Why is the world against me?

When every single day feels like a fight or an uphill battle, it can feel like the world is against you. It’s like no matter how hard you try or how much you show up, it feels like nothing is going to change or get better. And because it feels like you are working against the rest of the world, you might start beating yourself up too.

While it may feel like the odds are stacked against you, know there is a way out and through what you are feeling. Life can be unfair, but there are things you can do and people you can lean on when it feels like the world is hurting you.

Reflect on why you feel this way

Whether it’s from your life experiences, your self-talk, or society overall, believing that the world is against you stems from somewhere. Reflecting on why you feel this way can help you move toward finding calm, peace, and connection.

Here are some reasons why it may feel like the world is against you:

Your history

When you think about your past, especially how life was when you were really young, what comes up? Many people who feel like the world is against them didn’t feel love as children. It’s worth reflecting on how you got comfort when you were small. If you got hurt or were scared, who did you go to? What did they do? If the answer is nothing or no one, you may have experienced loneliness and neglect. Maybe this led to feeling mistrust of others, overdependence on yourself, anger, sadness, and isolation. And this probably made it very difficult to have relationships throughout your life.

Your relationship with yourself

When you don’t believe in yourself or have high self-esteem, it makes the feeling of fighting the world more intense. You may defeat yourself before the world even has a chance to.  So, when something in the world happens to validate this feeling of defeat, it further confirms how you feel about yourself. And you find yourself caught in a loop of negative thinking or a thinking trap.  Remember that you can always improve your relationship with yourself. When you pour self-love into yourself, it gives you the power to take on the world.

Your mental health

When people don’t feel like themselves because of stress or a mental health condition, like depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and others, it can feel like the world is against them. Some people isolate themselves when their mental health isn’t in a good place. This alienates them from friends, loved ones, and others and makes symptoms like loneliness, thinking traps, intrusive thoughts, etc. worse. If you feel this way, reaching out for support can help you feel more connected to people and the world around you.

Stresses and pressures of daily life

Sometimes, it feels like when one bad situation happens, another one follows it, and then another, and another. Before you know it, you find yourself overwhelmed with stress and the pressure to do everything. And it’s hard to navigate life when it feels like you’re always putting out a fire or are in crisis mode.

Racism, discrimination, and prejudice

Feeling that the world is against you because of your identity is a valid feeling. Our society has not been kind to many different groups of people, including Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and other communities and cultures. While this is a hard truth that you may face, not everything and everyone in this world is against you. You can find joy, healing, and strength within yourself and those around you.

Find ways to connect with yourself and the world

Thinking “why is the world is against me” can mean that you are feeling disconnected and alone. You have the power to change this thought and build connections with yourself and the world around you.

Here are some ways you can connect with yourself and others.

• Focus on what you can control. Believe it or not, there are many aspects of your life that you have control over. You can decide who your friends are, what you choose to watch, what music you listen to, what snacks you eat, etc. Reflecting and focusing on the things that you have control over can help you see the power that you have.
• Practice self-care and self-compassion. It might feel like the world is against you, but you don’t have to be against yourself. The first person in your corner can be you, and you can fill the space with others from there.
• Learn to trust others. Being vulnerable is really hard. But it starts with honest conversation. If you can’t share how you feel and you’ve been through with someone else, consider writing it down. Many people also find that sharing secret thoughts with strangers (like at AA, for example) or with a therapist gives them the practice they need to share with friends, family, and significant others.
• Talk to people you trust who support you. When the world feels small, the people in your life who you trust and who care for you give you perspective. These are the people you can lean on when you feel that the world isn’t working in your favor. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. They can help you grow and see that the world is much bigger than you think it is!
• Find an activity or a hobby that brings you joy. For some people, it’s being in nature. For others, it’s reading, writing, video games, cooking, etc. Doing an activity that brings you joy can feel like an escape when the world becomes too much. These hobbies and activities recharge and fulfill you.

If feeling like the world is against you has become too overwhelming or leaves you feeling worthless, hopeless, or in despair, then it may be a good idea to take one of our mental health tests. Or reach out to a mental health professional. It’s not an official diagnosis, but a mental health test can affirm your experiences and help you figure out your next steps. And talking to a mental health professional—like a therapist— can help you find coping strategies, connection, and healing.