I had no idea that this thread existed until now. I love how wholesome this community is and since I'm new here I thought I'd share my story.
I met my partner in a randomised internet chatroom.
Why I was in a randomised internet chatroom takes a little more explaining. You see I had been wrestling with depression for several years; a depression fueled by circumstances and unresolved history, a depression that contributed to the breakdown and subsequent ending of the relationship with my daughters mother. Full disclosure: she and I are on good terms and while we were ultimately a terrible couple she is an incredible mother.
At the peak of my depression I was numb to the world, I had seen two therapists both of whom said I was depressed. My ex told me I wasn't. She said I just wanted a label for my bad behavior, that I wanted a reason why I could continue being ‘grumpy’. She said 'even if I was depressed I should just man up'. I didn't tell my friends because I didn't want to appear weak. I internalised my depression until everyday I wore a mask. Everyday I wore a fake smile. Every day I looked at lorries on the road and thought about how easy it would be to step out in front of one.
I agonised about taking medication. I feared losing myself beneath a veneer of drugs. I didn't want to be zombie, trapped in a cycle of dependency. Isolated from my friends, too scared to tell my family, without the support from my then partner I felt utterly lost. One day I downloaded a game on my phone. It was silly distraction from the near constant misery of my depression. It had a small community of some 50,000 players, people from all over the world. One player had used a photograph of Mariya Takeuchi, a niche Japanese musician who I happened to love, as their avatar. (Please go on YouTube and listen to Plastic Love by her
) I messaged them out of the blue to tell them that l, too, loved Mariya’s music and they began a conversation with me.
Soon they invited me to a Line group chat where I met some wonderfully weird and wholesome people. There were Americans, Austrians, Australians and people from countries that didn't begin with A. For six months I played that game and I stayed in that group chat. They didn't know me and for the first time in years I didn't need to wear the mask. Since the chat was full of international people I always had someone to talk to. No matter the time of day I no longer isolated.
They made me feel so welcome I wanted to do something for them. So I started competition Tuesdays where I'd set a challenge and then I’d mail the winner something silly like studio Ghibli socks or a science fiction novel. I enjoyed making others feel happy and in doing so I started to feel happy again. Fun fact: I came 47th out 50,000 in a tournament and I have the medal to prove it*. I felt happy enough to get help. To get some medication. It took the edge of the depression long enough for me to realise the toxic situation I was living in. My ex and I separated and within two weeks I was no longer on the medication. I was on the road to recovery. Those strangers online helped me more than they knew. They had been a candle in the darkness that had kept the wolf from the door. They had, without any exaggeration, saved my life. So now a single Dad I went online hoping to be the stranger that someone else needed. The sympathetic ear that would be ready to listen to someone else's pain. That's how I ended up in a random chat app and it was there that I met my girlfriend, completely at random, who became my best friend, who six months later I kissed, who 3 months later on moved in with me and now she and I are happier than ever. My happiness was waiting for me and my depression led me to it.
You see if I'd not been depressed I would not have played that game. If I'd not played that game I would not have not joined that group chat. If I'd not joined that group chat I'd not have gotten the support I needed and I wouldn't have got help, I would not have downloaded the random chat app and ultimately might not have found the person I love.
If there is a moral to this story its that you really have no way of knowing how one simple action might change your story. If you're going through something right now hang in there and if you are feeling isolated please feel free to PM me.
Malthus
*(
https://pasteboard.co/J81gYUD.png)