So, I have a bit of a complex regarding my career. I always did excellent in grade school and high school, got great grades in college, and went on to get a fellowship for a Ph.D. program.

I was in the program for six (!) years and had just started working on my dissertation when my anxiety and depression got so bad I had to leave the program with my Masters. Also, I had begun to realize I didn't want to join academia, which was really the only option in my particular field.

My husband got a transfer at work so we moved to New Jersey, where we live now. Unfortunately, there aren't many jobs that require my degree or skills in the area. I got a job as an admin, but had to leave after nine months because it made me so anxious. Later I scored an awesome interview at a think tank and totally bombed it, also because of my anxiety.

So now I'm a "freelance writer." I make maybe $200-$300 a month, which is nothing. I am fortunate enough that my husband makes enough money to support us both.

I have trouble talking to my family and friends about my career. I hate being introduced to new people because they will inevitably ask "What do you do?" and I feel like a truly honest answer would be "Next to nothing, because I'm too mentally ill to cope with the real world."

It's so hard to talk to my friends about work. My best friend is now an extremely high-powered attorney in New York AND she has three kids. How does she do it? What must she think of me?

My family just worries mostly, I think. They want me to "keep busy."

I hope I don't sound too whiny. I know a lot of you have the same troubles with work and aren't fortunate enough to have a "sugar daddy" of a spouse. I just have very low self-esteem, I guess.

TL;DR--I can't keep a regular job because of my depression and anxiety and I am self-conscious about it.