Late 20s homebound NEET with college experience but no degree and BDD. What are some realistic paths to financial independence?
I am in my late 20s and have been a NEET/hikikomori for most of my adult life, outside of occasional attempts at college and a brief seasonal job.
My biggest barrier to participating in society is my self-image. I have a litany of physical qualities that I perceive as highly unattractive as well as other qualities such as voice, limited life inexperience, limited intelligence and lack of verbal fluency too that are more apparent in more intimate settings where I have to essentially market myself, network and overall interact with others (think school and work). Because of this, I can only bring myself to go outside if I am wearing heavy clothes that cover my face and body which becomes physically impossible and isolating in the warmer months.
I want to earn an income, contribute to my household, and eventually build a path to moving out, but my barriers are high:
Severe Agoraphobia/Anxiety: I struggle immensely with in-person settings, but I also have intense anxiety about speaking during online/video calls.
Unstable Environment: My mother frequently shuts off the home internet as a form of control, making consistent, high-bandwidth remote work highly risky.
Academic Struggles: I have attempted college several times since 2016 but always end up withdrawing due to poor sleep, executive dysfunction, and the inability to attend mandatory in-person classes. I don’t have a degree.
Perfectionism: I struggle with a "what's the point" mentality because I feel I am too far behind my peers to ever catch up.
Given these constraints, I am looking for advice on:
Are there low-barrier, asynchronous online skills I can teach myself that don't require constant, high-speed live video interaction? Skills in general for when the internet is better?
What kinds of entry-level remote work exist that can tolerate an unstable schedule or can be done primarily via text/email?
For those who entered the workforce late in life with a highly resume-gap-heavy background, how did you land your first role?
Anything related to overcoming BDD, unhappiness with who I am and my quality of life?
I am willing to learn, but I need a starting point that accounts for a very fragile mental state and a difficult home environment.
Thank You
@Mallie217
I genuinely hope that anyone going through similar to you will reach out and share their experiences with you 💙
I just want you to know I hear you, your feelings are valid and they matter.
Thank you for being brave enough to reach out.
I'm sorry your family life is difficult 🩷
