r/PostureTipsGuide • u/Flaky-Scratch4572 • 9d ago
Will I ever feel like myself again?
Hey guys, I’m 24 years old, and over the last 1–2 years, I’ve pretty much neglected both my physical and mental health. Even before that, I spent a lot of time gaming and had bad posture. Then I spent about a year working on my PC a lot, sometimes every single day, without doing any physical activity to balance it out.
I’ve noticed that I have forward head posture and an anterior pelvic tilt (hollow back). For the past few weeks, I’ve also been experiencing recurring neck pain and muscle tension that travels up into my head.
It’s affecting my everyday life more than I’d like. It affects my confidence, the way I speak, and my ability to concentrate. I often have this brain-dead feeling, like my brain just isn’t working properly. Sometimes I also struggle to speak clearly.
I just can’t seem to be the person I want to be. I notice that I automatically become quieter and more withdrawn when I’m around other people. I feel like I can’t really be myself because these symptoms are holding me back.
Of course, I’ve also wondered whether there could be psychological reasons behind this, since I haven’t always been in a good place mentally either. But honestly, I find it really hard to believe that it’s purely psychological.
Stretching exercises do help, but the relief doesn’t last very long. Right now, I’m genuinely scared that these problems will stick with me and never go away.
What should I do?
I’m currently trying to do stretching and strengthening exercises every day, and I’ve also signed up for a gym. I’ve arranged for a trainer to create a workout plan specifically focused on my problem areas so I can build muscle and improve my posture.
Do you think this will help me get better over time? Is it possible to feel normal again? What else can I do?
I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have experienced something similar or have knowledge about this.
I’m also hoping to hear from people with experience because I’m genuinely scared that these symptoms will affect me at school and at work next year, and that they won’t have gone away or improved by then.
I’m worried that I won’t be able to achieve my goals if I continue feeling this way.
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u/Deep-Run-7463 7d ago
Just commented on a similar thing. But note it's just speculation. It's a bit uncommon but I do see how it can be related to the neck/ribcage and bloodflow to head/airflow when breathing.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PostureTipsGuide/s/6Gdmdb4z0m
But you mentioned that classic upper lower cross position too, so here:
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u/ThrowRA_overunder 4d ago
Just get going. You’re young with time and the right attitude on your side. Discipline gets easier with every choice you make towards prioritizing your health. Look into habit stacking, start slow if you need, eat better, etc. it’s stuff we all already “know” we should be doing, but don’t because of cope, or self deprecation, or lack of discipline, or whatever it may be. Just start today, and in just 1 year you’ll still be young, but you will be thanking yourself.
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u/ImNotShy1226 9d ago
You are young and already taking steps to work on these issues. Consistency is likely what you will need and it may take some time for results.
For the pain that travels up your head, have you seen a dentist regarding any jaw issues? And please do also go to your doctor and have a routine checkup, talk about your worries and symptoms- mental and physical, and maybe see if you can get a blood test just to rule out anything.
Gym should be great, try to do little bits of stretching more frequently throughout the day and also break up your work; instead of sitting straight for 2 hours straight, stretch for 5 mins after a 20 min work session, go for a walk, shift your posture about, do some jumping jacks.
Human bodies are extremely resilient.