I’ve been facing insurmountable credit card debt since 2020. I’ve done everything in my power to pay it off. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve had to stay in actively abusive situations for the sake of money.

I’m an autistic man who lives on my own and has been dealing with anxiety and PTSD. I don’t like to bring that up but it’s the reality of the situation.

I’ve also had a budget since I was 23 (I’m 33 this month), and my main expenses are bills, food, and therapy. I almost never spend money on myself, and I barely go out. I’m not reckless, and I’ve constantly tried to lower costs for myself. My situation is beyond my control and nothing I’ve done has helped.

I have PTSD from the working situations I’ve endured. During student teaching in 2016, my friend died and the next day, my supervisor screamed in my face not long after learning about their death. In 2020, I got laid off during the spring, re-hired mid-summer, and threat of layoff again in the fall.

Since then, I’ve been subjected to extreme and sometimes outright abusive scenarios. One job ultimately tried to put me in potentially violent, physical danger.

My last full-time job threatened my livelihood twice in one year through actual intimidation. One of those times was because I asked my supervisor to stop my colleague from complaining about his autistic daughter to his autistic co-worker (ME!).

This was in addition to other abusive behaviors that had been continuously brushed off by management for two and a half years. I saw the writing on the wall within the first two months, but I wanted to pay off my debts.

Eventually it reached a point where it wasn’t worth sacrificing my wellbeing, even though I was going to sink further into debt. I’ve been applying for jobs, but the anxiety and PTSD from my prior work situations is paralyzing me.

I would not be asking for help if I truly did not believe I needed it. Please help with any amount that you can. Thank you in advance.