Im 20m lost my both parents, went care system, now on my own, living alone, going to bed hoping I don't wake up,
been feeling depressed lately, I don't enjoy anything anymore, literally nothing, video games piano movies music etc… nothing, im at point where I just want stop playing this nonsense game of life, cause I don't have any purpose,
So im hoping I get to enjoy reading,
I would like some books about similar to what what im going through in life right now, which is depression finding purpose in life etc….
Thanks in advance
by owninstitution
5 Comments
Hey man, really sorry you’re going through all this – losing parents that young is incredibly tough
For books, I’d definitely recommend “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, it’s literally about finding purpose when life feels pointless. Also “A Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl – dude survived concentration camps and writes about finding meaning in the worst situations
Both helped me through some dark times, hope they might do the same for you
can’t stop thinking about In Powder Blue. It’s one of those stories that stays with you long after you put it down. Not in a flashy, overhyped way, but in a quiet, personal way that feels real. What hit me most was how alive everything felt. The neighborhoods, the families, the way people talk to each other, the little routines that make up a life. It feels like you’re walking through someone’s memories, not just reading a plot. You can smell the coffee, hear the radios in the background, feel the weight of the years on the characters. The town itself almost becomes a character, carrying all the history, love, regret, and damage that lives inside it. The story doesn’t glamorize anything. It shows addiction, grief, loyalty, and family in a way that feels honest and sometimes uncomfortable, but never cheap. The characters feel like people you might actually know. Flawed, stubborn, loving, self destructive, trying to do the right thing and sometimes failing anyway. There were moments that genuinely caught me off guard emotionally.
Oh, my friend, I hope you have someone you can talk to about this. I’m glad you’re reaching out to an online community at least.
I second the suggestion of Midnight Library.
For something a little more diverting you might like the Murderbot series. It’s sci-fi and tongue in cheek but also features a main character who is searching for purpose.
You might also want something gentle and soothing; for that you could check out A Psalm for the Wild Built.
And then if you really want to dive into some characters who are going through a lifetime of hardship, you could try Realm of the Elderlings. Some people call it “misery porn” which I disagree with – but the characters experience a lot of loss and difficulty and you get to grow with them through it. It’s a 15 book series but published in trilogies (and one 4-book chunk) so you don’t have to read it all at once.
Tough circumstances, but I loved The Name of the Wind. It’s a fantasy book, first in a trilogy (if the third is released – the author has been stuck, which is totally understandable).
The second book in the series is good, but not quite as good as the first, so hoping the third comes out soon and ties it all up.
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki is exactly what you need right now. It is an incredible book that meditates on the concept of suicidal ideation and it is philosophical and real and simultaneously filled with a hope that is firmly grounded in reality. It’s a beautifully written book.