‘Mental peace > salary’: Former tech employee says he now survives on ration lines after quitting toxic job

A former IT worker has described how leaving what he called a “toxic” job for the sake of his mental health led to months of unemployment, financial hardship and a complete change in lifestyle.

Don’t miss: ‘Every morning I feel I’ll have…’: 36-year-old NRI techie in US for 8 years wants to quit, return to India

In a Reddit post that has drawn attention online, the man said he quit his IT job on 27 February believing that “mental peace > salary”. More than two months later, he says he is still without a job despite attending several interviews.

Read the viral post here:

Complete silence

The man said some interviews appeared promising, but companies stopped responding afterwards.

“Some went really well, but then complete silence. No rejection mail, no callback, nothing. Just ghosted,” he wrote.

He said the repeated silence and lack of clarity had affected his confidence.

Savings exhausted

According to the post, his savings and provident fund money have now run out, leaving him dependent on his family for support.

“There was a time I used to shop groceries from Dmart without thinking much. Today I stand in line at government ration shops just to manage food expenses,” he wrote.

He also described the contrast between his earlier lifestyle and his current situation.

“I have a car parked outside, but no money to fill petrol,” he added.

Working at a construction site

Unable to remain unemployed, he said he recently took up work as a supervisor at a construction site for ₹25,000 a month.

“Got so exhausted mentally that now I’m working as a supervisor at a construction site for 25k/month just so I can survive and help at home somehow,” he wrote.

The post has resonated with many social media users who say the technology sector has become increasingly difficult to navigate because of layoffs, slow hiring and long recruitment processes.

Feels doomed

The man said common advice such as “upskill” and “keep trying” no longer felt reassuring after months of unsuccessful job applications.

“Maybe IT isn’t dead, but for people like us trying to break in or survive in 2026, it definitely feels doomed,” the post concluded.

Some users questioned his decision

While many expressed sympathy, others argued that leaving a stable job without another offer in hand was financially risky.

“If your savings are over in 2 months, maybe look into managing your finances better?” one user commented.

Another wrote: “Never leave your current job unless you have secured the next. (Getting laid off is out of your control. But your case was completely in your control).”

Others shared similar experiences

One Reddit user, who identified himself as a UX designer, said he had also left his job after his company stopped paying salaries.

“On the same boat. I am a UX designer and left my job as the company wasn’t paying salaries. Took few months off as I was burned out and was depressed. Still struggling to land an interview,” he wrote.

He said he had spent eight years at the company and was still waiting for pending dues despite approaching the labour court.

“Got order from labour court for gratuity. 8 months have passed and no info about that too. Have started to question myself now,” the user added.

Another commenter said he had also taken a career break and had not received interview calls for two months, but added that he had enough savings to manage for a year.