Obsession with failure, shame, and negative thoughts?

Question

Back story:

  • 24M, 25 in less than a month.
  • Been working full time for 3 years, business analyst.
  • Finishing up my second BS degree in computer science in December.
  • Single, no real urge to be in a relationship.
  • Live at home, single parent house hold, help pay bills, maintain the house, fork in for mortgage, & pay my own tuition.
  • Diagnosed ADHD PI with OCD, prescribed medication.

Everything I do appears to be worthless and a failure in the end. Genuinely every self reflection is negative in some sense, I cannot get past these thoughts of negativity. I can’t even recall something positive, because nothing I have done feels positive.

First degree, worthless, second degree and I have thoughts it’s worthlessness, even though I’m working as a business analyst. Doesn’t matter, seemed to be a waste.

My career feels like a job, I don’t see myself working here for the rest of my life, just seems like a way to pay the bills. And this thought feels extremely negative.

I invest routinely in my Roth IRA have a decent amount in there, and have a good amount saved up, this sounds good but does not feel it.

I work out 6 days a week, running and lifting both. I know I am in good shape. But I do not feel it.

On paper I’m and doing pretty good at this life thing but I do not feel it. I don’t feel depressed, I don’t feel anxious, i don’t feel happy, I don’t feel sad.

I just feel I am obsessed with my failures. I feel everyone can see every failure I’ve had and every shameful act I have done. I feel inferior to every single person, to the point I have physical symptoms of humiliation with facial flushing and hot flashes (typically only happens when I am off my medication).

I thankfully have an extremely strong sense of self discipline, that has powered my life for approximately that last 7-8 years.

I am not ideating at all, rather just annoyed with this feeling. I don’t even know if it is a feeling, rather just an obsessive thought that will not leave.

Anyone else share this? Anyone else get rid of this?

Posted Sep 8, 2025, 1:51 PM UTC

10
Loading comments…