Omgusernamewhy's journey

I've been feeling really stuck in my current job situation. I work for a seasonal company where I'm technically employed, but I hardly get paid. I earn around $40 an hour when I actually do get paid for the services I provide, but lately, I've just been going in two days a week and doing nothing. It's frustrating because I can't just quit; if I do, I'll have no income at all. I've been applying to countless jobs that require no prior experience and promise training, but I haven't received a single call back. My last real job ended in 2020 after I experienced severe mental abuse, which led to a breakdown at work. Since then, I've been trying to find something stable, but it feels like everything is pointless. My friends keep urging me to stand up for myself and demand payment for my time, but I'm terrified of the consequences. My bosses keep telling me to just stick it out through the slow winter, but I feel like I'm losing my mind.