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comment by humanodon
humanodon  ·  3772 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Advice

I empathize, really I do. But, talking to others is a great way to get perspective, especially because others will be able to look at your situation without the emotional attachments you hold. Lots of people find themselves shouldering the burdens of their world. Some people make it work, some people don't-- for so many reasons.

I am not a financial advisor or a mental health professional, much less a substance abuse counselor. I will say that in college I worked 60 hours a week on top of being in school full time. What I learned from that and from other situations in my life is that I don't need to live comfortably-- I need to survive. Networking, creative thinking and a willingness to knuckle down helped me get through the rough patches I've been through, as is constant budgeting and evaluating what I need vs. what I want.

Though situations like yours might be less common in America, so many of my previous students have similar stories, as does my father, who tried his best to impress on me the lessons of what do you need? vs. what do you want? Unfortunately, I am thick enough that I needed to learn that first hand.

I highly recommend you talk to someone in your real life, perhaps several people. In college you are surrounded by people dedicated to the success of their students and they really have seen it all. Talk to them. Talk to your boss. Talk to your family. By trying to shoulder the weight of the world and piling more and more weight on as time goes by is inviting your self to drop that weight. Best of luck.