Rapidly approaching homelessness

Hey, I can see you're going through a tough time and finding life hard. It really sucks to see you going through the this and I'm sorry this is your situation.

First of all, get your shit in a pile and figure out what you've got. Clean your current lodgings, get all your money into a bank account and sell things that aren't essential.

Second, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. They have crisis support help that can put you in the right direction to temporary housing, or even in-house mental health services.

If Lifeline can't help immediately it's time to enact an "action plan." Get those belongings into a storage unit (~$50 a month for a small box unit near the city) and look into hostels for cheap, short term accommodation. Buy ear plugs if the whole "being around people" thing is too much, as the cheapest options will be sharing with others. It's fine to just be that weird person in the hostel who keeps to themselves and doesn't talk to anyone. Try to make friends as many hostel users at this time of year are short stay backpackers and will likely look for cheap places to rent while they're here - they are your ticket to 3-4 months of stability.

If you absolutely cannot stay in a hostel and have to sleep rough, buy a sleeping bag and foam mat to sleep on. Try and get something from a disposal store like Aussie Disposals that goes down to -2C for any cold nights. Find a good, comfortable spot in a park late at night and leave early as the sun comes up to avoid trouble. Keep minimal belongings on you, and don't trust anyone who "wants to sleep near you." Pepper spray, if you can order some online will help keep you safe, keep it hidden but accessible in an emergency. All of this is a temporary measure for you ONLY, not a permanent solution.

I've had friend who needed to sleep rough when they moved from country VIC and they were honestly inspiring with their dedication to getting out of homelessness. They got a gym membership for showering, a job and kept their clothes clean at a laundromat. There is no reason you cannot do the same.

You must seek medical help for these mental health issues. Get to a non-bulk billing doctor and book a double appointment if you can, get on meds if you need them and take them as told. Hospitals and bulk-billers won't be able to do much good for you right now.

Now I'm going to say something that you (and most of Reddit) are not going to like: hiding behind your mental illnesses as a reason for not being able to work is an abnormal view on reality. It's not okay to throw in the towel at 22 and give the "it's all too hard and too much!!!" excuse. You're going to have to harden up and get through it, either with medication, psychology, plain old putting yourself out there and dealing with it, or all of the above. There is online based work you can do if you look hard enough, too.

I don't accept giving up, especially at 22. You've got a good 60 years ahead of you, and they start right now, today, at the moment you read this. Get up, get out, get help, get a job, get a home. Do it in this order.

/r/melbourne Thread