25 years old feels like I have no future

[cordimag]

I basically live mooching off my family, I have no education, no work experience and I have not left my house in years. I stopped taking care of myself a while ago. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety a long time ago and getting help has always been a hassle. I can't drive because I have no license and I have to rely on family to get me to sessions. After a while scheduling becomes too much of a pain and it falls to the back burner before I stop going entirely.

I just don't know what to do, especially when it comes to sustaining myself in the future. I don't expect people to support me my whole life and I feel like garbage for having done it for so long.

I am facing a future where if I do get treatment I won't be able to get a job, at least from what I hear no one will hire someone who is almost 30 and has nothing to put on a resume and I am gonna go out on a limb and say that telling an employer you didn't work due to mental illness isn't going to increase my chances.

I just feel like I have no where to go in life

[Guest_342]

Hello cordimag,

I’m just going to put it out there - you’re so young! There is no better time than now to take a new direction in life 🙂

Many young people don’t find their way until they are in their mid 20s. I got my first proper job at that age and lived with my parents for at least a few years past that. It really comes down to what the individual needs - don’t despair if other people younger than you seem to have their life worked out. So many of us don’t.

One thing that I noticed in your post is that there are a few things in this scenario that only you have the power to change - e.g. getting out into the fresh air, continuing with treatment, etc. And it occurred to me that you are aware of this. As uncomfortable as it is, I wonder whether you could give yourself little challenges to overcome this lack of motivation. Just bite-sized, manageable challenges. E.g. you could set a goal of doing a short walk around the block each day, or going to your GP to explain what is and isn’t working for you in terms of treatment, or writing a CV.

Maybe you could write yourself a little list of things to do. It can be really satisfying crossing the items of the list one by one.

Regarding a job, have you considered doing just a casual job in the interim e.g. in hospitality, retail, office admin etc? Maybe doing this for a while could help you increase some skills and then eventually move up to something you enjoy.

Have you told your family how you are feeling?

I imagine there would be lots of resources out there (maybe try google) with tips on how to start or return to work with mental illness.

all the very best!

[Wazowski]

Hi cordimag,

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I can hear your frustration and sadness, and I’m sorry you’re feeling like a burden on your family. Living with depression and anxiety is hard, and can make daily tasks such as driving or working very difficult. However, it seems like these are things you would like for yourself, and perhaps if you started, may even help with the depression and anxiety? It is always tough to get started with something new, so I really like Gelati’s ideas of creating small challenges for yourself, and gradually making these bigger and bigger until you can achieve the big goal you have in mind. This can make it those goals you have a bit more achievable.

A great way to start getting out of the house and gain work experience is to volunteer in your local community. This can be in any area that you are interested in, and can help you develop skills that will look great on your resume. Is there anything you particularly enjoy doing or could see yourself doing for a job? Maybe start with that and Google some organisations in your area that need volunteers.

Take care,
Wazowski