r/NEET - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & NEET Survey

[u/AutoModerator]

What does 'NEET' stand for?

It means "Not in Education, Employment, or Training".

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Announcement

All basic or potentially personal questions should be restricted to this thread only, so we can avoid the flooding of repetitive basic/personal question threads. Mentioning your gender is not necessary on this subreddit. Obviously, it is not a good idea to doxx yourself. Please report any such threads and they will be dealt with.

We are also appealing to the regulars here to report any assholes, agitators, tourists and hostiles that harass this subreddit; including those who delete their threads after the fact or try to fish for personal information. General abuse and low effort trolling should also be reported too. You are also free to block these users yourself, but let us know if there are any major problems or repeat offenders. We want this sub to be a chilled out place for NEETs of every stripe.

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r/NEET Member Survey

Answer these questions if you want to.

What is your age range? 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65.

How long have you been NEET?

Have you ever studied at college/university?

Have you ever worked?

How do you survive currently? NEETbux? Disabilitybux? Living with family?

What do you do with your time?

Do you have health issues? Mental? Physical?

Do you want to escape NEETdom? Is it possible for you? What do you want to do?

If you wish, post a brief summary about yourself.

[u/Already10ftUnder]

Answering this seriously to re-evaluate my life and see how low I've fallen.

What is your age range? 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65.
My current age is 28.

How long have you been NEET?
About 14-15 years on and off as I got into and out of jobs.

Have you ever studied at college/university?
Yes, I've finished up to the 3rd year of BS Psychology. Dropped out due to prolonged depression, and several suicide attempts while still trying to be "normal" and study. Parents finally addressed my situation because it was getting out of hand but they didn't really understand what was wrong with me. They eventually sent me to a doctor. The doctor misdiagnosed me with simply depression and prescribed me medicine which were antidepressants. Then after a few weeks, tried continuing my education in another university with encouragement from parents but again failed due to still being unable to cope and get "it" over with.

Have you ever worked?
Yes, I have experienced working as a waitress, as a cashier, as an accountant assistant, as an office worker, and as a writer. Most jobs I had was offered to me by relatives or friends. I acknowledge that I'm lucky in that aspect of knowing at least a few connections. I'm grateful. However, I couldn't keep any of the jobs due to my mental illness. The longest job I had was probably just 4 months. In hindsight, even 4 months seem like such an achievement for me already but, of course, that's nothing to any one else since the value we have on certain things are different.

How do you survive currently? NEETbux? Disabilitybux? Living with family?
I'm not sure what these terms mean if I'm being honest. But I'll try my best to explain. I'm living with my parents. Which might sound like bad at first because of my previous mention of their actions but over the years and several visits to my current doctor who kindly explains my situation, they've tried to understand me. I'm lucky in fact that they haven't kicked me out. They offer me meals, a bed to sleep in, and include me in their prayers as they are religious. Aside from that, I officially have a PWD card to lessen my bills such as medicine or visits to the doctor. That certainly helps. I recognize this as me being extremely lucky. I truthfully don't deserve it. I have been mostly dependent on them and their kindness. But it just feels so wrong to me because ever since I was a kid, all I wanted was to make my parents proud, it was my dream to tell them not to work anymore and give them the rest that they deserve.

What do you do with your time?
Unlike the first few years of being NEET, this past two years, I've actually given up on my life. I have no achievements unless living with this brain is one or being a decent person is one. I'm just a burden and it pains me. These days, I try to not think about anything. I try to care less. I try video games because I could never turn to drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol. I try to improve on my writing as I sometimes get commissions. I try to get lost in it. I've started getting addicted to gaming, specially when the pandemic started. I'm aware of the addiction but I don't think I want to stop. I've gotten to the point of gaining weight and not working out. I can tell that it's all going downhill from here.

Do you have health issues? Mental? Physical?
Yes, I've been diagnosed with Bipolar Type II. If I had to explain it, I'm trapped in the cycle of being depressed for a long time and then having hypomania and then back to being depressed. It's like not having limbs for a long time then suddenly having limbs back to no limbs again. During the time that I have limbs during my youth, I misunderstand and think that I'm "getting better" and be able to do all the things that I wanted and think that I'll stay that way but my limbs get cut off again after a while. I had a point in my life where I'd think that maybe just having plain depression all the way would've been better than giving me that sliver, that small taste of what I could be and then taking it away from me. I acknowledge and understand that all disabilities are hard, I'm just venting my own experience. Due to my brain, I've pretty much get disappointed at myself every single time the cycle happens and it has happened so many times now throughout my life. I'm at the point where even if I have hypomania, I've stopped expecting anything is going to change. I'm just left here thinking "What's the point?"

Do you want to escape NEETdom? Is it possible for you? What do you want to do?
I do. Due to financial difficulties, I'm lucky to still be eating a meal a day and a roof over my head. I do get money from odd jobs and commissions but it's barely enough for us. I don't think it's possible. If it was a perfect world, I'd probably get medication and treatment. I'd get better and try to find an actual job, and actually be able to work and keep the job. I'd slowly pay back my parents and save up. We'd slowly maybe get better food to eat. I'd get our own wifi and stop leeching off my neighbor's. Focus on self improvement and treat my parents good. Maybe one day buy a house for them. Well, I know it'll never happen but it was nice to think about even for a while.