Depressed college student - advice?

Question

College sophomore here, i hate my life, i cant make any friends here. Thought it would be diffrent than high school but no. i was never able to make friends,ever,everyone always thought i was a weirdo. i don't know why. i just cant make smalltalk for the life of me,though i do enjoy talking about my own hobbies/interests (computers, physics, sci-fi...i know,i'm a geek), sometimes people say i go on and on like im a PHD or something! i am actually doublemajoring in CS and physics, and was thinking of going to grad school for one of the two.

im also very sensitive and anxious all the time,i think i might even have ocd. i have to follow arbitrary routines or else i get an anxiety attack.the other day i went apes*it b/c my roomate was using my computer (with my permission tho) and he accidentally rearranged the icons on my computer desktop (i always have to have "Internet Explorer" at the top-left of the screen, he accidently moved it to the middle, I dont know why this bothers me so much.) i have alot of nervous tics, sometimes i shake my leg, or hand alot, it really annoys people. i cant stand noise, even the slightest peep in the distence drives me insane and makes me lose my concintration, so you can imagine what its like living in a dorm!

i have no hope of ever having sex,i will surely be the 40 yr old virgin.i just cant understand how dating works,like what do you do? even if i wasnt shy (so shy i cant even make eye contact) i still wouldnt even feel comfortable being emotionally close to anyone,i've been described as a robot.everything to me is intellectual, my iq is like 140 but its like i still just cant function in society because im so socially inept. i can understand programming languages,linear algebra but not social norms or slang/jokes. i just never know what to say in a social situation, and when i try i usually wind up seeming eccentric or pissing people off.

oh also what makes me depressed is that i supposidly look so young for my age, i'm 19 almost 20, people say i look like im 15. further reducing my chance at a girlfriend. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP? I need advice, tell me if you've had similar experiences in college. THANKS.

Answer 1

This happened to me my freshman year in high school. i also "had" ocd and anxiety attacks. I was really depressed and had an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. I talk to my doctor and he prescribed me zoloft for all the symptoms, including ocd, along with therapy once a week. within 3 weeks, i felt better than before. You should seriously consider doing this! it will help you!

Answer 2

Try to find a club that involves your interests. If you have a physics lounge, hang out there. I'm a bio major and I nearly WISH I was a physics major because a) the physics majors at my school are all fantastic people and b) their lounge is one of the best on campus.



I''ve also never fit in with other college students, mostly because the crowd I slipped into was the geek crowd who wound up being IT majors and now we have little in common.



Again, lounges are fantastic places for solitude (at least ours are). So are libraries.



We are also the same in that we hate noise. I thought I was going to go crazy my freshman year. Then I discovered: foam earplugs! If you put them in correctly you can't even tell they're there apart from the lack of noise! The best 4 dollars I've ever spent :-D

Answer 3

I'm sorry you are having trouble. It's possible these things you describe are symptoms of OCD and/or Tourette Syndrome. There's also a condition called Asperger's Syndrome which may fit. People with Asperger's struggle with social things, but often really excel in using computers and math courses. None of these things are your fault, but you can possibly find a treatment for them with the help of a good doctor. See if these links helps you at all.



http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/



http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aspergers-syndrome/DS00551



Also, and this is important info!...Many colleges have mental health counselors available to you, so perhaps you should look into it. It's a sign of strength to reach out for help. Take care of yourself first, and you'll achieve the self esteem to meet a nice girl and hopefully really hit it off together ;o) I know it's hard to be patient, but I truly believe your work will pay off!