Identity

how in the world are you supposed to figure out who you are? i feel like every part of me is a facade, even I don't know what's real.

What do you mean by "who you are"?

>>32766 i don"t know, just, everything. i feel like my interests change every week, and my personality morphs depending on who i'm with. my emotions are all over the place, one minute i"m happy, the next i"m having another crisis crying into a pillow it feels like there isn't a true me at all

>>32767 From the way you're talking, you seem like you're young, possibly younger than what is allowed on this site. All that I can say is that eventually, things will work themselves out and you'll know who you are.

>>32768 Is there even an age requirement for this site?

>>32769 Yes, literally the first rule is that you must be 18 years or older to post. https://www.lainchan.org/rules.html

>>32765 do you have borderline personality disorder?

It's a good question to ask so you can learn. But the knowledge you seek can only be had when you understand that your question is ass backwards. You want to know who you are so that you can figure out what you want, how to act, and why you feel the way you do. People do this all the time. They fill their identity with trinkets like having a favorite sports team. Do you think being a true fan of X tells you how to live your life? Some people do this without thinking about it. But once you start to think about it, it's easy to see that this is silly. Instead, flip it all around. Keep asking yourself these questions in different situations: What do I want? Try different things and find out. How should I act? Think about what you value and act in accordance. Why do I feel this way? Accept that the feelings are part of who you are. Know that you can change your circumstances if you don't like the way you feel. When you start to answer those questions truthfully you will begin to understand who you are. If you create an identity in order to answer those questions, you will cheat yourself out of learning who you really are.

>>32765 Nothing is more difficult in the current order of things than finding that out, basically the entirety of the social apparatus around is fashioned so as to sell you an identity instead of letting you realize your actual one. So, what you're experiencing is normal. It's going to take introspection and experience, and some (internal) separation from society.

what a bunch of bullshit. "finding yourself" is nought but the modern alienated version of "finding god". aligning yourself with the divine as expressed through the subconscious control you receive from society around you. all thoughts about the self are only stories to sell to other people. there is only one thing, and then the next.

>>32767 You have ADHD if your life goals switch every week and you can't control your interests, go see a psychiatrist.

>>32765 If your emotions are so erratic that it seriously debilitates you from acting towards your goals and generally gets in the way of day-to-day life, making you dysfunctional, get yourself checked out for a mental health condition. In the long run you will likely be glad you did. Otherwise: I've personally noted that people have a hole in themselves, that they try their best to fill. Whether it's from some primal fear of our own death or something else. I'm with this guy, anyway >>32777 People can fill themselves with consumption or creation, to try to fill the void. I personally recommend the later, as creation begets further creation and adeptness at creating. I shouldn't have to justify why basing your personality on the media you consume and the objects you collect is a bad thing. If you set yourself goals and work on achieving them, you can make an impression of yourself on the reality around you, and based on that begin to define a better sense of self in contrast to it. You'll understand moreso what kind of actions and reactions you typically take and why you do so, alongside understanding better your motivations. I've found I'm in a better position than I was a few years ago, in regards to existential dread and feeling like my life was pointless.

>>32765 >>32767 First off, I want to say that it sounds like you have Borderline Personality Disorder. Secondly, I want to say that according to Catholic Exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger, a man who's highly esteemed in the Traditionalist Catholic sphere for his teachings on the true nature of the faith, borderline personality disorder doesn't actually exist. It's actually just demonic obsession. You are under demonic oppression and you need to seek out an Exorcist. You can prove this to yourself by uttering the following: "All demons making me suffer either directly or indirectly, I bind you in the name of Jesus Christ". I believe that's the "binding prayer" you need. If your issue dissipated immediately after doing this prayer, that is proof that your suffering is demonic in nature. You need to contact your nearest Catholic priest, you need to request an Exorcist and then, after receiving the exorcism, you need to start living a truly Catholic life. That means staying out of mortal sin, attending Confession regularly, attending obligatory weekly Sunday Mass, attending daily Mass (livestreams are acceptable), attending Church on the Holy Days of Obligation and striving for perfection in this life so that you can experience God as fully as He intended you to. You take whatever you are right now, work with God to remove your imperfections and at the end of your journey, you'll find who you were meant to be. If you do consider converting, I would like to recommend the Sensus Fidelium YouTube Channel. There are two particular playlists on that Channel that someone new to the faith should be aware of: "Spiritual Life" and "Spiritual Warfare". I also want to mention "Padre Peregrino" as he's doing a series on Mental Prayer as well as Catechism so you can learn how to deepen your prayer and you can learn what you need to know to be a member of the Church. Also, as I fear we're entering the end-times, I also want to recommend the video series "Our Lady's View of Our Times", a series of talks given by Fr. Ripperger on the modern situation we're living in, as revealed by Mary's words at her various, Church-approved apparitions. He also talks about how to prepare for the end-times. There's no need to panic just yet as there are two critical signs before the 3 Days of Darkness: Firstly, Scripture must spread to the whole world. Secondly, the Jews must convert to the Church. So far, while Scripture is seemingly spreading far and wide, the Jews have yet to start entering the Church en masse and so I think you've still got time but only the Father knows how much. I'll add you to my prayers. I wish you well.

Strip away all that you are not to find your true self.

Thanks everyone. >>32773 looked through some of the symptoms, it`s a possibility, i guess >>32774 that`s something I haven't really though about until now. i`ll trying writing some stuff down throughout the day i guess >>32780 I do have ADHD, and am currently taking medication for it. Some of my interests are 'stable', persisting through everything, but others are like a phase; only lasting a few days while i obsess into them, only to give up a few days later and move on to something else >>32786 i don`t really think i`m dysfunctional right now i can complete the tasks i`m required to do, and recently it`s been easier because my sleep schedule has stabilized its mainly only in my off-time that i struggle with all of this

Forget about understanding who you are. You are you. That's that. Nothing more to it on that front. But! But but but! There is more to it. Look at your concrete characteristics. Exactly how you are now. And then now. And again now. I.E. for each moment, at that moment. That is what you are: a function from time to states of (your) being. And your goal, if you want to know `who' you are, is to understand that part about what you are. Even if you think it's something trivial or inessential, if it's part of you in any way, keep track of it. THEN. Then then then. Then. Then you can start to see what patterns are about you. When you understand what you are, you can change what you are to what you want to be. You say that every part of you is a façade. If that is true, that is part of what you are. You say that your personality changes depending on who you're with. Again, if that is true, that is part of what you are. And you say your emotions are all over the place. And again, if that is true, that is part of what you are. Keep paying attention to every detail about what you are, including every detail about what you want to be. Based on your description, you might have severe mental disorder. Getting professional help might help. Start with a psychologist. Psychologist AKA therapist AKA counselor is the one that you actually talk to about yourself to get advice, emotional support, intellectual or behavioral treatments,, and is the one that will help you decide whether to try pharmaceutical treatment. Psychiatrist is the one that prescribes pharmaceuticals. Maybe you don't need professional psychological counselling. Maybe you are able, without that, to set up your life so that when you are in a bad state, you are able to deal with it, to ameliorate the distress you might experience. >>32768 >From the way you're talking, you seem like you're young, possibly younger than what is allowed on this site. All that I can say is that eventually, things will work themselves out and you'll know who you are. How the fuarrrk can you divine that from what little he said. And no, it won't necessarily work itself out. It might, but it's not guaranteed. >>32788 Hey why don't you go fuarrrk yourself with your religious crap. If whoever you cited claims that a well-established mental disorder simply doesn't exist, then they are not someone to ever be trusted about anything. Idiots deserve being ignored.

>>32765 Everybody feels this way sometimes. Emphasis on "feels". If you look in a detached way at how people describe themselves, you'll see how weak most people's identity actually is. "[sports] fan, Republican". "Dog mom, loves music" And they probably change it every month or two. But they don't mind. So it sounds like the problem is with your emotions, and not some core part of yourself that's unstable or wrong. >>32767 Again, this doesn't sound super rare, and probably ADHD makes it worse like you mentioned. Like some other people are saying, in spite of all this stuff going on with your mind or emotions, you're still a physically real person that exists in the real world. If you get your head out of the clouds a bit and get down into the real world -- do something physical and use your body more for example, it might feel better. >>32796 >well-established mental disorder The names we use for "well-established mental disorders" were mostly created in the past 70 years. The original purpose of the DSM and other diagnostic books was to create a common set of labels and language for diseases that were already well-known, in order for doctors to communicate with each other, not necessarily with their patients (or by pharmaceutical companies to run ads on TV). It says nothing about the origin, personal phenomenology, prognosis, cultural context, or treatment of the disorders -- only a list of behavioral symptoms in order to identify that they may be present. Your response indicates that you don't understand this well. Not that I support tradcaths taking over lainchan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPa7lkblha0 Going to leave this here in case anyone wants. I highly recommend listening to this. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/#SelfSelfFash

Just make it up. Pretend and dont believe, because at your root you are

>>32816 >Everybody feels this way sometimes. Emphasis on "feels". If you look in a detached way at how people describe themselves, you'll see how weak most people's identity actually is. "[sports] fan, Republican". "Dog mom, loves music" And they probably change it every month or two. But they don't mind. So it sounds like the problem is with your emotions, and not some core part of yourself that's unstable or wrong. I guess it happens often, because people often portrayed as such in the media. People that are really invested into one thing, double down on it and make it their purpose. Which just isn't the case for the majority of people tho, so perception gets skewed

>how in the world are you supposed to figure out who you are? I am the one I need to be. In Le Zarathoustra. Nietszche. You are young, it's normal. It will come don't worry.