I'm very depressed, I don't feel as if I serve a purpose

Please shoot me a PM or add me on skype brother. I know what it's like, an i would love to assist your depression brother.

 

This really hits home with me, as I spent the ages of 17-22 in the USMC, having done by first combat deployment at 17 1/2 years old. I am now 27, and my early 20's were hell dealing with PTSD which has a lot of the same symptoms you are dealing with even though yours may be onset by different reasons.

With things like this, every person has their own method of dealing with them. I served in a unit that by the bad luck of the straw got put in the shittiest situations for 4 years straight. I can't even begin to count the numbers of friends I have that were destined for great things, now addicted to drugs, homeless, suicide attempts, etc.

While that is the sad truth, I can also tell you I have seen many make complete turn around's by finding things that work for them.

I agree with the majority of the people on here, fitness 100% will help. The difficult thing with this however, is you are required to do fitness PT daily in the Navy as it is, so it may be a little hard to motivate yourself to do additional fitness.

I really think you just are having a hard time adapting to the new environment, and are more mature than most of the junior Navy members around you making you feel like an outcast.

My biggest piece of advice I can give is find something that motivates you and set a goal for yourself down the road. If you plan on getting out after 4 years, make plans that will motivate you and give you something to strive for. It sounds like you are dealing with an immense amount of emptiness due to not having things to motivate yourself with. On top of this, unfortunately, you don't have the friends and family around you that you are used to having. If you can push it through 4 years and get yourself an honorable discharge, the benefits you get will make it all worth it.

If you are still going through this, shoot me a PM. The last thing you want to do is put yourself in a shitty position in the Military when you still have a few years left to go. I can offer quite a bit of advice having gone through a lot of it myself after multiple deployments.

I have 2 very close Navy officer friends, if you really need to talk to someone let me know and I will have one of them talk to you. They can point you in the right direction so you can avoid any negativity you may get from your command.

 

@NabeRs I saw your updated post on here saying that you are doing better. I am glad to hear that. I am also in the US Navy. I just found this and wanted to stop by and offer some words, and someone to come to if you need anything.
I've come to realize that we can't settle and sit on the things that are really upsetting us, and hurting us. We have to try and find some kind of bright side to things. Everything gets brighter at some point. There's always a light in the darkness man.
Keep working on the career and yourself. The advancement exam is coming up in a couple months, make sure you're studying if you are about to take the test!

I hope you see this, and see that you are not alone. If you ever need anything, anything at all, please contact me! I would love to hear from you sometime.

 

I really appreciate all the kind words everyone, it gets better.

I recently got engaged, and have been living with her for some time now.

Things have been looking up for awhile.

Like I said, I appreciate all the kind words, so there's no need to gravedig this thread requesting lock, so everyone can still read the support you all gave me, and hopefully take it in the same way I did, very helpful.