mc-ai/counsel-chat-user-questions huggingface dataset:
I get depressed whenever anyone I care about is too busy to be with me. What do I do?

My last relationships have ended horribly. They just up and abandoned me. One of them I have never gotten closure with over it, leaving me emotionally wrecked. I know something's wrong with me but I don't know how to even start trying to better myself.
 I get into these depressed like states whenever anyone I care about is too busy to be with me. I know that I shouldn't act like that because people are genuinely busy, but I feel like they're doing it just because they don't want to be around me.
How do I get over a slump?

I don't know what's wrong with me. At times I can be really happy, excited, I'll talk fast, and I want to do things. But lately I've been staying up way later and sleeping too much. I don't hang out with friends, I don't really have them. I feel nothing, worthless. I want to do nothing, I have no interest in anything.    All I usually do is stay in my room. I want to be happy, I want to be nice. What's wrong with me?
How do I get over anxiety, depression, and isolation?

I've have lived for sometime with depression but things have gotten a lot better, but why is it so hard to get over anxiety and social isolation?
How do I deal with depression?

I'm in a state of depression right now. Who can I talk to? I've been sick in a lot of pain and crying. Don't know where to turn.
I'm going through depression right now and my relationship is suffering

I've been married for 3 years and I have two kids. During my 3-years married, my husband cheated on me twice. The second time really got to me and at my lowest I hurt him back. We aren't communicating as well as I would like. What do I do?
Is it normal to cry during therapy?

I start counseling/therapy in a few days (I'm freaking out) but my main fear is that I'll cry and embarrass myself, is it something to worry about?
Thoughts of afterlife causes anxiety

Sometimes I can't stop thinking about life after death. I was raised in a religion that teaches that we will live on forever either in hell or in heaven.  When I think of living forever (even if it is in heaven which should be good), I feel overwhelmed. I don't like the thought of living forever and ever and ever. Sometimes I just can't get the thought out of my mind and the thoughts lead to panic and anxiety.  Am I crazy? I don't think these thoughts are normal.
Is it normal to go into therapy feeling nervous?

I've gone to a couple therapy sessions so far and still everytime I walk in I get nervous and shaky. Is this normal? Should I still be feeling like this?
How can I help myself and change my behavior?

I've hit my head on walls and floors ever since I was young. I sometimes still do it but I don't exactly know why,    I have anxiety and I had a rough childhood but now I'll start to hit my head and sometimes not realize it but I don't know how to stop or even why I'm doing it.    How can I help myself to change my behavior?
Do I have an anger problem?

When I get frustrated or upset, it becomes extremely difficult to keep my voice down. I also instantly cry and tend to have anxiety attacks. What can I do to try and control it?
I'm feeling overwhelmed

My two adult sons live with me. One has been having panic attacks and hasn't been able to work for over 6 months. He doesn't want to get help. I'm feeling so overwhelmed. What can I do?
How can I be less anxious around new people?

I have developed bad social anxiety within the last year, and I just can't stand to be around people. I recently got a new girlfriend, and she is extremely close to her large family and wants me to be around them all of the time. My last visit with them, I was quiet and uncomfortable, and she got mad.
Overcoming fears

I have a fear of something and I want to face that fear to overcome it, but I don't know how. What can I do?
How can I make the voices stop?

I don't remember when the voices in my head started, but I remember Hearing them when I was little.    I know it's not normal to hear voices that aren't your own. I fight the voices and I want them to stop. They've been here so long and I want them gone. How can I make the voices stop?
I fell in love with someone who bullies me

I have a friend who I became quite close to, close enough for us to insult each other lightly for humor. But eventually, that went too far. Recently, I've realized that it is causing me lots of stress and anxiety. I can't get away because I fell in love with them.
I have difficulty with communication

I am a really shy person. I'm currently in a graduate program which requires lots of presentations, but they always make me feel stressed out and less confident. How can I get more confident?
How do I get over "imposter syndrome"?

I'm dealing with imposter syndrome in graduate school. I know that by all accounts I am a phenomenal graduate student, and that I am well-published. I am well liked by students and faculty alike. And yet I cannot shake the feeling that I'm going to be found out as a fraud.    How can I get over this feeling?
I want to feel more comfortable around people

My son was diagnosed with autism a few years ago and I stopped working so that I could take care of him. I also was dealing with an abusive relationship (mentally, physically, and emotionally). Now I live like a recluse and I always feel nervous around people.
   How can I feel more comfortable around other people?
How can I learn to be content and at peace?

I recently broke up with my boyfriend After being together for over 4 years. I truly believe I did the right thing, but omehow being single now has made me very needy and unsure of myself.
    I am seeing someone casually and I am losing my mind with anxiety about how he feels about me and this need for validation.
   How can I learn to be content and at peace with myself regardless of my career, relationship status, etc?
I always fear that people are judging me

I know this fear doesn't make sense. How can I overcome it?
I feel really uncomfortable around other people

When I'm in large crowds I get angry and I just can't deal with people. I don't really like other people (I prefer animals) they make me nervous and scared.
   I lay awake at night thinking and having conversations in my head and i almost always end up making myself feel terrible and crying, I have more conversions in my head than I do with actual people.    I don't know what's wrong with me and why I feel this way. What should I do?
How do I cope with separation anxiety while boyfriend is out of town?

I have been with my boyfriend for more than a year. He recently got a new job and travels a lot. I’m not used to him being gone all the time. I feel as though he has forgotten about me because he does not talk with me as much and doesn’t keep me up to date on everything that he does throughout the day, which he used to.
 I feel lost, sad and unwanted. This is really a tough new challenge. I just want to break up with him, but I love him so much. I don’t know why he is acting this way lately. I believe I have separation anxiety. Is there anything that I can do to help me cope with this while he is out of town?
Why do I always feel like I'm being watched?

I often get the feeling that I'm being watched, like video cameras are hidden wherever I am, even at home. I feel like people can see all that I do and are reading my thoughts. Things I read or hear on the radio seem to be about (or meant for) me, and people are talking about me when they whisper.
I feel insecure, on edge, and drink too much

I feel insecure in my life. I don't think my wife truly wants our relationship even though she says she does. I have turned to drinking to help relieve my repressed stress about this and other issues. I have had a drinking problem for a few years. I feel the reason I drink is not just because I like to, but because I have lately been on edge. I’ve been very oddly emotional when watching movies that I have been watching for years. I’m paranoid about driving on main roads. I’m very jumpy at the slightest noises.
Why do I throw all my stuff away?

I constantly have this urge to throw away all my stuff. It’s constantly on my mind and makes me feel anxious. I don’t sleep because I’m thinking about something I can get rid of. I don’t know why I do it. I started years ago when I lived with my dad then I stopped when I moved in with my mom. Years later, it has started again.
How do I open things up with a therapist without fearing judgment and condescension?

I have several issues that I need to work through. However, I am afraid of and do not trust therapists after a horrible experience. I'm dealing with grief and guilt over losing my sons due to drug use. I have a very complicated traumatic relationship issue that is causing me severe anxiety and fear.
What are the best ways to reduce anxiety?

I have anxieties about everyday stressors, i.e. finances, work, relationships, kids, and maintaining a household.
I don't like going outside anymore

I don't understand why this is happening. Why do I feel this way?
I'm worried about my new job

I just took a job that requires me to travel far away from home. My family and I really need this job.
   People keep telling me I have "anxiety" and I'm terrified of having an anxiety attack on the road. This is all new to me. What can I do?
Can I control anxiety without medication?

I had a head injury a few years ago and my mind races all the time. I have trouble sleeping and have a lot of anxiety. Every medicine I have been on my body rejects; I get sick to my stomach and get blisters in my mouth. How can I calm my self down? I'm a wreck.
How can I deal with my best friend, whom I have a crush on, having a crush on someone else?

I've known my best friend for eight years, and I've slowly begun to form a crush on him. I sort of thought he liked me back until he told me about his actual crush. I have really bad anxiety over this.
How do I get over my anxiety of talking to new people?

I'm socially awkward. I've always want to be popular. I've had the opportunity to be popular, but every time I get i,t I'm too scared. All I have to do is talk the popular people. They're really nice to me, but I'm too scared of change. I really want to work up the courage to lose my fear.
I feel burned out

I haven't been feeling like myself lately. I've been upset for no reason and feeling anxious. I'm feeling burnt out. What can help me feel better?
How can I avoid thinking much?

I start thinking deeply about everything I may do or say and about anything that may happen. I really want to avoid it since it really bothers me.
I can't have a drink without panicking
How do I calm down during a panic attack?

I have a panic attack at least once a week and suffer from severe anxiety.
What can I do when I feel like my life is out of control?

I was in a car accident and totaled my car. I gave up my job of nine years to pursue school full-time to better myself. I failed a class, and my boyfriend that I live with thinks I’m stupid and wants to break up with me. I have nowhere to go, and I feel like I’m losing everything.
How can I manage my budding anxiety?

I have been thinking a lot about certain situations and having my worries about what others may think or say.
How can I overcome social anxiety?

I have a fear of talking with people. I don't like to go out to social events. I'm always worrying about someone judging me.
How can I stop worrying much?

I have a bad habit of thinking and worrying about what others may think of me. I really want to stop it and enjoy things.
How can I stop repetitive thoughts and feel confident again?

I have been repeating the same thought pattern for seven years and have completely lost control of any situation. I am in my early 30s, and I feel like I am trapped in my body, mind, soul, and house because I feel embarrassed to go anywhere or talk to anyone.
What should I do about my stress before track meets?

I am on the track and softball team. My school is small, so I play all four sports it offers. I feel obligated to do track because I'm not a horrible runner, and my dad wants me to. The catch is is that the days before a track meet and the morning of, I get sick and cry.
What can I do about my severe social anxiety when my family doesn't believe in it?
Can anxiety make me say foul language?

I'm scared that my anxiety will make me say foul language. I don't want to say those words though. I'm only a teen and all my friends curse, but I don't want to. I don't know what to do.
Can anxiety make me think I heard something about me?

When I'm around people, I sometimes think someone has made a comment to me or asked me to do something. I will be focusing on something else and then randomly think I hear something about me. I never know if it was actually said.
Why do I always feel anxious?

It's especially bad at night time. I am scared of sleeping alone.
Why do I see and hear things that are not real?

I’m a teenager. I am almost always paranoid. Recently, I started to think they watch. I keep seeing in the corner of my eye someone moving. The other night, I heard breathing in my room, and my eyes focused on a black shape. I turned on the lights, but no one was there.
I keep on changing my life when things get tough

I've been like this ever since I was in school; back then I transferred to another school. Now I'm thinking about changing my job.
How can I wake up without having an anxiety attack?

I have these dreams of men, and they always seem to try to hurt me. It's gotten so bad that I first wake at 4:30, then 4:45, and finally stay awake by 6:00. I'm always the last one to fall asleep and the first to wake. I hate falling asleep. The longest I've went without sleep is three days.
Why do I have panic attacks when I carry my baby?
How can I deal with this anxiety that keeps me up all night?

I've been having horrible anxiety for the last week. I can't sleep. I get a sense of doom, and it's hard to breathe. I feel like nothing I do makes it better.
What is social anxiety?
How can I be less afraid of people?

I am a female and in my early teens. I don't want to feel afraid of people. When I meet someone, I know that they are okay, but I still feel afraid.
How can I learn to not shut down and say what's wrong with me?

When I get talked to by my dad or stepmom, or if I'm in trouble, I will begin to cry and not say what's wrong with me. When my dad or stepmom ask what is wrong, I never know the answers or the words to put together what is actually wrong with me.
How can I get over my fear of public embarrassment?

A lot of times, I avoid situations where I am to meet new people because I have a fear of embarrassing myself. I often avoid large groups of people, like parties, because I think they all constantly judge me.
How can I talk to my psychologist about upping my dose of Xanax?

I’ve been on 0.5 mg of Xanax twice a day for the past month. It hasn't been helping me at all, but when I take 1 mg during a big anxiety attack, it calms me down. I was wondering how I can ask my psychologist to up the dose to 1 mg twice a day without her thinking I'm abusing them. I just have very big anxiety attacks. Should I stay on the 0.5mg and deal with the attacks or should I ask to up the dose? I'm afraid she will take me off them and put me on something else.
How is it that I fear going to sleep?

I just about fall asleep then I can't help but sit up and walk around.
How do I handle my extreme paranoia?

I'm just an extremely paranoid person. I constantly feel as though I am in some sort of danger, like as though I live in a horror movie with no resolution. It worsens at night. It gets to the point I'm scared in my own home more so than anything. I have no access to the help I need so I'm desperate.
Why am I scared to touch a girl?

I don't know if I'm normal. I'm really scared to touch a girl. I'm a young adult and a virgin. My fiancée and I want to have sex soon, and this might mess everything up because she wants a baby soon as well.
How can I be less stressed out?

I shake and have panic attacks.
How do I overcome my fear of eating in public?
When I'm around children I get this intense feeling of paranoia and fear

I'm a male in my early 20s. Lately, my paranoia about being around kids is causing me too breathe heavy and sweat a lot. I then start to act weird because I'm trying to fight my paranoia. This leads to people starring at me because they don't know that I'm suffering from panic attacks and paranoia. They just notice me acting scared around kids and they think I'm a threat because of it.    I'm not a pervert or predator. I would never hurt a kid. I like kids and don't know why I'm so scared to be around them.    I don't understand why I feel like this. Am I a bad person? How do I make this stop?
Why do I find pleasure in thinking about killing?

I am a peaceful person, but I often find myself having thoughts about killing people. Eventhough I like the thoughts at the time, they make me cry. Why do I feel like this?
I don't want to keep going back and forth between my parents' houses

I'm 17 and I'm sick and tired of going back and forth. I'd like to stay at my mother's house. This problem has really affected me. I've had anxiety attacks and suicidal thoughts and self-harm in the past.    Currently I'm going through anxiety and my thearapist is not available. How do I handle this?
How do I shake self-doubt about sex?

I get very nervous and anxious/scared before sex.
How can I atone for being cowardly?

I panicked over a minor parking lot mistake. It was totally my fault, but due to another insurance issue, I left a note with an illegible phone number. Guilty over this, I got an envelope containing several hundred dollars. Unfortunately, by the time I returned, the other driver had seen my ersatz note and drove away. Since I cannot make this up to that individual, how do I atone for my cowardly act? I have been trying to do random acts of kindness in hopes that karma will somehow even out.
Is there anything I can do to make my anxiety go away?

I'm a teenager, and while I’ve never been to any kind of therapist, I noticed I experience several anxiety symptoms. I frequently find myself not going out and following my parent around the house. I can't go into stores (grocery stores specifically) on my own, and when I do, I have to be on the phone with my dad the whole time. I also forget things a lot.
I'm not sure if I have social anxiety disorder

I feel too scared to meet people I don't know - even relatives. I don't ever raise my hand or talk in school. I feel like no one understands. How can I handle this?
Do I text, call, or make contact first, the same day of the morning I left his house?

I've known him for about six years. We've dated off and on. I hadn't seen him in close to three years but recently started seeing him again. I really want this to last this time. I stayed the night. Do I text, call, or make contact first, the same day of the morning I left his house?
Why do I feel anxious and uncomfortable at parties or big social situations?

Example would be homecoming? I was at my high school's home football game on Friday, and I left because I felt uncomfortable with all the people there and I just wanted to be by myself. Why is that?
Do I have some type of anxiety?

Sometimes, I'm fine and can go out or meet people, but other days, my heart races and words physically cannot come out of my mouth. I've always thought it was normal and I was just nervous, but the other day, it took me almost 30 minutes of sitting in my car to find the courage to enter Target by myself.
How to stop worrying in a long distance relationship?

My partner lives in Canada while I live in the US. We visit each other, but we go months in between visits. I have anxiety, and I'm always anxious about him cheating or still having feelings for an ex that he dated for three years. He doesn't understand my anxiety. How do I stop myself from worrying so much?
How can I take my emotional support animal to school?

I have severe anxiety and have tried everything. Everything makes it worst.The only thing that helps is my emotional support animal.
How can I be less afraid of rape?

Why am I so afraid of it? I don't understand.
How do I deal with all of my disorders?

I have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, anger, and memory problems. I can't work. I have no income. I'm on medicine, but I feel worthless. I want to be normal.
Why do I feel like I’m watching my life from a window?

I never feel like myself. I can’t even think straight anymore. I start stuttering and I can’t remember anything. I always get nervous and usually talk myself down but recently end up fighting with, what feels like, someone else. I don’t know why I feel this way, but I hate it.
Why am I sick to my stomach when I stand up?

I had to put a restraining order against my ex-fiancé. He was served last night. He was mentally and verbally abusive towards me. I thought it was my nerves, but every time I stand up, I get sick. If I sit and rock, I'm fine.
How can I convince my mother I have anxiety and panic attacks?

I've been dealing with this for years. My mom thinks I'm overly emotional and refuses to offer any help, like therapy or seeing a doctor. She's seen me when I'm having a panic attack and just said I was faking for attention or that I'm a hypochondriac. I just want to get better.
How can I get over my fear of accidental pregnancy to have sex again?

I am so terrified of having sex anymore because I have been told over and over that sex is dangerous even though me and my partner used both forms of protection. My partner is not happy about this and simply wants more sex, and honestly, I want to give that to her.
Why is it so hard for me to talk publicly?

I feel really uncomfortable when I have people's attention. It makes me not want to talk in public or answer questions in class. Can I get over this social anxiety?
How do I stop my nightmares?

I have been having a lot of nightmares where I am being killed in different ways. I either wake up in a panic or just crying and sweating. It has made me terrified of falling asleep and is now affecting my daily life too. Can I make the nightmares stop?
I am paranoid that my boyfriend hiding something from me

My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a year. We go to different schools, and we don't see each other that often. I just feel very paranoid that there's someone else or that he could be hiding something from me.
I'm scared because my boyfriend is interested in BDSM

I'm concerned about my boyfriend. I suffer from anxiety, but I always have this feeling he wants to hurt me because he told me he was interested in BDSM intercourse. We haven't tried it, but I've had this feeling he always wants to.
What do I do when I have anxiety attacks?

I get so much anxiety, and I don’t know why. I feel like I can’t do anything by myself because I’m scared of the outcomes.
How can I avoid becoming wrapped up in family issues and control my anxiety about them?

I started dating my fiancé two years ago. My first cousin is married to my fiancé’s sister. There has always been a communication issue between my uncle and aunt and my cousin and his wife. My uncle goes to my mom instead of talking to my cousin, and it upsets my mom.
Why am I so anxious in social situations?

Whenever I have to speak in public or be in big crowds, I freak out. I get light-headed, sweaty, and I have trouble breathing.
I've been having the same dream since I was a child

I am a teenage girl. I've been seeing the same dream once in a while since I was very young. The problem is that I don't remember anything about this dream. I still know that it's the same one, and then I wake up in a panic, and I cry really loud without knowing the reason. Why do I see the same dream, why can I not remember it, and what should I do to remember it?
If I'm not with my boyfriend, I have emotional breakdowns

I’ve been with my boyfriend for a year and a half. He loves me a lot, and I love him. It hurts to be apart from him for so long. It hurts all over, and then I feel like it won't last.