The Original Post
I’ve just inherited 12 million dollars. I’m a 34 year old man, and for the last 12 years I’ve been caregiving for my parent, starting almost immediately after university. It was a full time job immediately, but it very quickly became a 24-hour job. I’ve never had an actual career, it was so time consuming I lost contact with all my friends. For the last 4.5 years even with assisting caregivers their dementia caused aggression and massive behavioural issues if I was present and actively calming them down.
They’ve passed, and I’m thankful they no longer have to suffer but I’ve been left completely lost. My adult life has been dedicated to caregiving for someone. I’ve not lived my own life. I’ve had no actual jobs let alone career. I’ve never had a girlfriend. I haven’t spoken to friends in nearly half a decade and I don’t know if any of them would even remember me anymore. I’ve never traveled. I’ve never lived.
I’ve been suicidal for the past 3 years. If I didn’t have someone who relied on me I’d have been long dead (paradoxically, I suppose, because I doubt I’d feel like a husk of a human if I wasn’t caregiving). I feel so guilty because I know people are struggling to survive, let alone do well. I know people would kill for a quarter of what I’ve gotten. But I just want to give it all away and die already.
There are paths I always wanted to try, things that when my parent got sick I was going to do. I always wanted to be a filmmaker. I had so many ideas for movies. But I’ve been too depressed and too avoidant to even watch a movie in the last 3 years let alone create anything myself.
I’ve been left as a person who basically does not know how to live. I can’t figure out shit for myself, or if I can I’m now too terrified to try. Mistakes I should have been figuring out with everyone else over a decade ago I’m too scared to make as I’m near middle aged. Hell, I don’t know the first thing about finances, I don’t even know what to do with my inheritance.
I’m sorry for the poorly written, random thoughts. It’s starting to hit me how little there is for me in life even as I’ve inherited so much.
What Reddit Said
Reddit immediately recognized this as a mental health crisis disguised as a financial windfall. The top comment warned OP against scammers and emphasized getting professional help first. Users overwhelmingly focused on therapy over money management.
Many Redditors shared similar caregiving experiences and isolation. However, they stressed that OP’s feelings were valid despite his wealth. The community rallied with practical steps: find a therapist, hire a fiduciary, and avoid major decisions while grieving.
The Verdict
The consensus was clear: this man who inherited 12 million dollars depressed needs professional mental health support immediately. Reddit recognized that money can’t fix deep trauma and isolation. This represents a powerful reminder that mental health struggles affect people regardless of their financial situation, and family caregiving can leave lasting psychological scars.
Original post from r/TrueOffMyChest (1,333 upvotes, 564 comments)