I'm really sorry to hear of your situation. I'm in the UK and here the government has been cutting help for the poorest by reducing benefits and stopping a social fund, and living costs are rising really fast and wages haven't been rising in line with them (that is not for the working class). Many people are now reliant on food banks - which is a big change for here- I don't know a great deal about the way things are in the US but it looks as if what's been happening in your country, is now happening in this country.

I really can relate to problems of issues with mental health, having experienced this myself, because its a whole different dynamic when you've got them - and although people think that there's help often that involves drugs or therapy, and if there's any biological, physical or chemical cause then that is likely to get missed and so the problem goes on.

I also have a weight problem and am diabetic so I share your frustration over the carb issue - although at the moment I am not on as low an income - but I am very interested in learning how to manage on a very tight budget through cooking beans and rice in bulk etc because it could be very likely that I'll have to do this in the future.

I also take an antipsychotic medication which makes me hungry!!!

As so many people seem to be falling in this poverty situation I'm wondering if an encouragement thread would be really good somewhere here?? It could be a place to share ideas, support, encourage and be there for each other.