Quitting my job made my fibromyalgia almost disappear. Now 7 months later, I’m struggling again.
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 10 years ago. Even though my pain has sometimes been manageable, it gets really bad whenever I’m going through periods of anxiety or intense stress.
I was studying at one of the top universities in Turkey, but I struggled so much with the pain and performance anxiety that I eventually had to drop out. I never told my family that I didn’t finish my degree because I didn’t want to disappoint or upset them.
After that, I worked a few different jobs. I got married. From the outside, everything probably looked fine. I kept pretending that everything was okay, but the more I tried to push through it, the worse I got.
I’m 30 now and married. Seven months ago, I was working a job that I absolutely hated and where I was being bullied/mistreated. Eventually, I got to the point where I literally couldn’t get out of bed anymore, so I had no choice but to quit.
I thought that maybe I would get better if I found a job that was more suited to me. I asked my dad to support me financially for a few months while I tried to figure out a new direction.
And honestly, at first, it worked.
After I quit, my pain almost completely disappeared. I had my energy back. I felt like myself again. It made me realize just how much that job and the constant stress had been affecting me.
But now it’s been seven months. Every month, I feel more and more crushed by the fact that I can’t support myself financially. The guilt and pressure of depending on someone else are getting heavier, and I’m starting to feel almost as bad as I did before I quit.
For some context, I was studying Industrial Design at university, and while I was there I also worked in graphic design and UX/UI design. Unfortunately, the job market in Turkey is extremely saturated right now, and finding work in these fields has been incredibly difficult.
So I wanted to ask: Does anyone here know of any realistic way I could make around $1,000 a month working from home? It doesn’t necessarily have to be related to design. I’m open to learning something new or doing something completely different, as long as it’s something I can realistically do with my health limitations.
I’m feeling pretty desperate and lost right now. I’d also really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation. Honestly, just knowing that I’m not alone and that someone understands what this feels like would mean a lot to me.
Posted Sep 8, 2026, 11:33 AM UTC