A decade on from winning the lottery, a millionaire has labeled it a 'curse' as it's led her to live a 'meaningless' life.
Hearing all six numbers on your ticket read out in the Powerball lottery is the ultimate fantasy, but for one woman who is living that dream, it has became a nightmare.
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At just 18 years old, she won the lottery, and while she didn't share exactly how much, she alluded to never having to work for a long, long time.
Ten years on, she's now 28 and has taken to Reddit to ask users what she can do to give her life a purpose.
"I won the lottery when I was barely 18," she wrote.
"Thankfully, I wasn’t dumb enough to spend it all: I bought a small house, and have basically lived there for the past 10 years doing nothing but playing house, gaming, watching movies, talking to strangers online, I even got in an LDR [long-distance] relationship for a bit to pass the time, and it didn’t work out etc; essentially being a NEET [not in education, employment, or training].
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"I did go to uni, thought since I’ve got all this money, why the hell not just get a degree. I got a law degree and decided to do my masters, but somewhere in between I decided f*** it, I just don’t feel like doing this anymore. So I burnt that money and dropped out."
She continued: "Now, I’m 28, and I’ve got no social life, no meaning towards life, no hobbies. I realise that I’m turning 30 soon. I’ve never worked a day in my life and never have, all because I didn’t need to. My bills are all paid at this moment, but I know it’s not going to last forever.
"I feel like winning the lottery was a curse because I have no direction, no hobbies, no personality really. I get that I’m in a privileged position, because I’ve still got some money to continue on, but I’m going insane because I don’t know what else to do, how else to progress. I’m lonely and life feels meaningless."
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The majority of commenters advised that she should pick up a hobby, which she explained she had and that it was gaming - which she has now grown tired of.
While some suggested she should spend her time looking at ways to invest her fortune as well as volunteer in her local community.
She replied: "That's the issue. I'm a bit scared of growing my money so to speak. When I was younger and it came out in the news, I had a lot of 'investors' approach me but I was warned that they may be scams / 1 would lose the money so l decided to never invest it."
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While someone else commented: "Man I wished I was the one who had won the lottery. If I was in your position I would have made a list of goals from family to career wise and work from there."
To which she replied: "It’s a curse, believe me. I wonder how my life would have turned out if I didn’t have this 'easy way out'. I don’t know where to start.
"I don’t know what I want for family, I’m a woman but nobody has ever been able to take me seriously because apparently I have the personality of a glass of water, I’m so bland.
"I have no idea what I would do for a career, I don’t know what my skills are and where I would even start, eg showing up to employers with a non existent CV? In today’s world?? It just scares me."
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So, are we really better off winning the lottery? Hopefully this winner can find peace in her life!
Topics: Lottery, Money, Reddit, Mental Health
Joe Yates