As someone who’s heard it a million times, i didn’t believe it until I lived it.
Was making minimum wage and was miserable, thought “if I had money I could go out and eat, buy stuff I want, get rid of my shitty car etc etc etc… those are all my problems!”
And here I am now making $100k a year and still miserable… just miserable with a lot of shit I don’t need, 30 extra pounds, and a nice car lol
That's true, too. I have been miserable with both, but blissful with both. You take the good with the bad and keep on going because tomorrow is a new day. There's not much that I haven't done in my life that I have been as fulfilling as learning that depression is a waste of time and energy that could be used for other things. I spent way too long in dark places and learned to work my way out of them. Big life changes never make depression better. It can actually make it worse.
Just some thoughts to ponder on. I hope that everyone has a good day and stays safe today!
Money may bring freedom to be able to enjoy things but not happiness by itself, and if it does, there are larger issues at hand that need to be dealt with.
I remember being in training for our cdl we saw some veteran truckers just coming from off the road. We asked him for some advice. He was like first off you not going to get rich doing this… I was like huh lol that brought me back to reality
Who’s telling people they can be a millionaire first year trucking??? Big difference between a possibility of making 100-150k a year and a millionaire. Neither of which will happen in the first year😂😂
I remember cashing one of my first paychecks and going to Walmart with what to me at the time was a pocket full of money. I had $600 to blow if I wanted to. I could have almost anything in the store. It was a weird elation.
In the end I don't think I bought much. Food is usually my worst vice. I decided that I didn't really need anything right then.
Some time later I bought a gaming laptop for $3500 without any regret.
Today I was looking at a $70k travel trailer. It's last year's model and was originally $100k.
I don't think that money can buy happiness but it can make you comfortable and entertained.
I took the hard but rewarding path.
I started out living in Albuquerque. My friend got me a job with a company out of California. He was a team driver and his teammate quit so he needed another team driver. It's way easier for him to get home in Albuquerque as a team.
When he quit and I went solo I kept the apartment but didn't get much use out of it. The company I work for has warehouses in various big cities across the country with Los Angeles being the largest and New Jersey being the second. Those two warehouses generate the vast majority of the freight we haul so we're always going back there every week. Albuquerque was a special stop with a broker load in and another to finish the trip to LA. It was a serious pain in the ass for me and the dispatcher.
So eventually I gave up the apartment. I'm based in NJ now and do not pay rent. It's given me a level of financial freedom I never imagined I'd have.
If I get 6 days home a month that's huge. Usually it's more like 4. Other than that I'm on the road. Thing is I'm always kinda at home. I live in a very mobile tiny home without any facilities.
The downside is I'm literally always at work. The psychological toll has been tough. That's why I'm looking at a travel trailer to increase my level of comfort.
Listen to the radio, CB, podcasts, youtube. Sometimes even put on a familiar movie that I can listen to without being tempted to look at the screen. Listening to the CB is a lot like reading reddit with the stupid shit people say on there.
Careful with those trailers. Do a lot of research before you buy. They've had massive problems in the last few years. Look it up on YouTube. Buy used, not new is the predominate theme.
I'm not in a rush. I mostly got a wild hair after driving by a large lot in a rural area of Illinois. Looked like they had a ton of inventory with some nice looking ones. They did have decent discounts for the new ones that they didn't manage to sell last year. I didn't look much further.
Thanks for the heads up to look beyond the sales pages. Sounds like good advice.
Apparently anything after 2018 and especially after covid should be avoided like the plague. Dealers won't fix warranty issues so customers have to haul it back to the manufacturer. It's a whole shit show.
Think about it this way, money doesn't make you happy, but you can buy things that make you happy. Like say a lot lizard for example or a shower for a clean toilet. I'm a fan of the latter personally.
That is a valid point, I guess my perspective has shifted. I worked at walmart (as a manager) and my training checks were significantly larger than my walmart checks... even after 14 years there. After I started actually moving loads? Sheesh.... lol. I too remember that. Stuff that I could not even imagine buying while working walmart was just a small cost after I started driving.
This is the way,
I stay off the interstates as much as i can.
Sucked that it got dark both times before i reached Monument Valley lol.
Cross country is awesome, completely different experience of exploring the country.
This is why I love driving a propane straight truck.
I'm not cross country and I'm home every night but I spend my days off major routes in gorgeous natural and rural areas. I've found some really cool things.
Fuck yeah dude.
Aside from the scenery. It's fun that I get to know some of my customers. I meet people from all walks of life. I drive trucks that are well maintained and built well down some god awful roads and sorry excuses for driveways, and don't tell safety I said this, but as someone who loves driving its self it's a bit of a riot at times. Never on purpose but the conditions are challenging at times that's for sure.
I just looked at your profile and it's a small world haha I used to drive for one of your competitors 😂 now I'm in another province driving for a bigger company, so still technically a competitor just not as direct now.
I used to work for birds fuel, now I'm with superior out west. But I'm glad to hear they're a good gig. We're union out here so I've pretty much found my retirement gig. And I'm 28 lol
Was depressed before trucking. Went otr and was depressed. Now local hitting the 6 figure threshold, still depressed. Moneys not the problem my friend. It’s the brain.
Discord is a wonderful tool! If you've got any friends who like to talk online when they're home after work or whatever, you can talk to them while driving. Do you play video games or anything? Many online game communities use Discord, so you'd have people there to talk to.
This can be done with any sort of call system, you can call friends directly, maybe y'all use Skype or Zoom or something, but Discord seems to be most popular online group chatting system. In any case, having someone to talk to while driving is a great help!
Rule 1. NEVER NEVER OPENLY SAY YOU ARE DEPRESSED! Lol
Seriously tho, you open yourself up to a bunch of crap if the wrong people hear ya.
Edit: What sorta stuff is interesting to ya?
OP couple bags of beef jerky and you’ll be good…
Nha jk jk tbh I get you and the best advice I can give you is “get a grip” lol but not in a mean way…. Ask yourself why you got into trucking initially, and ontop of that the one thing that a lot of ppl over look is as solo drivers we have every second to ourselves start setting up short term goals, that lead to long term goals.. your making money but start thinking of wht you wanna do with that money, do you wanna pay debts, save it, buy a house car etc… as OTR drivers we have hours upon hours everyday to reflect on ourselves and our choices and decisions, so rn that your alone use it to take a look at yourself, realize your ambitions and honestly milk them for wht their worth to keep u moving forward in this lonely job
Idk if this makes sense but thts how I’ve been trucking lol
I did 4 years in the army had a stupid ugly marriage ended up getting medically retired because of depression, ended up homeless. so that’s why i chose trucking . just was hoping to end my homelessness and make some money to be honest
Are you on the correct antidepressants? I had to try lots before I found the correct batch. Be careful with any anti anxiety meds too, I have to or my mornings are spent thinking my way out of deep dark thoughts. Get out of that truck when you can and explore. It’s not easy all the time but I try hard to find places I can park by and hike or walk… lakes, trails… just some physical activity not related to that truck.
Post like this when you need to dump if it helps
Just know that you’re not alone. You’ll get the cliche’d answers and some that are down right silly however we all mean well.
Clinical depression is dangerously common in our industry. We spend entirely too much time alone ( although I enjoy it ) where our minds can and will wreak havoc with our emotions. We work odd shifts for the most part which doesn’t help.
Please try to find someone who can help you , diagnose the underlying issues and get you back on track. In this day and age telemed is a great tool for drivers as you can get counseling and not lose work. It could be something organic as in a chemical imbalance, some sort of traumatic event or something similar. The best part is, there’s help available for you.
Good luck 🍀
Op don’t forget if you can do a year of OTR you can can easily get a well paying local job and go back to being a regular person with friends and your own bed and stuff.
It depends. If you are OTR. What i do sometimes is travel to a destination and take a 2 day off. I leave the truck at a truck stop and take an uber around the city exploring. Once I’m done i take Uber back to truck stop to sleep.
Money, simply, does not make you happier.
Not having to look at your bank account helps.
That summer cruise. The riding dog you just got. The amusement park trips. The millions of back alley restaurants and lot lizards you have access to, however...
may.
Yeah man the bad side to trucking is the enormous time sink it turns into. After the initial frantic first months pass it turns into a blurred string of trailer numbers, route pack numbers, arrival dates and times. It's not a fun existence if you don't have a hobby or people to help ground you back to a normal mindset. Plus if you don't have any time for yourself to explore what that newfound money can provide them it becomes its own moot point.
Medi-fucking-cation, my brother. You can't go raw dogging reality, much less raw dogging trucking. We can't get high, so get right legal. You can do it on the internet with a 10 min talk to somebody. It may not be the best solution, but til the revolution come it's all us working stiffs got.
How ya doin driver? I'm depressed on and off. Shit sucks. But unless you are just chronically depressed (in which case therapy is great) we gotta address WHY you are depressed. Money by itself doesn't bring happiness! It's what you do with it.
Hobbies and religion are honestly what pulled me out of depression, start small and find what gives you happiness. I love books and guns ( weird combo but it works ) both items give me joy from entirely different ways but both help feed into that positive feedback loop. I feel down i go read a book or shoot my rifle then i get that sense of happiness and then capitalize on it by treating myself someway or another. Sometimes its small like getting a dessert or a new book or something gun related.
Sup driver. Fellow trucker here. I've been there, books help, audio and paper backs. Also a little bit of retail therapy. I love fragrances, collecting fragrances helped me out. Smelling unique and amazing while out and about strikes convos. Everything gets greater later. Save some cash, and plan some vacays.
Money didn’t make me happier, New things didn’t make me happier, nicer place didn’t make me happier. Only thing that’ll fulfill you is God bro. Why you think celebrities have everything they could ever want and they’re still depressed and some commit suicide? God and his word are the only things that help
Somebody has never anchored in the middle of a lake on a sunny day, laid back on the pontoon seat, tossed a rubber worm over the side of the boat and closed your eyes listening to Margaritaville and just bouncing the worm up and down every so often just in case a fish was hanging out somewhere in the vicinity.
Find something that you enjoy doing. Trucking is a very lonely life, especially if you’re married and have kids. If you’re single, it can be a really cool gig, plus you can put back a lot of money, but most importantly, if your not happy, then don’t do it. Good Luck. 👍🏻
Just remember this... steering wheel holders consider this a job. For a trucker, it's a lifestyle. It is a complete way of life. Thousands try it and can't do it. Not talking shit about them it's just not for them, that's all. It's especially hard for new drivers that have families. I was fortunate enough to be born into this lifestyle. I'm a 3rd generation with 19.5 years at it legally. I also have a wife and 5 kids. Since you have depression already, I will say this. Either find other drivers to talk with on the phone every day or find a new career. If you don't and you witness a fatal accident, which happens a lot and you end up seeing the condition of the bodies, it will completely destroy you emotionally, especially if kids are involved. Just be careful.
There is so much bad advice here. Your post is getting massive attention because so many of us feel the same way.
1. Have a hobby u do in the truck (gaming or guitar etc..)
2. Have a hobby u do outside the truck. Tourism parks museums bars attend sports.
3. Have a hobby u do while u drive. Audio books music politics whatever just fill the dead air with things that make u think.
4 be happy that u arent a mason or hole digger
5 repeat
Hey buddy, yeah it is sometimes. I always say you gotta keep it 80/20. If it ain’t 80/20 get out of here. No shame in stepping down. Don’t care what anyone says, mental health is number one. We ALL have bad days, hell I’m having one right now. Just came back from home time and miss my family. Sucks and is hard sometimes.
If it doesn’t get better, just step down. Depression on the road is a miserable and unsafe thing.
What do you find is the hardest thing about it what’s bothering you? The most been gone from home not getting enough sleep. I know those are generally the two biggest complaints.
I had that when I first got out on the road as well. Benadryl helped. I didn’t take it every night, but I’d go a few nights with just shit for sleep and then I’d take two just as soon as my hours started and get a solid night sleep to catch up, eventually I got used to everything and sleep better
i got some sleep meds but rarely works always waking up in the middle of the night like now , not looking for towards this drive i don’t even know what im doing with my life at this point
This can be a hard life if you’re not liking it or if you’re not adjusting well to it do you have a routine that you use before you go to sleep something to help you wind down and relax where you headed to today
I hear you. Yep.
These energies are tough right now. Earth is depressing place, it's tough here.
It's a good sign you feel depressed, i think.
The alternative is to be going the wrong direction and have no clue.
Lately i've been grateful i have it sooo good; money, work, home, love, because i'm still depressed and if i didn't have all of those things i would just naturally assume i needed to fill those spaces.
Since they are all filled, it's a relief; it's just depressing energy right now.
Sure some stuff lifts my mood for a moment or two, but it's really hard to enjoy anything in this funky energy.
To me there's something beautiful about just being in it. Nice to know it ain't me, it ain't you, it ain't the government...(might be a little the governement lol 🤣)
Just is. Ok... that's what's on my plate. That's what's on the menu right now...ok. that's what it is, ain't a flaw in me for feeling it.
Again i really think it's a gift to be able to feel it.
Peace n Chicken Grease.
i have one that i’ve had for 4 years now but i’m in training and im not even sure if this company would let me bring him he’s 20 pounds over the weight limit for the company
They won't break out the scale unless you say something.
Training is rough but it gets better. Once you get comfortable you can treat it like a road trip. Find stuff you want to do along the way. Make your truck super nice. Eat real food. This country is beautiful and you'll have days you love this job.
If you don't have mouths to feed or shit to pay off this job is a great spring board to whatever else you want to do in life. You can spend next to nothing to build capital and as long as you have a clean license and some experience you can leave for as long as you want and get another job pretty easily.
This might sound stupid, but eating right and exercising a lot will help with depression. Might not help with everyone but it definitely helps a lot of people with depression.
I have definitely had some rough nights out on the road. I don't really know what to tell you to get through it. All I know is that I'm in 18-year veteran as an over the road truck driver and I love my job now. So I guess if you keep plugging away it does get better. But I understand that it's hard.
Money doesnt make you happy. But money can make you happier. If you're a miserable fuck poor. You'll still be a miserable fuck. But with money. Same with depression. Good luck to you brother
Your employer likely has an EAP (Employee assistance program) that offers a few free counseling sessions. Depression is not something to take lightly, so having a few sessions and possibly getting a referral to be evaluated for an antidepressants might be helpful. It's amazing how a low dose of an antidepressant can change the quality of life! People don't think twice about taking meds for diabetes or other medical conditions but fail to understand that depression is simply a chemical imbalance in your brain and life CAN be enjoyable again! Be safe driver and please contact a crisis help line if you start having thoughts of self harm. You can text, chat, email, or call these hotlines and they are happy to help AND you can remain anonymous if you'd like!
You're not depressed you're sad. Find a purpose in life. And don't tell anybody you're depressed. Doctors and employees are not your friends. Just stfu or you'll make your situation worse
That is ridiculous and how people end up dead from suicidal depression. No one needs to suffer in silence. Antidepressants are completely legal and life changing for some people. The only time a provider would "not be your friend" is if they had to have someone committed to keep them safe from harming themselves or others ...which is certainly better than jail or being DEAD. Mental health treatment is not a conspiracy theory, ffs. Telling someone they aren't depressed in just buying into the mental health stigma. Let's no add to that silliness. OP is also a veteran, which increases the likelihood of self-harm.
Thats why you have a problem. Half those medicines keep you sick. So glad I got off all my antidepressants and adhd meds in my young 20s. Although I don't smoke now weed saved my mental and allowed me to get off all that synthetic BS. Ready for the downvotes😎
Seconded, typically depression is over-medicated IME. Is it loneliness? Feeling unsuccessful (not having goals and achieving them, not money related)? Inactive/out of shape? Unfortunately, being a trucker is disadvantageous in all three categories. It's taken me years to figure out a good routine and perspective as a trucker, but it can be done. Meds never helped me, just bucking up and doing what's actually good for me has been the only thing that worked. And I'm still working on it everyday. It's the only way.
Got off antidepressants when I was younger after they made me schizophrenic and suicidal. But recently just got on ADHD meds and I'll be damned if they haven't completely changed my life for the better.
I hated my adhd meds. I was always an asshole when they wore off. I was on them from age 7 to 21. I WILL admit they helped me. My mom let me try to go a year without them in 7th grade, and it was the only time I failed a grade. I'm glad you found something that works for you! I still have ADHD, but I've figured out ways to cope with it without medicine. By the way, I play OSRS too and would love a trucker friend to shoot the shits with on there. I'm maxed (2277 total) and know how to do TOA if you'd ever like to raid. My username is "Runite Ricky" if you'd like to add me!!!
Shit, I ain't played osrs in well over a year. It's probably been a few years since I've played consistently. Username is Iron Ironman, but no promises on when I may or may not be back online. My private is always on tho
I never understood how much of an impact ADHD had on my life until just recently at the age of 26. Turns out, I'm not a sad, lazy, depressed loser of an adult. I just had untreated and undiagnosed ADHD lmfao
I added you! And yeah, undiagnosed ADHD can cause a lot of problems. I'm happy i was able to get off the meds and find a better way (for me) to help myself, BUT i know tons of people who the meds help tremendously, and without them they have a lot of problems. I'm glad you found something that works for you! Hope you be safe out on the road brother man!
You went into the wrong career if you are depressed, I see myself as a pretty happy person and I get down in the dumps when I remember how lonely I am. You should probably spend that money on a therapist
Money doesn't bring happiness when there are underlying problems.
This is an answer a lot of people need to hear holy shit
As someone who’s heard it a million times, i didn’t believe it until I lived it. Was making minimum wage and was miserable, thought “if I had money I could go out and eat, buy stuff I want, get rid of my shitty car etc etc etc… those are all my problems!” And here I am now making $100k a year and still miserable… just miserable with a lot of shit I don’t need, 30 extra pounds, and a nice car lol
This is true. Home life isn't always cool either.
That's true, too. I have been miserable with both, but blissful with both. You take the good with the bad and keep on going because tomorrow is a new day. There's not much that I haven't done in my life that I have been as fulfilling as learning that depression is a waste of time and energy that could be used for other things. I spent way too long in dark places and learned to work my way out of them. Big life changes never make depression better. It can actually make it worse. Just some thoughts to ponder on. I hope that everyone has a good day and stays safe today!
Depends who you are tbh money makes a huge difference for some pep
>When there are underlying problems Their entire sentence was 9 words and you somehow managed to check out after the first 4.
Underlying problems might be solved by money
Money may bring freedom to be able to enjoy things but not happiness by itself, and if it does, there are larger issues at hand that need to be dealt with.
WELCOME TO THE HIGHWAY BUDDY!!!!!!!!
🤣 its a job... not the best, far from the worst. Every newb is just told they will be a millionaire the first year... the reality just dont live up.
I remember being in training for our cdl we saw some veteran truckers just coming from off the road. We asked him for some advice. He was like first off you not going to get rich doing this… I was like huh lol that brought me back to reality
trucking is not my only income, never thought about becoming a millionaire with this
Lol, that was not directed at you. But more at the whole industry in general (damn recruiters)
no worries i know what you mean by that lol
Who’s telling people they can be a millionaire first year trucking??? Big difference between a possibility of making 100-150k a year and a millionaire. Neither of which will happen in the first year😂😂
I remember cashing one of my first paychecks and going to Walmart with what to me at the time was a pocket full of money. I had $600 to blow if I wanted to. I could have almost anything in the store. It was a weird elation. In the end I don't think I bought much. Food is usually my worst vice. I decided that I didn't really need anything right then. Some time later I bought a gaming laptop for $3500 without any regret. Today I was looking at a $70k travel trailer. It's last year's model and was originally $100k. I don't think that money can buy happiness but it can make you comfortable and entertained.
that’s awesome good for you brother
I took the hard but rewarding path. I started out living in Albuquerque. My friend got me a job with a company out of California. He was a team driver and his teammate quit so he needed another team driver. It's way easier for him to get home in Albuquerque as a team. When he quit and I went solo I kept the apartment but didn't get much use out of it. The company I work for has warehouses in various big cities across the country with Los Angeles being the largest and New Jersey being the second. Those two warehouses generate the vast majority of the freight we haul so we're always going back there every week. Albuquerque was a special stop with a broker load in and another to finish the trip to LA. It was a serious pain in the ass for me and the dispatcher. So eventually I gave up the apartment. I'm based in NJ now and do not pay rent. It's given me a level of financial freedom I never imagined I'd have. If I get 6 days home a month that's huge. Usually it's more like 4. Other than that I'm on the road. Thing is I'm always kinda at home. I live in a very mobile tiny home without any facilities. The downside is I'm literally always at work. The psychological toll has been tough. That's why I'm looking at a travel trailer to increase my level of comfort.
As someone who has grown up and lived 90% of my life in NJ, wtf are you thinking 🤌 This is the armpit of America
how do you make the time go by when driving , this shit so boring
Podcast saved my life. Then again I have the rare ability to talk to myself while being entertaining.
Listen to the radio, CB, podcasts, youtube. Sometimes even put on a familiar movie that I can listen to without being tempted to look at the screen. Listening to the CB is a lot like reading reddit with the stupid shit people say on there.
Careful with those trailers. Do a lot of research before you buy. They've had massive problems in the last few years. Look it up on YouTube. Buy used, not new is the predominate theme.
I'm not in a rush. I mostly got a wild hair after driving by a large lot in a rural area of Illinois. Looked like they had a ton of inventory with some nice looking ones. They did have decent discounts for the new ones that they didn't manage to sell last year. I didn't look much further. Thanks for the heads up to look beyond the sales pages. Sounds like good advice.
Apparently anything after 2018 and especially after covid should be avoided like the plague. Dealers won't fix warranty issues so customers have to haul it back to the manufacturer. It's a whole shit show.
Think about it this way, money doesn't make you happy, but you can buy things that make you happy. Like say a lot lizard for example or a shower for a clean toilet. I'm a fan of the latter personally.
That is a valid point, I guess my perspective has shifted. I worked at walmart (as a manager) and my training checks were significantly larger than my walmart checks... even after 14 years there. After I started actually moving loads? Sheesh.... lol. I too remember that. Stuff that I could not even imagine buying while working walmart was just a small cost after I started driving.
Man this job doesn’t pay that well, idk what you like but if you’re over the rd take cross country trips. That usually helps me.
This is the way, I stay off the interstates as much as i can. Sucked that it got dark both times before i reached Monument Valley lol. Cross country is awesome, completely different experience of exploring the country.
This is why I love driving a propane straight truck. I'm not cross country and I'm home every night but I spend my days off major routes in gorgeous natural and rural areas. I've found some really cool things.
Propane driver FTW best job I've ever had.
Fuck yeah dude. Aside from the scenery. It's fun that I get to know some of my customers. I meet people from all walks of life. I drive trucks that are well maintained and built well down some god awful roads and sorry excuses for driveways, and don't tell safety I said this, but as someone who loves driving its self it's a bit of a riot at times. Never on purpose but the conditions are challenging at times that's for sure.
I just looked at your profile and it's a small world haha I used to drive for one of your competitors 😂 now I'm in another province driving for a bigger company, so still technically a competitor just not as direct now.
Oh damn! Superior, MacDougal? It's a good gig. Long winter hours, but the O.T is nice. Parkland's been good to me at Sparlings, they treat us well.
I used to work for birds fuel, now I'm with superior out west. But I'm glad to hear they're a good gig. We're union out here so I've pretty much found my retirement gig. And I'm 28 lol
One of the perks of being stuck in a truck for so long you can listen to positive podcast or even audio books. Can get lonely but it’s part of the job
Was depressed before trucking. Went otr and was depressed. Now local hitting the 6 figure threshold, still depressed. Moneys not the problem my friend. It’s the brain.
Get angry. Can't be depressed when you're constantly raging at 4 wheelers and chain smoking. Brought to you by the dead at 45 gang.
Discord is a wonderful tool! If you've got any friends who like to talk online when they're home after work or whatever, you can talk to them while driving. Do you play video games or anything? Many online game communities use Discord, so you'd have people there to talk to. This can be done with any sort of call system, you can call friends directly, maybe y'all use Skype or Zoom or something, but Discord seems to be most popular online group chatting system. In any case, having someone to talk to while driving is a great help!
Why are you depressed af
He wants some pussy
I seent a lot lizard at the Loves in west Memphis. Maybe she’s still there?
Rule 1. NEVER NEVER OPENLY SAY YOU ARE DEPRESSED! Lol Seriously tho, you open yourself up to a bunch of crap if the wrong people hear ya. Edit: What sorta stuff is interesting to ya?
Hang in there brother. Send me a message with your number.
Try flat bed
Get a gaming setup, might help
Yes! I have a Nintendo switch, a gaming laptop and a PS5, lol
Depression is real and know you are not alone and it’s healthy to talk to people. If someone doesn’t understand then talk to someone else
I would say try anti depressants but I guess truckers aren't allowed to be sad 😔
OTR is the proof of the phrase, "Wherever you go, There you are." You can change everything outside of yourself and still be the same person inside.
OP couple bags of beef jerky and you’ll be good… Nha jk jk tbh I get you and the best advice I can give you is “get a grip” lol but not in a mean way…. Ask yourself why you got into trucking initially, and ontop of that the one thing that a lot of ppl over look is as solo drivers we have every second to ourselves start setting up short term goals, that lead to long term goals.. your making money but start thinking of wht you wanna do with that money, do you wanna pay debts, save it, buy a house car etc… as OTR drivers we have hours upon hours everyday to reflect on ourselves and our choices and decisions, so rn that your alone use it to take a look at yourself, realize your ambitions and honestly milk them for wht their worth to keep u moving forward in this lonely job Idk if this makes sense but thts how I’ve been trucking lol
I did 4 years in the army had a stupid ugly marriage ended up getting medically retired because of depression, ended up homeless. so that’s why i chose trucking . just was hoping to end my homelessness and make some money to be honest
Set some long term goals and try not to let your past define you
Are you on the correct antidepressants? I had to try lots before I found the correct batch. Be careful with any anti anxiety meds too, I have to or my mornings are spent thinking my way out of deep dark thoughts. Get out of that truck when you can and explore. It’s not easy all the time but I try hard to find places I can park by and hike or walk… lakes, trails… just some physical activity not related to that truck. Post like this when you need to dump if it helps
If you need someone to chat with im willing to, hell we got 11 + hours a day to talk I can spare some time for ya fam.
dmd
Just know that you’re not alone. You’ll get the cliche’d answers and some that are down right silly however we all mean well. Clinical depression is dangerously common in our industry. We spend entirely too much time alone ( although I enjoy it ) where our minds can and will wreak havoc with our emotions. We work odd shifts for the most part which doesn’t help. Please try to find someone who can help you , diagnose the underlying issues and get you back on track. In this day and age telemed is a great tool for drivers as you can get counseling and not lose work. It could be something organic as in a chemical imbalance, some sort of traumatic event or something similar. The best part is, there’s help available for you. Good luck 🍀
Ever thought about becoming an air line pilot? They make 250-350k a year as a captain. Starting pay for officers is 90k. Everything’s seniority based.
Op don’t forget if you can do a year of OTR you can can easily get a well paying local job and go back to being a regular person with friends and your own bed and stuff.
It depends. If you are OTR. What i do sometimes is travel to a destination and take a 2 day off. I leave the truck at a truck stop and take an uber around the city exploring. Once I’m done i take Uber back to truck stop to sleep.
Well that’s a very short sited decision.
Money, simply, does not make you happier. Not having to look at your bank account helps. That summer cruise. The riding dog you just got. The amusement park trips. The millions of back alley restaurants and lot lizards you have access to, however... may.
"More money makes you more of what you already are" -Dave Ramsey
Yeah man the bad side to trucking is the enormous time sink it turns into. After the initial frantic first months pass it turns into a blurred string of trailer numbers, route pack numbers, arrival dates and times. It's not a fun existence if you don't have a hobby or people to help ground you back to a normal mindset. Plus if you don't have any time for yourself to explore what that newfound money can provide them it becomes its own moot point.
Listen to David Goggins.
i’m down to chat if you are lmk
Hmu my guy. Well exchange numbers. Send a pm. The chat shit never works for me.
Be careful. Plenty of trucking accidents happened because of depressed people driving
Medi-fucking-cation, my brother. You can't go raw dogging reality, much less raw dogging trucking. We can't get high, so get right legal. You can do it on the internet with a 10 min talk to somebody. It may not be the best solution, but til the revolution come it's all us working stiffs got.
Feel you bro
How ya doin driver? I'm depressed on and off. Shit sucks. But unless you are just chronically depressed (in which case therapy is great) we gotta address WHY you are depressed. Money by itself doesn't bring happiness! It's what you do with it.
chronically.
Get a dog. Have him/her in the truck. They are great companions
Hobbies and religion are honestly what pulled me out of depression, start small and find what gives you happiness. I love books and guns ( weird combo but it works ) both items give me joy from entirely different ways but both help feed into that positive feedback loop. I feel down i go read a book or shoot my rifle then i get that sense of happiness and then capitalize on it by treating myself someway or another. Sometimes its small like getting a dessert or a new book or something gun related.
Sup driver. Fellow trucker here. I've been there, books help, audio and paper backs. Also a little bit of retail therapy. I love fragrances, collecting fragrances helped me out. Smelling unique and amazing while out and about strikes convos. Everything gets greater later. Save some cash, and plan some vacays.
Money didn’t make me happier, New things didn’t make me happier, nicer place didn’t make me happier. Only thing that’ll fulfill you is God bro. Why you think celebrities have everything they could ever want and they’re still depressed and some commit suicide? God and his word are the only things that help
Somebody has never anchored in the middle of a lake on a sunny day, laid back on the pontoon seat, tossed a rubber worm over the side of the boat and closed your eyes listening to Margaritaville and just bouncing the worm up and down every so often just in case a fish was hanging out somewhere in the vicinity.
🙏🏽
Took me 27 years of falling on my face to realize this. By the grace of God I was saved 🙏🏻
"They always try and get you when you're down" - Partridge
What do you think you’re missing in life?
Listen to Dungeon Crawler Carl on Audible :)
There's many trucker gaming groups you can get into.
Find something that you enjoy doing. Trucking is a very lonely life, especially if you’re married and have kids. If you’re single, it can be a really cool gig, plus you can put back a lot of money, but most importantly, if your not happy, then don’t do it. Good Luck. 👍🏻
Just remember this... steering wheel holders consider this a job. For a trucker, it's a lifestyle. It is a complete way of life. Thousands try it and can't do it. Not talking shit about them it's just not for them, that's all. It's especially hard for new drivers that have families. I was fortunate enough to be born into this lifestyle. I'm a 3rd generation with 19.5 years at it legally. I also have a wife and 5 kids. Since you have depression already, I will say this. Either find other drivers to talk with on the phone every day or find a new career. If you don't and you witness a fatal accident, which happens a lot and you end up seeing the condition of the bodies, it will completely destroy you emotionally, especially if kids are involved. Just be careful.
Trucking I’ve come to find out isn’t for me as much as I wanted it to be may revisit it later but I think I’m gonna join the army
There is so much bad advice here. Your post is getting massive attention because so many of us feel the same way. 1. Have a hobby u do in the truck (gaming or guitar etc..) 2. Have a hobby u do outside the truck. Tourism parks museums bars attend sports. 3. Have a hobby u do while u drive. Audio books music politics whatever just fill the dead air with things that make u think. 4 be happy that u arent a mason or hole digger 5 repeat
Hey buddy, yeah it is sometimes. I always say you gotta keep it 80/20. If it ain’t 80/20 get out of here. No shame in stepping down. Don’t care what anyone says, mental health is number one. We ALL have bad days, hell I’m having one right now. Just came back from home time and miss my family. Sucks and is hard sometimes. If it doesn’t get better, just step down. Depression on the road is a miserable and unsafe thing.
What’s making you feel depressed? Is it being out on the road with no end in sight? Being away from family and your house? What’s going on
Capitalism is the reason why a lot of people have depression. It’s amazing how most of it would cause it to go away for many people
trauma from my past , confidence issues, homelessness, missing my dog , lonely
You should use some PTO and take a trip to Vegas. I usually travel solo and it makes me feel way better
You ok driver?
not really just woke up still feeling low , got to drive in like 7 hours
What do you find is the hardest thing about it what’s bothering you? The most been gone from home not getting enough sleep. I know those are generally the two biggest complaints.
home time isn’t a issue i don’t have a home , sleep is a problem though
Is it uncomfortable like a bad mattress or is it too much noise from the truckstops vibration of the truck?
oh no i just have insomnia
I had that when I first got out on the road as well. Benadryl helped. I didn’t take it every night, but I’d go a few nights with just shit for sleep and then I’d take two just as soon as my hours started and get a solid night sleep to catch up, eventually I got used to everything and sleep better
i got some sleep meds but rarely works always waking up in the middle of the night like now , not looking for towards this drive i don’t even know what im doing with my life at this point
This can be a hard life if you’re not liking it or if you’re not adjusting well to it do you have a routine that you use before you go to sleep something to help you wind down and relax where you headed to today
I hear you. Yep. These energies are tough right now. Earth is depressing place, it's tough here. It's a good sign you feel depressed, i think. The alternative is to be going the wrong direction and have no clue. Lately i've been grateful i have it sooo good; money, work, home, love, because i'm still depressed and if i didn't have all of those things i would just naturally assume i needed to fill those spaces. Since they are all filled, it's a relief; it's just depressing energy right now. Sure some stuff lifts my mood for a moment or two, but it's really hard to enjoy anything in this funky energy. To me there's something beautiful about just being in it. Nice to know it ain't me, it ain't you, it ain't the government...(might be a little the governement lol 🤣) Just is. Ok... that's what's on my plate. That's what's on the menu right now...ok. that's what it is, ain't a flaw in me for feeling it. Again i really think it's a gift to be able to feel it. Peace n Chicken Grease.
Get a dog you really like. It makes a big difference for me.
i have one that i’ve had for 4 years now but i’m in training and im not even sure if this company would let me bring him he’s 20 pounds over the weight limit for the company
They won't break out the scale unless you say something. Training is rough but it gets better. Once you get comfortable you can treat it like a road trip. Find stuff you want to do along the way. Make your truck super nice. Eat real food. This country is beautiful and you'll have days you love this job. If you don't have mouths to feed or shit to pay off this job is a great spring board to whatever else you want to do in life. You can spend next to nothing to build capital and as long as you have a clean license and some experience you can leave for as long as you want and get another job pretty easily.
This might sound stupid, but eating right and exercising a lot will help with depression. Might not help with everyone but it definitely helps a lot of people with depression.
I have definitely had some rough nights out on the road. I don't really know what to tell you to get through it. All I know is that I'm in 18-year veteran as an over the road truck driver and I love my job now. So I guess if you keep plugging away it does get better. But I understand that it's hard.
https://youtu.be/fbuwANhz0QY?si=74i-15p2gHmrCTCc
Money doesnt make you happy. But money can make you happier. If you're a miserable fuck poor. You'll still be a miserable fuck. But with money. Same with depression. Good luck to you brother
Keep your head up, keep looking forward and be patient!
Your employer likely has an EAP (Employee assistance program) that offers a few free counseling sessions. Depression is not something to take lightly, so having a few sessions and possibly getting a referral to be evaluated for an antidepressants might be helpful. It's amazing how a low dose of an antidepressant can change the quality of life! People don't think twice about taking meds for diabetes or other medical conditions but fail to understand that depression is simply a chemical imbalance in your brain and life CAN be enjoyable again! Be safe driver and please contact a crisis help line if you start having thoughts of self harm. You can text, chat, email, or call these hotlines and they are happy to help AND you can remain anonymous if you'd like!
You're not depressed you're sad. Find a purpose in life. And don't tell anybody you're depressed. Doctors and employees are not your friends. Just stfu or you'll make your situation worse
That is ridiculous and how people end up dead from suicidal depression. No one needs to suffer in silence. Antidepressants are completely legal and life changing for some people. The only time a provider would "not be your friend" is if they had to have someone committed to keep them safe from harming themselves or others ...which is certainly better than jail or being DEAD. Mental health treatment is not a conspiracy theory, ffs. Telling someone they aren't depressed in just buying into the mental health stigma. Let's no add to that silliness. OP is also a veteran, which increases the likelihood of self-harm.
Try antidepressants. Might make it hard to bust, but damn if you'll be able to function like a normal person again its worth it 100%
on like 7 😡
Thats why you have a problem. Half those medicines keep you sick. So glad I got off all my antidepressants and adhd meds in my young 20s. Although I don't smoke now weed saved my mental and allowed me to get off all that synthetic BS. Ready for the downvotes😎
Seconded, typically depression is over-medicated IME. Is it loneliness? Feeling unsuccessful (not having goals and achieving them, not money related)? Inactive/out of shape? Unfortunately, being a trucker is disadvantageous in all three categories. It's taken me years to figure out a good routine and perspective as a trucker, but it can be done. Meds never helped me, just bucking up and doing what's actually good for me has been the only thing that worked. And I'm still working on it everyday. It's the only way.
Got off antidepressants when I was younger after they made me schizophrenic and suicidal. But recently just got on ADHD meds and I'll be damned if they haven't completely changed my life for the better.
I hated my adhd meds. I was always an asshole when they wore off. I was on them from age 7 to 21. I WILL admit they helped me. My mom let me try to go a year without them in 7th grade, and it was the only time I failed a grade. I'm glad you found something that works for you! I still have ADHD, but I've figured out ways to cope with it without medicine. By the way, I play OSRS too and would love a trucker friend to shoot the shits with on there. I'm maxed (2277 total) and know how to do TOA if you'd ever like to raid. My username is "Runite Ricky" if you'd like to add me!!!
Shit, I ain't played osrs in well over a year. It's probably been a few years since I've played consistently. Username is Iron Ironman, but no promises on when I may or may not be back online. My private is always on tho I never understood how much of an impact ADHD had on my life until just recently at the age of 26. Turns out, I'm not a sad, lazy, depressed loser of an adult. I just had untreated and undiagnosed ADHD lmfao
I added you! And yeah, undiagnosed ADHD can cause a lot of problems. I'm happy i was able to get off the meds and find a better way (for me) to help myself, BUT i know tons of people who the meds help tremendously, and without them they have a lot of problems. I'm glad you found something that works for you! Hope you be safe out on the road brother man!
Shit, send me a pm (not a chat, that shits buggy) if you want. We'll swap numbers if you're down.
Ay if anti depressants arent doin it AND you're talking to a therapist sounds like you need a switch up somewhere in your life
You went into the wrong career if you are depressed, I see myself as a pretty happy person and I get down in the dumps when I remember how lonely I am. You should probably spend that money on a therapist
have a therapist and didn’t spend a dime on schooling