt that cheap here. Right now, i am thinking of maybe trying to leave medicine or not continue residency and try to apply to any university in germany and go there on a student visa and try to find a job or something. I will have to save up all my salary for flight and visa but i think i will be able to do that, but that would mean leaving medicine and wasting my degree , also i am scared of travelling to a new country, i dont speak any german , my english is c2 and heard that there are some english jobs in germany but they arent high paying but i dont care, i want a roof over my head, food and freedom. I do have friends in Germany but i dont want to rely on anyone.

The UK is hard to get into and same thing for other english speaking countries however germany kinda might still accept me, so do i just try to leave the country for an unknown future in germany with some freedom or do i stay here and try to compromise everything for my parents happiness but at least i will get a good degree that might help me in movimg abroad but in a couple of years?

Claiming asylum is not really an option, because i am not under immediate danger and egypt is a safe country, and smh i also am still safe, my parents arent killing me or anything, most they did was lock me up in a mental asylum for two months to cure my gayness.

So I’m getting into law college which requires A LOT of studying. I just need to know what’s the best way to deal with OCD thoughts when I study? Bc I usually spend like 10 hours online to ignore them, but now I actually have to STUDY.
And pls don’t say things like therapy bc I already had it

So I’m getting into law college which has A LOT of studying. I just need to know what’s the best way to deal with OCD thoughts when I study? Bc I usually spend like 10 hours online to ignore them, but now I actually have to STUDY.

So I jumped off weirdly from my E Scooter while it flew to the side and from then on the back of my knee and my bone around it hurts and it goes to the whole leg the pain. Its been 1 week already and still hurts.

I had planned to visit my aunt though who lives 4 hours away and am there in the moment but my leg still hurts. I feel uncomfortable sharing physical or emotional pain and hide it well but the pain has been worsening and I feel guilty because I came to visit my aunt to have fun during summer but now this.

Tomorrow we had planned to go on a city trip which means walking and walking.

I asked my aunt today if I can go to the hospital and she asked why I didnt say it sooner. Then I asked again right now and she said: ‘‘It seems you‘ve hurt your muscle ( she touched the area and my muscle hurt) what will the doc do if you go‘‘

My other aunt said: Lmao I think your leg hurts the more you relax at home, I think walking will help

And I just dont know what to do. I wish I had visited the doc before I came to visit but I wasnt able to leave the house the first 3 days due to the pain and I live up a steel mountain and have no drivers license nor a bike. On the day before I went to my aunt I was able to walk again and didnt think of visiting the doc. I didnt take it seriously.

The guilt is ruining my mental health because I cant set boundaries nor speak up pain and I dont want to be a burden. Im scared my leg will worsen but Ill force myself to walk tomorrow even though I just wanna be home and disappear now

I'm Ukrainian (17F) i need to apply to a uni, and i have 3 options: apply to the uni in my town (( there's few ppl but it's very good, but again very few ppl, and i also know 3 ppl there, option 2, uni in the capital, i don't live very far, but getting to any uni from my home will take alteast 1 hour 30 mins, and there's a chance i'll get to the uni only to go into shelter (( since the capital is bombed very often )), basically i might spend a lot of time in shelters, and it's kinda boring there, ( unless it'll be with friends but i'm just unsure abt it anyway since sitting there for hours will be awful either way )) and i know 1 person there but they barely go to the uni. option 3. i go to the uni in the capital and also live in the capital, basically i'll get to uni very fast, also i'll get independence from parents, which is very good since my parents always try to control me ( not severely now but still ) but also there's risk of literally dying, and i'll likely have to spend my nights in the metro, and fear for my life a lot, like lot-lot, and then again sit in the basements in boredom, it's hard to choose😭

Also yea the risks are there but most Ukrainians don't even gaf much, the risk of dying is mostly random, basically you might spend every night in shelters and one time u don't and that's the day it hits ur home, even if it didn't for 4 years, so smth like that, so not that severe

An online friendship that was the only male friendship I wanted to consider in life, although I had several other options

It ended in the worst possible way, with indifference and indirect contempt, I want to know if I really liked or was attached to the unique emotions that the person brought me

(It lasted a few months and went online, but it hurts a lot, probably because it reminded me emotionally of past traumas)

I (23F) have been thinking about this a lot lately.

What actually makes someone a good person?

I often see myself as a bad person. Sometimes even selfish or cold. People have described me as "dry" or emotionally distant. Most of my relationships ended because I felt emotionally exhausted after trying for a long time. At the time, I genuinely believed I wasn't wrong. But afterward, I always end up feeling guilty and wondering if I hurt the other person more than I realized.

Even in everyday interactions, I question the way I treat people. I constantly wonder if there's something fundamentally wrong with me or if I'm just too hard on myself.

So I'm curious...

How do you define a genuinely good person?

Is it someone who rarely hurts others? Someone who's kind all the time? Someone who always puts other people first? Or is it something else entirely?

And if you've ever realized that parts of your personality weren't healthy, how did you become a better person?

I'd really like to hear different perspectives because I'm struggling to figure this out.

I've been fighting a really bad depression the past two years, it's improving slowly, but still there. A recent argument really reminded me that no one actually loves an adult unconditionally, and it kind of lit a fire under my ass. This morning I sorted out my book, CD's and other odds and ends. I'm thinking it's time to thin things down. Nothing is permanent. Things can end at any time.

Am I being rash, or am I being healthy by spring cleaning after being stuck for a while?

Hey, the title says it all, I'm 23 male living in Florida and, honestly, I've been alone for way too long, not sure when it started getting lonely, probably somewhere back when I was a teenager and constantly lost friends, friendships due to constant moving (over 15 times in my life-span) we moved from city to province to another city and then crossed the continent and came to the US, I lost contact with my best friend when I was 12 (didn't have his # saved lol I'll save you the details), overall lost in life even though I'm actively going to college for my profession (geomatics) and working full-time making a decent living, I have a house mortgage (with a sibling) and a paid off car but I work 50 hrs a week and stay out of town most of the time (6 months so far this year).

Other than my materialistic objects, I honestly feel that I lack personality or hobbies. I have probably made fewer than 2 friends in the past 3 years and those are just very close co-workers, never had a single relationship with a girl, never really had girl friends and It doesn't help that all my relatives are across the continent too.

Tbh this is the first time I have actually opened up and it's just thru an anonymous account on reddit Lol. Obviously, there are a lot more details I could give and will provide if someone asks.

Overall I feel and am extremely grateful to be able to thrive in my career, but honest to god, I don't know if I can keep pushing without friends, true relationships outside of work and maybe a loving partner I can grow with mentally/physically. Please help.

Hii! I’m posting this because I just noticed something I’d like some advice about.

Basically, both me and a friend of mine use AI to write stories with characters from different shows as love interests purely for our entertainment, and they are not shared or publicized in any way. The thing is that we have different styles that represent our personalities.

She tends to create very well structured characters that merge with the universe of the love interest she’s chosen. Let me tell you her characters are amazing with deep back stories and intricate dynamics.
I tried this style, but I found myself not quite going along with it so I started writing self. Insert where my reality is warped just enough for the love interest to fit in.

I am wondering about something, would this make me self centered? Or would this somehow enlarge my ego?

Even as a kid, I never really shyed away from attention though, I was never anxious about stages when I played in school plays or wtv.

About a year ago I fell out with an old friend group, toxic ah dynamic where basically something bothered them but no one said anything until one of them just exploded and spat out everything even exaggerating some stuff, cause I talked to another girl from the group and she was much more chill. So basically something bothered them all but no one spoke to me even after this guy exploded so now I only talk with that one girl.

When the guy spoke to me (btw no one asked him to speak to me on behalf of everyone) he said the group thought I was self centered so Idk I’m paranoid.

I texted him 4 days ago about this since I can’t bear face-to-face conversations about this. He seemed to be okay with it. He sent me a link to a website about anxiety, but just told me I need to go out more and get my driving license.

I want to send him another text asking to take me to a doctor but I’m just scared about what he’s going to say or think of me. I don’t want him to worry for me or be disappointed.

I’ve got the message written out but I’m too afraid to send it :(

Edit: thank you for everyone who has commented, all the advice given has been so helpful. I asked my dad and he’s going to book me a doctors appointment for next week (hopefully). I’m so nervous but I’m excited to receive help.