Dear Calebw,

The thing with anxiety is that it makes us want to have instant solutions so we can get rid of the anxiety in that moment. Going back to partying and your old lifestyle is an instant solution.. But where will you be in the big picture of your life if you do not finish school or find any other responsibilities that make you happy? The only way to rid your problems is to actually face them – even if that seems like the hardest thing to do.
My suggestion is to find a hobby to bring you joy outside of partying – even if it means doing it by yourself. Find an outlet that will not be a potential spiral down. For someone at your age, instant gratification seems legit. But ask yourself what kind of a man do you want to be in 5 years? Where do you see yourself in 3 years? Start to think outside the box of how life sucks right now. And start to take small steps in the direction of the kind of life you want to see yourself in. This world is at your disposal. You can do anything you want and become anyone you want – it does not have to depend on book smarts. It just takes vision and baby steps towards that vision each day.

But if you only focus on partying to rid your anxieties, 5 years from now you will look back on your life and see you had wasted your years away.. It is fun for the moment but becomes a trap for the long haul. Take baby steps each day to find out what your dreams are and then start taking baby steps to make those dreams a reality.