I struggle every day but I won't give up, with Allah's help
As-salamu alaykum. I (13M) am going through a really hard time emotionally and feel very unhappy with how things are. I feel behind in school, personal growth, and my social life. In class I’m usually slower than others, which has knocked my confidence and left me feeling embarrassed. Outside school I often waste time and don’t accomplish much, which makes me feel lost. I hardly have friends since my closest friend moved back to Greece - he and his family lived there before, and being without him and the people I was close to last year has made me feel isolated and unseen. I keep comparing myself to others who seem richer, more successful in studies or sports, or who have more support. Even younger relatives have things and experiences I wanted and reach goals I can’t seem to get to, and those comparisons make me feel small and hopeless. At home things are tense too. My dad changed after an ultimatum about his work a year or two ago and became unmotivated, which brought stress and instability. My mum is dealing with a legal issue from a traffic accident and my aunt has had to shoulder a lot of the work preparing for court. All of this makes me feel unsupported and emotionally tired. I feel exhausted, ashamed, and stuck. I really hate how my life is right now and how trapped I feel in so many areas. I’m reaching out because these feelings won’t go away and I need help to improve my mental wellbeing, manage the grief and family stress, and bring my life more in line with my faith. The main thing that stops me from acting on the dark thoughts is my belief in Islam - I know with certainty that I must not take my life, and that gives me a reason to keep holding on. JazakAllahu khairan for reading. Wa alaykum as-salam.