Why are there no resources for me, I don't qualify for anything in my area

This is probably more of a rhetorical rant then anything else but I am just beyond frustrated, edging into hopeless. I live in south Florida and there are absolutely no resources that I qualify for in my current situation. Drug attiction is such a big issue here that it is the only thing they address. I am not a drug addict and I am not in a physically abusive relationship so no one can help me. This is the second time in 6 months I have found myself on the verge of homelessness, last time I called around to every organization I am hours drive. The one person who would stay on the phone with me long enough to hear half my situation said my best bet was couch surfing.

I am 29, no children, divorced, and suffer from both chronic pain and schizoaffective disorder. I allowed myself the luxury of getting a small dog and two cats over the past 5 or so years. Previously I held a career in hospitality managment, and have a bachelor's degree in the topic, I am neither physically or mentally able to work in that field anymore. Lower responsibility jobs, such as a server I am not physically able to do and I have a history of having lost serving jobs due to medication side effects. Last year I went back to school in hopes of being able to stabilize my life. I have to work full time to barely cover my expenses, I often have to cancel doctor appointments and ask my family for money for my medical expenses.

A few months ago the air conditioning went out at my apartment. Anyone is lives in south Florida know that no a/c during the summer is not an 'inconvenience' it is unbearable. Aside from the temperature my apartment filled with mold. I desperately tried to find alternative living arraignments but without $3,000 to put down on a new apartment I was out of luck. All of the housing for women in crisis only took people coming out of abusive situations or recovering from drug addiction. I was told I was safer on the streets than staying the night in a county shelter.

I don't expect the world to cover all my expenses, I am trying my best to be independent, but there is literally zero help for me. I have called crisis hotlines in the past because I couldn't afford therapy and they ended up with police officers at my door escorting me to the hospital which I also could not afford. I have health insurance and my mother helps me pay for it, it is good coverage. My medications still cost almost $200 a month to fill with good coverage. I feel like everyday I sink deeper into a hole of inability to care for myself with no means of escape. I have looked into moving to different cities and states with more resources but it is overwhelming.

I just do not know what to do. I have extended myself beyond a healthy level, the only luxury items I purchase are pet food and honestly my pets are the only thing that keeps the remains of my sanity intact. I have to go days without eating, my rent is always late, between working and going to school I pull 7 days every week, never a day off to recover. I went to my university's on campus counseling hoping to find a resource there and was told they are not equipped to handle someone with a condition like mine.

I cannot even move back in with my mother because she is remarried and he feels strongly that adult children should be self sufficient.

I'm sorry that you are going through this.

Since the issue seems to be money, is there an option for you to go to part time for college and increase work hours a little? Or not even increase hours. It sounds like you are really over extending yourself. Another option to avoid having to go days without food might be to supplement your food purchases with food banks.

Have you checked with any Mental Health Associations or Catholic Charities? Either agency may be able to help you find additional services. I know our MHA in our area helps MI individuals find housing as well as other support in the community.

Try to see if you can somehow work out 1 day a week where you can relax. Everyone needs down time.

Finally, is the AC yours? Or is the landlord responsible for it? I know when I had an apartment years ago in the Mohave desert in California the apartment was furnished with an AC. Not sure if that's the case in Florida?

Best of luck, I hope you find some relief.

I actually went down to part time this last semester, cut my classes in half because I was getting more hours at work then they initially told me I would get. The two broken a/c units belong to the landlord, I finally broke down and financed a third one that belongs to me now. My landlord claimed it was my opinion that it was too hot in the apartment since air would still blow out of the broken units, just not cold air.

That is the crazy thing here there is not MHA type thing only substance abuse support. I have lived in other states and gotten help though the county, the doctors were awful but it was free. When I called around the churches and charities they were only taking recovering, abused, or pregnant women. I looked into different food banks in my area but they all required you to be a member of their church. There is a good pantry for pet food that I qualify for but the $30 a month a spend on pet food to give then a good diet isn't what is breaking my bank. I have gotten a little better about having food since I started getting my groceries delivered. Before I would have anexity attacks at the store and spend my money of weird stuff and end up spending $100 with like two actual meals worth of food. The online ordering prevents that from happening, I still usually run out of food a couple times a month.

OK , that is not right , you live in Florida am I correct ? if so here is a link that may help U

Florida Assistance Programs

If you live in another state go to google and type in assistance with food and housing , every state has something.

I live in HN , and because I am not broke yet , I don`t qualify for anything , I have to have less than 7,280.00 in order to get any help at all , the system is way more than broke , it is ####ed.

Try that , I am so sorry , but there is no reason you can`t get help , and do not eat pet food !! , please.

Later , PM me if you need to

KP

I'm blown away by that. Where I live the food banks serve anyone in need. You don't have to be a member of their church. I think that is partially because they are funded by more than the church, but still. Sorry to hear that.

Have you actually reached searched on: Find An Affiliate | Mental Health America

I really do hope you find some additional help.

Ok so what I am about to suggest may come across as extreme but it also may help.

Look online to find lower cost of living states.
Find cities within them that have homeless shelters.
Look also to see how much it would cost to board your animals at a pet boarding facility for a month or so
Look to see if there are any jobs you can do in that area.
Send an online application.
If you get approved, hop a bus, board your animals, and go to the shelter.
While at the shelter, take advantage of any financial programs they can get you started on.
Look for a place to stay asap.
Once out of shelter, try to get community help with first month rent, deposit, utilities, food, and clothing. Some places will even help with automotive gas and clothes washing money.

Like I said, it sounds extreme, but it may help.

Good luck!

I will check out that link for Florida assistance programs, maybe there are some programs that are harder to find. I actually did relocate once because it was cheaper to live in Texas than Florida, stayed out there for two years, I was really unstable then though and had to move closer to family. I am in a Facebook group of this one private food panty type thing but usually they have a bunch of extra desserts from events that didn't get eaten, not exactly real food.

Alright I found a food pantry that I should qualify for that I am going to check out next time I am not at work or school during its operating hours. Most of the stuff was for families who are already homeless and seniors though.

I hope you find something soon. I was homeless and living in a shelter for a time and had to do as I told you bc I owned a cat. I was applying for disability at the time though, so I had to wait out my acceptance letter.

It has always seemed to me that it is unfair that plain psych problems don't get you as much help as substance abuse would, but that's how it is. It's like you get penalized for having avoided certain problems. This is too bad, when you might actually benefit more from an investment by society than a lot of people whom society invests heaviky in, just to have many if them constantly relapse into the same difficulty. So I understand your frustration.