re: When "Normal" is no longer normal...

I used to be that way. I think the problem lies in having nothing to believe in outside of yourself. It leaves a hole and you try and fill it with empty things like money, status, possessions, conquests, things, etc. Over time, those things will stop being fulfilling. Then bitterness begins to sink in and when you reach that point, you're a victim. When you're a victim, you will learn to hate everything over time, but most of all, yourself. And you'll need twice as many reasons why the world fricked you to be able to live with that self-loathing.

Personally, I've always had great family and eventually met my wonderful wife (no pics) who helped me overcome a toxic attitude toward faith. I still struggle with it and I still struggle with people, my job and lots of things, but I don't feel like the bitterness has hooks in me anymore.

Popular culture wants you to worship cheap things and flawed people. Our own particular pop culture likes to run down family, destroy heroism and reduces spiritualism into some cheap mini-mall feel good industry. I think all of these things are slowly chipping away at mental health in this country. When you feel promised big things and the sum of that is new Ford Bronco or a race for more likes on a social media site, it's going to end in feelings of failure and depression.