I recently started my first job at 18, working at Costco as a sample distributor for the CDS team. It’s been a challenging experience for me, especially since I’ve always struggled with social anxiety and mental health issues. I got this job after a tough period in my life, where I hurt myself and my parents agreed to let me adopt a cat under the condition that I work to support her. I’ve had the job for about five months now and adopted my cat two months ago, which has been a bright spot in my life. However, the job itself is incredibly boring and physically demanding. Standing still for six hours in a loud and chaotic environment is draining, and it’s been hard on my back. Each week, I dread going to work, and the anxiety it brings is overwhelming. I’m starting to feel like I might revert to self-harm, which I never want to do again. I feel trapped because I love my cat and can’t imagine giving her up, but I’m also scared of being stuck in a job that negatively impacts my mental health. The job market seems terrible right now, and I worry that any new job I find will be just as bad. I’m feeling hopeless and unsure of what to do next.