u/Necessary_Way_7094

Sorry serious post incoming. Just looking for advice and support here i guess. I’m a year into my apprenticeship and close to tattooing but I’m going through a very serious mental health episode that I’ve been doing everything in my power to conceal because I’m so terrified of getting fired. I have bipolar disorder and lost my insurance for a while and had to go unmedicated for the time being. I’m in such a severe depressive episode right now i can’t even understand how I’m still finding the strength to show up everyday but i feel like im just gonna lose it. Thank god i am seeing a psychiatrist this week and can get back on medication but fuck dude i am struggling so hard. I don’t feel comfortable sharing this shit with anyone in my shop so i just have to put on the mask of being fine. I’m so tempted to just give everything up at this point cuz im tired of fighting. Sorry this is totally above y’all’s pay grade here im just venting.

Sorry for the incoming vent. I see a lot of posts on here talking about their apprenticeships and their relationships with their mentor and i feel like im going crazy cuz im suffering so bad in mine. I’ve been apprenticing for little over a year. I work full time at the shop and worked part time at a paid gig as much as humanely possible but it’s still not enough. I’ve spent every dollar i have on equipment and i buy my gas in quarters if im lucky to even find a couple laying about. I’m so beyond exhausted. Amazingly, i still am so passionate about art, painting flash, and of course tattooing. I don’t regret pursuing this at all and I’m filled with gratitude that I’m working towards my dreams. But god damn this is hard dude. I know everyone has a different come up but i think one thing that a lot of hopeful apprentices don’t consider is that pursuing this can be really devoid of compassion. You just suck it up, keep quiet, and stay on the grind. I know it will pay off, but it’s lonely dude.

Update: thanks so much for everyone’s responses. It’s really encouraging to hear from other people’s stories. This shit ain’t easy man! Grateful for this community

I’m fairly deep in debt and very new in a really tough industry that I’m unwilling to sacrifice because it’s my dream. My current living situation i got really lucky because my friend let me rent out her spot for cheap but her lease is ending in beginning of September. I’m already in a HCOL area and I’m seriously considering spending a few months living out of my truck. It’s a two seater mid 2000s pickup. I live on the west coast near a major city and I’m not totally sure what lots i could potentially stay overnight in. Any tips/advice?

Edit: to add, I’m also a mid 20s woman. Safety is a concern of course

This is so dumb. I didn’t use to have this problem pre-apprenticeship but for some reason i just feel kinda … lame when hitting up established tattooers to get flash done. Why is my brain like this 😅

I'm looking to get rid of my iphone because having it glued to me constantly is causing massive anxiety. I still need a way to communicate for work where I'm able to receive photos decently well. I'm so far from a tech wiz so I apologize if this is a dumb question.

I've suspected I was bi since I was around 18 but only just accepting it now at 24/25. I've been single for almost a year now and celibate that whole time and I really want to have my first sexual experience with a woman but I have NO idea how. I tried downloading a dating app but it feels... slimy to me. Do I tell said woman that I've never had sex with a woman? I feel stupid and what if I'm terrible? Tips appreciated