[ruckusluvr]

Im 24 years old, and just recently divorced from a man I have known since I was 10.
My world is turned upside down. I have never had to worry about anything... cooking, cleaning, or even paying bills. He did everything.
And now I am on my own and I am having a hard time figuring out what to do.
I am unemployed, out of money, and I am having care problems. I can't pay my bills, but luckily I joined a program here in TN that pays my light bill and rent. Also I have food stamps.
There are no jobs where I live at unless I want to drive about an hour away. And with my car in bad shape I can't do that.
I have a dog that I love. He is like my son. I cannot afford to care for him, and I can't even have him where I am living now because they don't allow dogs. A friend is caring for him until I can come for him.
I cry every night... this dog has always been my world.

Bottom line is... I have to move. But how? I don't have a job because of where I live. And I live here because I don't have a job for money to move! Its like a catch 22.
I also have no family to help me.
I have an anxiety disorder and this is freaking me out!!

Does anyone have a clue of what I can do to help me get out of this situation?

[smoothy]

Look into adult education classes. Many locations have retraining programs for adults to help them find gainful employment.

Rule #1 of getting out of a hole... is don't dig it any deeper.

Take controil of the situation. Find out what resources you have local to you, and take advantage of them by using them.

[I wish]

Sounds like it's time to take a loan. Is there a friends or family that you can borrow money from to help you out?

As for the divorce, were you not entitled to anything? You need to find a lawyer (legal clinic which should be free? Pro Bono?) of some sort to help you figure out what you entitled to.

[Jake2008]

With you being financially dependent and also emotionally dependent upon a partner to take care of your every need, you are suddenly left with no understanding of how to care for, and take care of, yourself, when that support ends.

Many people who have been hard working, responsible individuals who have contributed to society for 50 years, can also find themselves in the same position you are in, through no fault of their own.

In other words, you are not in particularly unique circumstances. Many of us have lost everything, and have had to learn to rebuild our lives.

You have already found social services to help you pay your rent, electricity and food stamps. Are you being evicted because of the dog, or are you just in a place that you'd rather not be anyway.

Are you not receiving any support or assets from your marriage? Have you seen a lawyer?

You have many options. You could apply through the many resources available to people like you with similar circumstances, for subsidies from everything to housing, to education, to health care (if you are in the States). There are women's organizations that can guide you as well, and provide information and referral to anything you may need.

Have you been diagnosed, through clinical evaluation, with an anxiety disorder, and are you receiving ongoing help for this? Has this disorder been a major factor in how you've ended up where you are, or is it something that has come to light, when you found yourself on your own.

The bottom line here is that you are the only one that can set goals for yourself, and achieve them. If you want a better life, you have to get out there and find ways to make it happen. With all of the resources available to you, and considering that you are only 24, if you look at this whole thing as an opportunity, instead of a death sentence, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.