Feeling Lost and Alone - Need Dua and Advice
As-salamu alaykum. I’m a 22-year-old woman and lately I’ve been feeling really behind in life. I don’t know what direction I’m headed and most days feel heavy and empty. I don’t have any friends and I spend most of my time alone - not because I want to, but because everything feels overwhelming and isolating. I’m shy and I’ve never really known how to stand up for myself, so I stay quiet and let life happen to me. I feel weak in almost every part of my life. I’ve never had a job because I honestly couldn’t find one no matter how hard I tried. Sometimes it feels like a curse. I even did ruqyah but nothing seemed to change. I think part of the problem is that I don’t look my age, so people don’t take me seriously or want to hire me. I failed college because instead of doing coursework I would just cry in the toilets for reasons I still don’t fully understand. Because of that I couldn’t get into uni. Alhamdulillah, I’m taking an online course now hoping to get into uni this year, though it’s not going great 💔. I picked something healthcare-related because it seems more likely to lead to steady work. Despite trying, I feel deeply depressed. My anxiety is severe and I avoid going outside as much as possible. When I do go out I try to go out at night so people can’t really see me. A big part of my anxiety is how I look - I feel really unattractive, like people think I look strange, and I sometimes joke about being a witch just because it feels easier to laugh at it. I’m very underweight and have a lot of health problems, which makes me feel even worse about my body. Even asking a simple question feels terrifying because I imagine people are embarrassed for me or trying not to laugh. That thought makes me withdraw even more. I’ve thought about wearing the niqab not only for religious reasons but to hide, though I worry it would bring extra attention and stress. I feel like life is against me from every angle. I hate living most days and don’t enjoy anything. I feel empty and disconnected. Spiritually, I feel lost too. When I pray I don’t feel a connection to Allah and I start to doubt whether my prayers are accepted. My du‘as don’t seem to come true and sometimes I fear I’m headed for a bad akhirah. Life on earth already feels unbearable and I can’t imagine worse forever. It’s hard because you can’t escape this life - and things like cosmetic surgery aren’t something I can rely on or feel comfortable with. It feels so unfair because I didn’t choose this situation. On top of everything, my health problems and being broke, shy, underweight and unwell make things feel like the worst combination. I don’t see life improving and that thought terrifies me. I believe Allah is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem, but I don’t feel that mercy in my life right now. I feel ignored by people around me and by my Creator, and that increases my isolation. I know worship isn’t meant to be transactional, but I’m human - who else should I turn to? Sometimes it all becomes too much and instead of drawing me closer to Allah it pushes me away. I’m asking for duas, kindly advice, or practical steps from any sisters who have been through similar struggles. What helped you when you felt disconnected, lonely, and hopeless? How did you find the strength to try again? JazakAllahu khairan for reading.