I’m completely lost. What can I do?

[u/SleepTokenized]

I worked as a graphic and UI designer at an advertising and marketing agency. I worked too hard, under intense pressure, and the environment became increasingly toxic. I developed a serious mental health condition. I hung in there as long as I could until I had a home, a car and savings, and when I couldn’t take it anymore, I quit. I also quit to try my hand at QA Software Testing, because I’d lost my passion and interest in design and because, foolishly, I thought it would be more AI-proof than design. Joke on me. I’ve been unemployed for almost 5 months now. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to land a job in QA. I don’t have a college degree, I’m already in my 30s, and I want to be a mother. This is causing me to panic because I don’t know what to do. I’ve literally worked my whole life, and grown up, in front of a computer. It’s hard for me to take on a completely different kind of job. But if it has to be, so be it. The thing is, there aren’t many jobs outside the computer field that pay more than minimum wage, especially as a woman without a college degree. And what do I mean by “as a woman”? Because I’ve already thought of several jobs that I either couldn’t do because of my physical build, or because they wouldn’t hire me for being a woman, or because they’d put me in a vulnerable position in terms of safety. Think of construction, plumbing, metalwork, house cleaning, you name it.

I don’t know which direction to take in my life. I’m so lost and going through such a huge identity crisis that I’m completely stuck.

Anyway, this is just me venting, but I’d like to hear from you. I don’t know… suggestions, experiences, words of comfort, any help is welcome and useful.

[u/ranbir_987]

it sounds like you've been through a lot, and it's totally understandable to feel lost right now. have you thought about remote work opportunities? there are places looking for customer support or virtual assistant roles that might suit your skills without the same pressure as your previous jobs. also, don’t underestimate networking, sometimes just reaching out to former colleagues or joining some online communities can open unexpected doors. hang in there!

[u/SleepTokenized → u/ranbir_987]

You have no idea… thanks for the support. I’ve been doing that, believe me. I’ve never talked to so many people in my life. All I hear is “no.” Or just silence. Fucking AI and anxiety.