Does anyone struggle with making decisions (indecisiveness)?

[malcontent]

Hello, I think it would help me a lot to read some experiences of people who struggle with indecisiveness. It's been a problem of mine for as long as I remember. It doesn't happen with small decisions (but if that's your experience, you're still welcome to share). For me it's with things like "what program should I study for uni", "what medication or lifestyle change should I try for my chronic illness", "what goal should I take in life", "should I live or die" , "what suicide method do I pick", things like that.

It makes me feel kind of bad that I feel unsure about a lot of things or what I even want. Thanks for reading.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I definitely struggle with this. I'm somebody who can find reasons to regret any choice I make especially when it comes to major decisions. I did end up deciding to be a business major, but I'm still flaky and indecisive by choosing "general management" as a concentration. Sometimes for me, the only way through a hard choice is to pick a lame compromise or middle road between the two or to put out off the real decision making by being vague in my answer. I don't necessarily recommend it but it sometimes works for me.

 

[glittergore]

For me, this is a symptom of my anxiety and OCD. I obsess about it being "right" - as dubious as a concept as that can be sometimes - and all the things that could go wrong if I do decide on a particular option. If I do make a decision and it ends up not fitting this concept of "right", I get legitimately suicidal over it. Therefore, I tend to become paralyzed once I do have to make decisions. The only exception to this is if I'm in a situation that frightens me more than whatever could go wrong or be wrong in that decision frightens me.

 

[Wheelz1985]

Kinda sorta.. Lemme get back to you on that.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

Because it happens with larger decisions, could it be an underlying fear of commitment or perfectionism?

I struggle with deciding things like that too. I don't trust my judgment or my abilities. But also, deciding little things like what to eat or wear has been getting to be too much lately. Should I eat at all? Should I go out like this, or like that? Should I even get out of bed today? Meh

 

[Life_and_Death]

Yeah. I can't think of any examples right now but I can sit there for a while thinking "ill do this" "yeah but this could happen" "this is also a possibility" and I'll go back and forth like that until I give up and don't do anything about it because I can't decide whether or not its a good idea.

 

[TimeToBiteTheDust]

Yes. Since I am 21 I made always wrong decisions. Now I'm 100% sure my ctb decision is inevitable. I'm tired of my shirty reality. This is a fucking nightmare. I can't tolerate this anymore.

 

[Jojo81]

I don't think too much about making a decision.. I have always done on impulse.. But now I regret all those impulsive decisions that were taken.. My life has always been going good until I myself take a Fucking diversion.. I just hate it when everything is going smooth.. I change it with my diversion and then Fucking hate it when I fail..

 

[malcontent]

I definitely struggle with this. I'm somebody who can find reasons to regret any choice I make especially when it comes to major decisions. I did end up deciding to be a business major, but I'm still flaky and indecisive by choosing "general management" as a concentration. Sometimes for me, the only way through a hard choice is to pick a lame compromise or middle road between the two or to put out off the real decision making by being vague in my answer. I don't necessarily recommend it but it sometimes works for me.

Exactly, it's like I'm good at spotting just the cons of a choice or something. And I do do that, the being vague strategy... ahaha. Do you do this for the living/dying question too (if it's alright to ask)? If you don't feel like talking about it, I understand.

For me, this is a symptom of my anxiety and OCD. I obsess about it being "right" - as dubious as a concept as that can be sometimes - and all the things that could go wrong if I do decide on a particular option. If I do make a decision and it ends up not fitting this concept of "right", I get legitimately suicidal over it. Therefore, I tend to become paralyzed once I do have to make decisions. The only exception to this is if I'm in a situation that frightens me more than whatever could go wrong or be wrong in that decision frightens me.

Ah, as it happens, I struggle with a lot of anxiety... I don't have OCD, but I can certainly see some traits. Anxiety is a tough beast. I don't think about being "right" per se, just that the choice should feel right. Which it most of the time doesn't D:

Because it happens with larger decisions, could it be an underlying fear of commitment or perfectionism?

I struggle with deciding things like that too. I don't trust my judgment or my abilities. But also, deciding little things like what to eat or wear has been getting to be too much lately. Should I eat at all? Should I go out like this, or like that? Should I even get out of bed today? Meh

Definitely a fear of commitment and perfectionism. Ditto on not trusting your own judgment or abilities. I used to think depression wasn't really a mental illness but instead a natural reaction to sucky life conditions, but... idk, maybe it is a mental illness that makes one indecisive and makes it harder to think.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

Symptoms of depression do include difficulty making decisions, brain fog.

 

[malcontent]

Symptoms of depression do include difficulty making decisions, brain fog.

Oh. That's true, isn't it. Perhaps it's in some people's temperament to be unsure, plus depression on top of it, etc.

 

[Cherrypea]

For me, this is a symptom of my anxiety and OCD. I obsess about it being "right" - as dubious as a concept as that can be sometimes - and all the things that could go wrong if I do decide on a particular option. If I do make a decision and it ends up not fitting this concept of "right", I get legitimately suicidal over it. Therefore, I tend to become paralyzed once I do have to make decisions. The only exception to this is if I'm in a situation that frightens me more than whatever could go wrong or be wrong in that decision frightens me.

You are actually my brain twin. It's a nightmare!

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Exactly, it's like I'm good at spotting just the cons of a choice or something. And I do do that, the being vague strategy... ahaha. Do you do this for the living/dying question too (if it's alright to ask)? If you don't feel like talking about it, I understand.

I've made my choice to die, but not until a few years from now. At least I'm specific about when. This is an example of how I made my choice by putting it off til later.