Stuck In A Rut

AngelEyes81

Just been reading the what's your job and pay thread and now I am really depressed

I am currently not working - though looking and trying to find work.
Used to work in care then left as I moved then I moved again and tried some self employed work which I couldn't make enough money on so now I'm having to look outside for jobs again. Have no qualifications (was bullied badly at school causing me to drop out a bit early) have suffered with depression and social phobia all my life and it scares the hell out of me to think about having to go mix with people but I can't keep on going like this. I'm not on any benefits or getting any JSA or any kinda money.

My partner he is a bit older than me, has A-levels and has a long history of manufacturing type work, has been a NVQ assessor and is in a job which is very low paid right now and is finding it hard to get back into something higher paid. He was even thinking about trying to train as a plumber, but I don't know what to tell him?

We are having to live with family and have done for about 4 years now and it's driving us insane! But have no money to move out. I feel like I'm stuck at times and he does too.

Hammyman

OK so step number one is to get the qualifications you didn't at school. Maths and English GCSE should be a first stop and you could do those at College. Its a more adult environment so don't worry about any bullying. Next you need to think what you would like to do and set a goal. If you've got no goal, its hard to keep going at something. That goal doesn't necessarily have to be a job - it can be self improvement. Do you have quite a sedentary lifestyle? Getting yourself fit can seriously improve your mental wellbeing. You don't need to be olympic athlete fit.

Talk to OH about how you feel. He may have some ideas you've not thought about or may be willing to sacrifice beer/fags/footie on Sky if it helps moving out.

I was where you are now last year. I'd had to pack in a 16 year career due to a recurring spinal injury. I had other qualifications but not used them for 16 years and live in a county where no such jobs exist. I volunteered for a Pathways to Work course as part of my ESA - on my first work review the advisor mentioned it and was surprised when I said I already made an appointment. Anyway, part of that was some rubbish about putting down words which I wrote off as total psychobabble but it actually made me realise where I was. The following week, I decided to have a go at starting a business I'd been thinking about for some time. A year later I'm still doing it. Won't be rich but its just about holding its own but more importantly IT KEEPS ME SANE.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, honestly.