Deciding Where I Want to Live Is Stressing Me Out

As of this writing, I basically live alone. My family is scattered around the country, and though I have a good amount of friends, none live close. For a while, I've been debating whether or not this living situation is healthy or sustainable in the long run but deciding where to live is stressing me out.

This is going to be another one of those posts that doesn't have any easy answers. I've realized that many of my mental health issues are ones that don't have simple fixes and that sometimes, the best I can do is think out loud to at least attempt to get a better understanding of what I need for myself. I hope all who read will allow me the indulgence.

Debating Where I Currently Live

The difficult thing about this situation is, on the surface, I like where I live currently. I love my city, and I live in a great neighborhood in a nice place. Ideally, I wouldn't necessarily want to leave. That's part of what makes this whole thing so painful: the possibility of having to do something I wouldn't want to do otherwise.

I've realized it's very hard when my mental health is not in a good place to be alone. I've discovered I'm the kind of person that will likely need someone to provide comfort and support in those situations -- I'm not afraid to admit that. The problem is, where I am now makes that all but impossible. Friends are not close enough to see them on a regular basis, and even if they were, I would feel guilty about invading their lives with my problems as often as I would likely need to. My family has been that support system for my entire life, but again, they are even farther away.

Deciding Where to Live in the Future

I could, if I wanted, move somewhere closer to where someone in my family is. That brings with it some unique challenges. Not only would I have to leave where I am now (which, remember, is somewhere I like living), but I'd have to move to somewhere that I'm almost totally unfamiliar with, where I will know literally nobody else aside from my family.

Based on where I am now, this isn't something I want to do. But I understand my mental health is the most important thing I need to focus on, so if that's what needs to happen, I'll do it.

I want to try to ensure that this won't happen. I can try to work with my family and my therapist to make where I'm living now feel more comfortable. I don't know if it'll work, but I want to do everything I can to stay before having to do anything else.

What is your advice? Where should I live? Share your thoughts in the comments.