Quote:
Originally Posted by jo_thorne
Yes, I have been in that situation before. It is pretty terrifying. I was "cash-free" for about a year before a pension from a former job became available to me. (I was around 40 then and waiting for a Social Security disability judge hearing.)
I finally went to apply for SNAP/food stamps. I also sold most of my belongings (pawn shops, consignment shops, garage sale.)
Do you still have access to healthcare? I hope so.
If you are having a problem finding healthcare or access to therapy/counseling, United Way at 211 can be helpful in telling you what resources are available in your community.
It's good that you told your parents about your situation. I don't know how they are reacting, but in my experience, you have to try to be sensitive to their feelings if you're living with them.
When I was in the no cash, no income situation, I had filed for disability. I imagine it's a little different if you're looking for a job.
In either situation, though, there's the feeling of having fallen through the social "safety net".
I believe that a person's intrinsic worth has nothing to do with whether or not they have a job or money. Even believing that, it was extremely difficult for me when I was in that position. There is a constant anxiety.
I don't know how old you are. I would encourage you to get treatment for your depression and anxiety if you aren't already. It's good that you have a place to live.
Volunteer work was helpful to me when I was in my no-cash year. It helped me to get out and connect with people and to feel useful.
This forum is a great place to air your feelings. I hope you'll post here more.
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Thank you so much Jo_Thorne! Luckily I do have some type of health insurance through the government. I qualify for medi cal so most of my dr visits and prescriptions are free. I've been in counseling for about 3 years now. Although I have learned many coping skills, I still struggle with thoughts of not being good enough and depression. I went through a bad period of health anxiety from March-April of this year. My parents are thankfully very supportive and they understand how much I've been struggling over this past year. I'm 29 years old, btw. I'm currently looking into different volunteering opportunities and have an appointment with an advisor to start applying for grad school. The hardest thing about this is seeing everyone else be successful and move forward in life when it seems like I've been stuck ever since I graduated 2 years with my Bachelor's. It's also hard for me to meet new people because I dread telling them about my situation. What's a good way to tell someone you aren't working at the moment? Did you have a good support system during that time in your life?