My best friend is a fairly successful, athletic, well-educated person who has never really faced much adversity in his life. He's on a date tonight. Meanwhile; I'm a fat, depressed, alcoholic college dropout who works a shitty factory job and has never been on a first date.

I am working on myself. I started seeing a therapist this summer. I'm trying to get into better shape and cut back on my drinking. I'm even looking into going back to school. It's just so hard though. I bust my ass every day, and see little to no progress.

It's so frustrating too, because my friend doesn't realize how easy he has it. He acts like going a month without getting laid is the end of the world. Meanwhile, the only sexual contact I've had with another person was nonconsensual. He tries to give me advice about dating, work, school, finances, etc; but it's always cliche normie advice (ex: "get into better shape to attract women ") I'm not terribly overweight (only about 30lbs for my height, and I'm pretty muscular). I've had women be interested in me before. The issue is that I find it absolutely terrifying to talk to new people; and even when I work up the courage, I get all awkward and fumble it.

I know I can get past these issues with work, but it feels like by the time I get my life on track, it'll be too late to do anything with it. I just wish I could feel like all the work I'm doing is worth it, and like I am worthy of having a decent, normal life.