you go to the people who you helped out all those times.....  you don't have to everything on your own.  all you gotta do is ask :)

*reads through your post twice*

Dan --
Is this a rhetorical, philosophical, or theoretical post or are you actually hurting this much?

I think, before I answer your questions, I need to know where they are coming from.

However -- for the most part, I think perhaps I need to take it question by question and you would end up with similar answers for each question.

"What do you do when you have tried everything you can possibly think of to fix things?" First, what's broken/what are you trying to fix?

"When you've talked to people, listened to their advice, tried their advice and then it all fails." Again... depends on the advice, what the advice was about, and what you were trying to fix.

"When every idea you think of while laying awake in bed for hours at night, fails." Hmm... this is sounding dangerous for your sleep schedule and your basic emotional well being. *thinks*

"When you've gone to every place to look and turn up empty. When you turn to doing things that you think will make things feel better and will help you forget about the people you cant stop thinking about, and the things that make you just want to break down and cry." Now your talking about drinking. And this is sounding more like a broken heart speaking. I wish I could help ease your pain...

"What do you do when that doesn't help, and it only makes you think about those people, and those things even more."
I'm going to assume your talking from the broken heart view. When I couldn't stop thinking about him, I threw myself into my homework, but it didn't work. So I found the computer... and devoted my time to that. I literally ceased to exist and became a ghost of a person. Although I deffinately don't want to see you become a ghost... I think you need to find something to do to help keep your mind off her. Or whatever is haunting you at night.

"Where can you go when every where you go there are things that make you remember what you are trying to forget."
Again -- this happened with me when I broke up with my ex. He worked for my dad, so he drove a truck that was always in the yard, that caused me pain. We love the same music, so all of my cd's caused me pain. He always smelled like hard work, with soap and aftershave mixed in... my dad smells the same way so my dad caused me pain. While I was with him, I would use the memories of making out etc... to fall asleep... I couldn't get to sleep without thinking about him. To this day I think about him when I am most scared or can't get to sleep.

I know that after I get a "new" guy that will change and I will think of the new guy, but... till then thoughts of my ex, as painful as they were at first, make me relax.

What I had to do, was learn to transfer those memories from making me sad, to making me happy. It is a phsycological thing Dan. You have to focus on the good feelings that you felt while in love with her, not the bad you're feeling now after breaking up with her. I had to tell myself "this can't last forever..." when it got the worst. And prayed for God to take this pain from me. He did. But not until after I had turned into a ghost.

"Why is it that you dedicate your entire life to trying to help other people." Because we care about people Dan. We love the strangers... and as a fireman... I think perhaps you love them more then I do, because your willing to fight hell itself to help them and pull them out of burning buildings.

"Why is it that you can help other people get through their times of trouble and help them solve the problems bringing them down, but yet you cant help your self." Because we are human and we care about people, so we're willing to help. But we can not "fix" our own pain, we have to trust in something bigger then us to help us out of it. I am religious, you know this, so I trust in God when I'm getting so down I can't think.

"Where do you go? What do you do? What do you say when you hit rock bottom time after time and can never seem to get away from it." What do I do? I pray about what is bothering me, I ask him to help me with my pain and my problems and I talk to the people around me who love me.
For me, that is my mom, dad, and the other family members, and a few people outside of the family. Talking... may seem like it's over rated for you but I promise that it will help. Even if the help isn't an immidiate thing.

"Where do you go when you completely stop trying and just hang the white flag. What do you do when theres all kinds of questions but no answers." I start talking. I ask people for help, I reach out to them, and... I search the bible for the answers if it's a question that involves eternity, God, or something related to it.

I have only truly given up once. I tried to commit suicide (more then once), but I couldn't go through with it any of the times I tried.

Second time, was after he broke up with me. I put my truck into the swamp. I have the scar on my right ear to prove it. Broke the passenger side window with my head because I hit the swamp going 60 mph. Walked the 5 miles home. Walked into the yard covered in blood... my mom freaked out. When he got home, my ex knew what had happend and is the only one. I tried to walk out to him, but the loss of blood etc... I lost my ballance and he caught me. scowled at me and said I did that on purpose, then relaxed and helped me into the house. That the last time he held me in his arms... I miss him.

Dan -- if you ever need to talk... give me a call. I will always listen. Promise. (Assuming I have my phone on me when you call of course...)

I know it's Oaks!  haha.  That's why I called and texted you..... I was down at the baseball fields watching a game. The whistle went off.  I heard then saw the helicopter coming and nobody believed me that it was gonna land.  Can you believe them?!?!?!?  Oh well, I got to see it.  Would've been better if it was PennStar!  hahah   Hope to hear from you again!!