In the UK a lot of people stubbornly believe the unemployed live lives of luxury*. Not helped by reality TV shows just a decade ago like Benefits Street which showed people on social security living it large.

In reality the vast majority of people want to work.

E.g. 3 years ago I lost 2 jobs in 6 months during their respective probation periods. I'd been employed all my life and helped launch 2 successful companies in my 20s. But suddenly in 6 months my entire world view collapsed after losing two jobs.

Since then I've attempted suicide 4 times. Had 3 psychotic episodes. Self harmed and been convicted of a crime I don't even remember committing.

My probation officer has known me 3 months and is already pressuring me to start work.

Have I had help for my mental health? Have I fuck. Well, except being stuck on antidepressants that don't work. My psychosis has stopped but could start again when I'm under stress (paranoia & hearing voices).

But wait. What caused such a significant spiral? Losing my fucking job - twice!

But I'm being pushed by society and a probation officer to restart work with no mental health support or treatment. I'm being pressured into something that runs the risk of me losing the job and once again spiralling into substance abuse and suicide.

That isn't fair on the company I may eventually end up at or...and I feel guilty for saying it...me.

I feel guilty every fucking day for being on 'benefits'. I've been almost a complete shut in with no friends or family. I'm utterly fucked.

I want to work. I'd actually love to work in an office cos I wanna be around people again even though my options enable WFH. But it runs the risk of killing me via another psychotic break and no one is helping me except a 3 month waiting list for therapy.

*The UK has the worst benefits in the OECD.

Having to have a job just to get nourishment or a place to sleep shouldn’t be the game

If people can hoard money well beyond this need and could house an entire nation on what 1% make, capitalism as a necessity to survive is a lie.

Eat the rich.

Despite having a degree, which shows that you can do the job, employers still ignore your application, or reject you.

Now, college students have a thing called loans. Whether or not you have a job, those loan providers still want to be paid.

If the student can't pay the loans, and their family cosigned the loans, but they can't pay it, then thats a LOT of pressure from family, and everyone involved is going to have a bad time.

My degree is in game programming. I rolled a nat 1, I guess, cause all the gaming jobs are abruptly disappearing this year, and I just graduated last year. I've given up on pursuing a job for a game company, for now.

I've been in the red a couple times. I'm barely afloat as it is. During December and January, I was thinking about either suicide, or abandoning my life. Going on the road.

But I didn't have the strength to really do it.

I'm at about $130,000 in debt. I am working minimum wage. And entry level for my field is 60-90k.

You can imagine how gutwrenching it might be to be that close to having a liveable income, when you were raised poor, and you've only had minimum wage jobs your whole life. Now I'm back at a minimum wage job, and I have to pay ~$1000 a month in just school loans.

So...I can relate.

People react to traumatic incidents within their daily lives, well after the trauma has ceased.

Losing a job, your means of survival, is traumatic.

I feel like everyone always puts trauma square within the realms of war and abuse, but trauma comes at all of us, in a multitude of ways.

People who have been recently traumatized need help. People struggling with trauma need continued help. We should help others, so that their trauma does not define them.

That means a strong social safety net, and access to health care, housing, and food. Regardless of who you are, or your circumstance.

all of north india is like this

Can’t say I blame him.

It doesn’t say how long he was looking for a job and what his degrees were in.

Not that anyone deserves to feel suicide is the only option, but I’m curious.

Shhhh!! don't say it too loud or education could be more affordable and stop being a big business..

I have a MSc and this is gonna be me in a few months.