Rose76, yes they actually DO put you in jail for not paying your bills if you let it go for too long. Twelve years ago I had to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy because I had gotten so far behind on my bills that the court had summoned me. I called a friend who's husband was a cop at the time and she told me if I didn't file bankruptcy the next day, the courts would come take my car away (the only property I owned at the time) and put me in jail. Maybe every state has its own laws, but where I live, if you default more than 6 months on your bills after it's been sent to a collections agency, they WILL come after you. I already had my credit ruined once, I don't need it ruined again.

And just so you know, where I live, our social services department has been under scrutiny for years for screwing over the low income. There's a waiting list a year long for anyone even wanting to get on food stamps now because our system here has gotten so messed up. They're also tearing down all the low income housing to put up luxury homes. I live in a state that's run by extreme conservatives who don't help anyone but the rich.

And telling someone who's depressed and already feels unwanted and unloved that they'll just be miserable if they don't do what you say is really not very helpful. That's what my friends and family already do to me. If I don't do exactly what they tell me to, then to them I'm not trying. Everyone has their own path in this world and has to do what works for them.

Cosmic Rose, I've told people a million times, I'm glad I was born, but my parents should have never had children. They're way too selfish and have absolutely zero compassion. It's a shame how much people who want to adopt have to go thru, but anyone can get pregnant without being checked out to see if they should have children or not.