When and how did you hit ROCK BOTTOM? (55, inheritance, state)

[Yakscsd]

I'm not sure how you think that is rock bottom? Unless there are some other factors we don't know about, he will likely never see jail. At his age the implications, such as reduced job opportunists, are minimal.

Personally, I am impressed that he was able to capitalize on a market at his age. As I get older I am more willing to do more drugs not less as the risk is less. Heck I did heroin for the first time at 60! I would not had even considered it at 30 because I had too much to lose. But now, meh.

[HappyDogToday]

Geeze, this question is not all that bad of a discussion point, so let's get on with it, shall we?
Since the Great Recession I've had a few ''bottoms'', but the worst were the few times we had no money at all and no way to get any for food or gas due to lay-offs and job loss. Lived way out in the country then and I recall a particular time when I had a job interview...FINALLY!...and no gas money to get to it!
Had to borrow cash from a relative who went to ''my'' bank in her city and put some in my account so I could get gas in the car.
Then had to get a ride from a neighbor to the gas station which was 8 miles away and get a gallon of gas in the gas can.
Then drove to the job interview 20 miles one way. Got the job, had to borrow more money for gas to start the job 2 weeks later, then did not get a paycheck for another 2 weeks and had to borrow gas and food money again.
Once I got started I paid her all that back, but the waiting and the humiliation and the hunger pangs were something I never forgot.
There were more ''bottoms'', i.e. shades of ''The Pursuit of Happyness'', but that one stands out in my mind as it became one of the first of many during those years.
I watch that movie now and never forget...

[biscuitmom]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I was talking to some relatives from back home and one of our old party buddies, who is in his early 60s and recently retired, was arrested for distribution of marijuana recently. From what I've concluded, the guy had primarily supported himself for the last few years with the weed profits. He started a fairly successful eldercare business and was aboveboard the last few years, but still dealt drugs.

He's hit rock bottom going into old age. When and how did you hit rock bottom?

Say what?

This seems a topic for another thread, but my older brother spent 108 months in federal prison for marijuana conspiracy to distribute. His conviction came down in 1991. He was released in 2000 and now enjoys a happy productive life, plans to retire next year when he turns 70.
He's not the least proud about his foray into the world of marijuana but he'd find the description "rock bottom" as overly dramatic. No guilt or regrets on his or his family's part. Much good came from the experience, including his learning to get along without his previously beloved firearms. He's now a bow-hunting staunch foe of the NRA, who knew?
On the other hand, our mom was an alcoholic who was sober for the last 38 years of her life and would easily describe her last year before sobriety as rock bottom.

I've done a few things I'm not proud of but I've never hit anything near what I'd call rock bottom, and at 67 it seems unlikely I ever will.

[in_newengland]

I'm another one who sees nothing wrong with the question. Rock bottom doesn't signify alcoholism or drug addiction to me. It made me think of a devastating job loss or a terrible illness, an excruciating divorce--lots of situations could be considered rock bottom, a time when you think it can never get better and your life is over.

I'd say mine was divorce when I was in my late 50s. I had no idea it was coming. I was blind sided. He went through all our money and then announced that he wanted a divorce. I hit rock bottom and saw no future for myself.

Eventually I did pull myself together. I sold most of my furniture but by some miracle I was able to hang onto family heirlooms and certain furniture that meant a lot to me. I remember that spring a little rose bloomed outside the door of my temporary subsidized apartment. I took a picture of that rose and it became an inspiration. The future held a new job and then a new husband late in life. Hitting rock bottom and surviving made me stronger and it made me much more sympathetic to others who have hit rock bottom and climbed out of it and returned to a normal life.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by RiverBird

I'm wondering why you're assuming that those who post here have hit rock bottom—? It seems, the way you've worded the question, that you think everyone has?

I'm wondering if SC stays up at night thinking of new threads to post... endlessly. Happy Holidays!!

[brava4]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Apparently, when I started reading C-D today.

[Nor'Eastah]

This has got to be the wackiest thread I've ever seen on CD...and I've seen some beaut's!

Yes, life has its ups and downs for all of us, but that doesn't mean that we've hit "rock bottom". The down moments I've had in life are long in the past, involving boring jobs, toxic people, and the loss of pet dogs that were important to me. As for drugs, alcohol, jail, etc etc...my life has been singularly free of those things. I once lost a grandson at 2 days of age, but even that was not "rock bottom", as I have 6 healthy ones now. Who knows? Maybe my "rock bottom" is yet to come?

[VexedAndSolitary]

Some of us are bottom-dwellers *raising hand*

A few examples:
I had a lovely in all ways first husband, left him for someone else after 10yr, purely on a whim. Left that one after 18mos.

Second husband, violent lunatic. Left him, he then killed himself while we were separated pending divorce.

Great s/o, pure hearted, loving human being, left that one, no good reason really.
Now alone, no interest in an s/o, ended up here via MY OWN doing, no one to blame, walked away from awesome men who were devoted to me.

Had big chunk of money, six figure inheritances twice within four years, both husbands made +six fig, didn't scale back lifestyle soon enough after widowhood, now poor.

Unemployable, due to anxiety, depression, people aversion and being a mental case in general.

Always been unhappy, miserable.

So some of us laugh (wryly) at peeps describing rock bottom moments, when we live in Rock Bottom (Spongebob episode).
Those who blame others for their low state annoy the crap out of me. Unless you're under 18, stop blaming others willya (not referring to anyone in particular, just generally speaking). I got myself here, no one used force on me to make idiotic choices.

[RiverBird]

Wow, there's some powerful stories on here.

I too got hung up in the language and posture of the question. I could have understood "Have you ever hit rock bottom and how?" What put me off was the seeming assumption that we all have (hit rock bottom). And rock bottom to me evokes a sense of total dysfunction and/or desperation and/or loss of faith or hope.

I've had some tragedies in my life, including the loss of a very young child in a terrible way. Life has tested me pretty seriously more than once. But I've never had the sense of hitting rock bottom, even at my saddest times. As one of my kids said recently, Mom I have your resilience. I hope I don't get tested again before I die, but if I do I hope I can muster that resilience.

[Lodestar]

OverItAll hit on the point that I was going to make.

Approaching my thirties I was unhappy with my life and the way it was going. When I finally figured out that I was the one who was going to have to change my attitudes and behaviors to have a more satisfactory life that's what I would call hitting rock bottom.

As a friend used to say, "The *** was up.' When you run out of people, places and things to blame you're finally in a place to make improvements.

Glad I got that over with early!

Edited to add: honest to goodness - no naughty words in my post. The censor blocked a three-letter word starting with Jay and meaning "little dance."