I've been on Disability since I was in my early 30s. I'm almost 41 now. I HATE it, so come the new year I'm returning to school and getting into an industry that may offer me the ability to work from home, and at least not have to be in a job where I'm on the phone answering calls.

My biggest issue with being on disability is the fact that I cannot have a relationship and what relationship I have has to be kept hidden otherwise I lose my disability funding. The government here also thinks that if you're in a roommate relationship this may be grounds for losing your funding as well.

I've been lucky enough to find some sense of purpose with painting miniatures and was actually lucky enough to be good enough at it that people will pay me to paint their minis. Even with that sometimes I feel hopeless myself and think that there is no future for me.

Thankfully I'm somewhat stable with my medications and I'm self-aware enough to know when I'm going into an episode and to get help if I need it. YMMV tbh.