Suicidal. Dont know whom to speak to.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I don't have time right now to fully respond but I'm going to leave this here if you need it.

You're not alone

Help is available

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

988

Emergency number

911

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

988lifeline.org

chat

988lifeline.org

is your sorrow strictly career related? feel free to pm

Job hunting is not an experience which usually improves mental health and some people definitely get hit hard. That being said, it is important to make sure you do what you can for your mental health outside of your professional life. I know it's the most generic advice in the world, but science isn't lying when it says exercise, good sleep and good food are super impactful. 

I also know that there's no magic wand action or thought that can fix mental health in 1 day. 

More than welcome to PM. I'm always ready to help in situations like these. I really hope you overcome this, because I know you can :)

Depression alters your brain chemistry, so depending on how severe is the situation you might need to request some pills from a therapist or doctor. If you want to avoid, then it's all on your mindset so you need to raw dog this, as I'll explain.

1. Your brain perceives a short-term issue or obstacle in your life as it will be permanent. In other words, it has no ability to look in the future due to physical/biological impediment, so that's the first step you need to understand: It's not really you who is entertaining this decision, but it's your brain's chemistry that it's altered. I want to emphasize this again, there's a difference between the real you and the strange things caused by altered a brain with an altered chemistry. The first one, meaning you, will always persist and remain, meanwhile the chemistry part comes and goes due to external factors. So, don't ever feel tempted or confuse the spectrum between those 2. You need to hold and resist against the thoughts that aren't really yours, but are caused by this imbalance. Your self-perception and understanding from where those thoughts come from is paramount and should be 100% internalized and lived to it.

2. Next, you can surpass this in raw terms. I am sure you are well aware of how obstacles and low points in life are usually points where you're forced from externalities to ask bigger questions about life, with a great potential to alter your path for the good, that until now you were too deep on auto-pilot to even consider. Think about how many great ideas or personalities or businesses were born from some adversity; when those guys/businesses are asked about the moment when they came up with an idea or opportunity, it's almost always a story about how they were at their lowest in life. The mindset shift is to see this as a point where - wanted or not - you are forced out of your current and linear life path, and you're put in a place to look for other opportunities - call it a test of entrepreneurship, and not a low point. Yoiur brain has the ability to work in a completely different way when it's on survival mode, and here is where great outcomes flourish or the person completely breaks. Those who don't break capture all the upsides that life has to offer after this phase. Recover and work on the upside. Find ways to cope with negative thoughts: When they happen take a cold shower/go for a run/hit the gym and socialize with people - you know yourself better than us, so up to you.

tl;dr

a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

I am pretty sure i bumped into many of your posts in the past, some that might have been helpful either personally or professionally. You've contributed and I hope this says something

I think that many people are going through the same and eventually figure things out/recover.

Maybe my mindset is small but I'd literally, likely, do any job out there (barista at coffee shop or sth)

Easy to talk when we're not in your shoes however. Wish you all the best

Life is more than a corporate job. You are a human with friends and family probably more personal interests than you can remember or realize right now. You did the corporate job thing - you know you can find your way back if you really want to. You're capable and competent. You also have the blessing now of being able to say you did the PE/high finance job and can cross that off your bucket list and freely live your life now, so that's an option. 

My advice would be to start by focusing on transferable skills from your previous work in IR and capital raising, even if it's hard to see them at first. There are a lot of roles outside the finance world that might value your experience without being a direct fit. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to your network, even if it feels uncomfortable at first, you might be surprised by how supportive people can be. 

Try a long fast or endurance workouts. Your brain chemistry will improve. GL bro you got this!

A guy starts his post out saying he's suicidal, I post the suicide hotline number and the mods delete my post? Wtf??

Hey bro - hope today is a good day for you. Reaching out and communicating with people is a very healthy sign. I was suicidal when younger when I felt I failed at life and had a suicide attempt and almost died. I told no one and talked to no one. I hope your network is supportive on this journey of yours. Watch out for alcohol as it is a depressant. Try to go on walks or go to the gym once per day. Identify what stresses you out and utilize healthy coping habits to defeat stress.

It sucks, but based on my experience, you'll feel better again eventually. Had a really bad 3 years myself. Today that feels very distant.

Thank you for not giving up and reaching out. You should try helping someone, maybe a random stranger even. You’ll discover you will feel so much better by rendering unsolicited acts of kindness. 

My friend, I remember we connected in the past when you were in the industry. Please contact the national hotline in America or wherever you’re at. See a psychiatrist if possible too. There are resources out there for these situations.

You can always PM me as well. I work in mental health and help people such as yourself and others.

Try applying to dubai/abudhabi you will most likely find a better working life and sense of purpose over there

Posting here is a good start but if you have a family, let them know about it and hopefully you can work together to create a plan to tackle the issues.   Part of that plan might be to get external help via a psychiatrist and meds. There could be a chemical imbalance in your brain that can only be fixed with meds.  You also have to believe that the future will likely better than the present.

Hey earthwalker7, thank you for having the courage to write this. Just putting these words out there takes a lot, and I want you to know that you’re not alone—even if it feels like it right now.

I've been through a really similar place. A few years ago, after stepping away from a role I thought was going to define my career, I found myself stuck—gaps in my resume, uncertainty about switching paths, and a growing feeling of isolation. It was honestly one of the darkest chapters of my life.

What helped me wasn’t a sudden opportunity or some perfect plan—it was starting to talk to people again, even if awkwardly. I ended up reconnecting with some old colleagues and took on small, purpose-driven work. I’m now at Phonexa, but honestly, the shift wasn't about the company—it was about regaining a sense of forward motion and support. That took time. And I still lean on a few people who "get it" when things get heavy.

Please, if you're feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a professional. In Hong Kong, there are hotlines like Samaritans (2896 0000) and even anonymous email support if calling feels like too much. You're not a burden—you’re a person who deserves help and care, like any of us.

If you want to DM and just talk things through with someone who's been in a hole before—I’m here.