Discussion Is it really possible to reinvent yourself?

[reesespiecesaregood]

I was reading somewhere on reddit about a story of a guy who's uncle attempted suicide 4 times and failed. He told the people in his life that he'd soon be attempting a 5th time, intending to succeed. Of course they pleaded for him not to. This kid who was telling the story, his nephew, said he told his uncle "if your life is really shitty enough to end, why don't you just go start a new one?" His uncle ended up moving across the world or something like that, cutting off most of the past people in his life, and was pretty content in his new life.

This was posted on a thread where someone originally asked if anyone had faked their death and/or just restarted completely. There were some pretty interesting accounts of people picking up and just leaving their situation, changing everything about their lives, their identity, their environment, etc. But this one had stuck out to me because of the positioning of it as an alternative to suicide, a one last try kind of thing.

So I thought I'd ask you guys since we're all pretty much in a place where we feel like we have no more options:
Do you think it's doable? Or do you think the ghosts of your past just travel with you always?

I know if your situation is physical ailment or severe mental illness or something of that nature this topic wouldn't really apply to you. But those who struggle moreso with solely anxiety, depression, and feel like the circumstances of your current life have contributed to your hopelessness: what's your opinion on this? Money and logistics aside, in theory, is it even worth considering?

 

[itsmeagain]

I don't really think that people can do that. It's really hard to say "Put money and legistics aside", because a lot of the time, people with these sorts of illnesses or moods can hardly get up to go to the fridge, can hardly order SN. I suppose, which was a point you were trying to make, that if someone could do that, it's not so easy for everyone. You have to step away and get a job in a new place, and plus, if you're still in college or never graduated, or don't have too many skills, it's just not doable.

Even with all of that, to move so far away and dump everyone and start again is just so unthinkable for a lot of people considering how hard it is to get that far away. A lot of times, people want to die, just to die. Sure, stopping the pain is helping, but when you're so far away from home and things go to shit and you're in a cardboard box, your dreamhas kind of fizzled.

I do think that if people could try to get away from these sorts of things, they absolutely would. They would move far away and reinvent themselves. I suppose it's not for everyone, you know? Some people could probably do that, and it's a fantasy of theirs, but most people get stuck along the way. Maybe it's a goal and a hope for some people to aim for to reinvent themselves? If so, I think it's absolutely possible, but some people can't imagine living another hour let alone the years needed to get that far.

I'm sorry if I seemed a bit hostile, I'm not trying to be! This is just my take on it, because I personally wish I could do this.

 

[k75]

I think for some people it's definitely possible. Sometimes I hear stories and just think that person might have a chance if they could just escape from their current situation or environment.

It wouldn't work for me. I would need to leave all of myself behind, too.

 

[TheSuicidalEccentric]

That's what I need to do. Run away and reinvent myself as a good person under a new identity. But how. Where will I go. Who will I go with

 

[Merith]

Many people consider themselves trapped due to reasons out of their control. I'd personally say only a very small minority would be able to overcome their depression like this. It wouldn't matter if I'm in Florida or Colorado, if no one wants me, if no one wants to hire me, and if I still am incompetent enough to achieve any sort of certification, I'm back at square one - this time, in a cardboard box.

 

[Suicide_vampire]

It is possible to do it but there is a caveat to it. I have done this several times in my life, changed job, moved to a new area, left the previous life behind and tried to start again. This has even involved me moving to a new country in the past.
The caveat is that for a while you are happy for a while your past will always catch up to you. And the mask you are wearing in the new life eventually slips and you feel the need to move on again.
This has been the course my adult life has taken every 3 or 4 years, I wouldn't advise it at all, it takes a massive toll mentally. Unfortunately no matter how much you try to eradicate the weeds of our past, they always resprout and grow again.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

The caveat is that for a while you are happy for a while your past will always catch up to you. And the mask you are wearing in the new life eventually slips and you feel the need to move on again.

'Wherever you go, there you are.'
You can never escape yourself, its the one thing you carry with you.
Doing a geographic may change situational influences, but it won't change how you react to them.
The only way is to face yourself, accept yourself and learn to live with it.
This is one of the hardest things in the world there is to do and we spend our entire lifetimes doing it.
Many fail and that is why we are here.

 

[HillebrandC12B]

Im going to go to New Zealand on a holiday work visa to do just this. Lol just gotta fake it here for a little longer than im just going to fookin vanish. Poof. He gone.

 

[Kassender]

It is possible to do it but there is a caveat to it. I have done this several times in my life, changed job, moved to a new area, left the previous life behind and tried to start again. This has even involved me moving to a new country in the past.
The caveat is that for a while you are happy for a while your past will always catch up to you. And the mask you are wearing in the new life eventually slips and you feel the need to move on again.
This has been the course my adult life has taken every 3 or 4 years, I wouldn't advise it at all, it takes a massive toll mentally. Unfortunately no matter how much you try to eradicate the weeds of our past, they always resprout and grow again.

I suspected that.
Wow, boy, i really am trapped haha

 

[AlreadyGone]

This wouldn't work for me because even if I "up and go", I will probably still have the same problems that brought me here in the first place.