Can’t really say much other than what’s been said. Only you can make the choice but hope you get things sorted mate, best of luck.
I think this job is one of the best sometimes if you kinda enjoy your own company and doing your own thing but the worst job when the depression/anxiety comes knocking and things aren’t great.
As you allude to yourself, getting to a debt-free situation would be very beneficial. That could be done in a couple of different ways, but you don’t mention downsizing or selling your car for a cheaper alternative, so those would be my respectful suggestions.
You need up-to-date CPC to drive at any point, that is all CPC means. You can pay for a course with less than a day’s wages, so if you do it, the driving income is always an option.
If you can get your outgoings down, less shifts may cover your costs and you may find that not having debt takes a weight off your shoulders.
Wishing you sincerely all the best.
As others say try and cut your hours to what suits. You can find that by working a day or so less you end up paying less tax and NI so you often have nearly as much in your hand. Sometimes the more hours you work the less benefit all round
blue estate:
The least few weeks driving and health problems ( mine and family ) have really made me take along hard look at whether to carry on truck driving and chasing the £££ and working for ZB’s
So it’s either a 1 year plan or 6 years ,
Why 1 or 6 years ? CPC carp I’m not gonna give up in 3 years when car finance finishes and waste 3 years CPC money
I don’t need to list the driving side reasons as most of you will have the same reasons to give up !
Health reasons my Mother is 76 and needs hip op , eye op ,but also she’s starting to show signs of memory problems
My Health problems are bad right knee , left ankle is not the best , Coeliacs (can’t have gluten contains foods ) ,but the worst thing is anxiety and depression which has brought me close to checking out a few times .Yes you read right I’ve been close to that S word
Right my current CPC runs out November next year and I’m 50 in July 2025
Car finance finishes September 2026
Mortgage finishes 2032 and is fixed till 2030 House in positive equity as mortgage is only 1/4 of value
So do I give up next year around Christmas or go for another 6 years
All is dependant on Mothers health and mine
We get one shot at this life, your own and your families health comes well before finances. There are plenty of jobs out there that will keep the money coming in and if like me you chuck truck driving and get a job that gives you real satisfaction then it’s a win win.
I gave up full time truck driving around 4 years ago to look after my elderly Father until his passing. I then went part time truck driving but still detested it. I now am employed as a van driver for a local charity going around collecting people’s donations. I love it and really feel that I am making a real contribution in helping others.
There are hauliers in my area paying minimum wage and treat their drivers like crap, I get above minimum wage, get to meet some really nice people, get the odd tip and go home knowing I am doing something to make others lives more comfortable.
Go for it!
blue estate:
Mortgage finishes 2032 and is fixed till 2030 House in positive equity as mortgage is only 1/4 of value
If you can afford it, it might make sense to overpay on your mortgage, on a fixed rate you can usually overpay up to 10% of the remaining loan per year without penalty, it is amazing how many years you can knock off by ramping up your payments. Put your figures in this calculator to give you a rough idea halifax.co.uk/mortgages/mor … lator.html I am on course to knock about 6 years off mine and I only started doing the overpayments a couple of years ago. You could definitely aim to knock off the 2 years after your fixed rate ends.
Lightening a future financial burden now while you might be able to afford it might help with any decisions you are making for the future.
Doing this job contending with all the b/s chucked at you is bad enough as it is , if like me you actually like doing the job 
…,
(In fact I’ve just been discussing all this cack on the '‘Did you work as an HGV driver between’ thread if anybody is interested or can be arsed to read it 
.)
So it must be simply ■■■■ unbearable doing it if you actually ‘‘hate’’ it, I can not imagine anything ■■■■ worse tbh. 
Obviously the effects of that are suitably and well illustrated by the o/p
So anybody else who is totally ■■■■■■ off with it all now,.especially if you are susceptible to bouts of depression get TF out of it NOW!!
…Be warned before all the mental crap kicks in !
It maybe seem harsh but you need to snap out of the feeling sorry for yourself , I went through that , why me when diagnosed with prostrate cancer , then diabetic , heart , bp , circulation etc etc , not a week went by with something or something else , diabetic nurse looking at state of legs / feet / toes & then going on about amputation , given McMillan books about cancer / outcomes etc , sobering
But there’s always someone worse off than yourself , 23 yr old with 3 young kids with throat cancer , 30/40 yrs old with terminal cancer , I’m often in hospital & often realise How lucky I am , heartbreaking seeing young kids / wife , & hubby has months to live , brother , 40,s , 2 young girls & grankids died of mnd
It’s not easy life , seeing my girl fall apart when I told her I had cancer , broke my heart , how ever dark the days seem you just have to keep fighting for you , your loved ones
As for coeliac my 2 have it , wife diagnosed with it years ago , daughter 3 months ago , wife just gets down about it , daughter sees it as a challenge , always cooking , looking for gluten free food , cafes , restaurants , I feel it’s got a lot easier , we recently went to Ibiza , hotel had gluten free beer , cooked gluten free meals for mrs / my girl , we took cereals from at home & we found most cafes had a gluten free option
M&S / sains / tesco etc all have free from sections , though expensive ,
Jobs can’t help , I can’t pick a good one , but I’ve under a year to go so put up with it , just think of hols / rest days , time with family , mates , focus on the positives
Look out mrs is txting me again , what have I done now !!
My only advice is to find something first before you jack because if you do it the other way round and find yourself with empty days…well lets just say it wouldn’t be helpful.
Wish you all the best in whatever you sort out.
Oh and finally as Bob Hoskins used to say “it’s good to talk”.
dozy:
It maybe seem harsh but you need to snap out of the feeling sorry for yourself
Not helpful, Doze, though I appreciate your intentions are good. True clinical depression is an illness, and you can no more “snap out of” having it than I can snap out of having MS.
OP, I feel your pain - as a long time low level depression sufferer, it was when I started feeling like you that I knew it was time to walk away. I was very lucky in having another string to my bow, cultivated alongside my driving work (freelance truck journalism) so I knew where to go next, but it did still take quite a big leap of faith to actually do it.
One thing I will say is that, if you haven’t already, getting yourself medicated WILL make a difference if you give it chance. It only needs the fog to lift a little for you to gain the energy needed to make those changes for the longer term. I appreciate many people are uneasy about taking anti-depressants, but it doesn’t have to be forever.
Lucy:
dozy:
It maybe seem harsh but you need to snap out of the feeling sorry for yourselfNot helpful, Doze, though I appreciate your intentions are good. True clinical depression is an illness, and you can no more “snap out of” having it than I can snap out of having MS.
OP, I feel your pain - as a long time low level depression sufferer, it was when I started feeling like you that I knew it was time to walk away. I was very lucky in having another string to my bow, cultivated alongside my driving work (freelance truck journalism) so I knew where to go next, but it did still take quite a big leap of faith to actually do it.
One thing I will say is that, if you haven’t already, getting yourself medicated WILL make a difference if you give it chance. It only needs the fog to lift a little for you to gain the energy needed to make those changes for the longer term. I appreciate many people are uneasy about taking anti-depressants, but it doesn’t have to be forever.
Thing is Lucy I tend to have a similar mindset to dozy on some of this stuff…but I am more tactful. 
Now I aint referring to the o/p,.and I certainly ain’t referring to you, because although I do not know either of you, I am getting a strong vibe that both of you are genuine on all this stuff.
What does grind my gears big style is people who go on the likes of Facebook with all this sort of stuff,.also the health type stuff that dozy was on about purely to look for sympathy…most of that sympathy given back is false.
Like dozy I am not a great bloke for giving out sympathy, neither do I ever look for it.
I’ve been on my arse before, not in terms of health, but other ways and there is no way in hell I would go on a forum or social media for the usual ‘‘You ok hun, we are a with you’’ type b/s,.where as others clearly thrive on it.
I belong to the ‘Get over it/pull yourself together/shut the ■■■■ up’’ camp, which is the direction I reckon dozy was coming from.
Hope you are over all that stuff you mention btw…(.I ain’t being false either, I DO mean it btw. )
i take vit D for lack of sunshine in the winter, i don’t think I have SAD but hear these lights are good for treatment.
Lucy:
dozy:
It maybe seem harsh but you need to snap out of the feeling sorry for yourselfNot helpful, Doze, though I appreciate your intentions are good. True clinical depression is an illness, and you can no more “snap out of” having it than I can snap out of having MS.
OP, I feel your pain - as a long time low level depression sufferer, it was when I started feeling like you that I knew it was time to walk away. I was very lucky in having another string to my bow, cultivated alongside my driving work (freelance truck journalism) so I knew where to go next, but it did still take quite a big leap of faith to actually do it.
One thing I will say is that, if you haven’t already, getting yourself medicated WILL make a difference if you give it chance. It only needs the fog to lift a little for you to gain the energy needed to make those changes for the longer term. I appreciate many people are uneasy about taking anti-depressants, but it doesn’t have to be forever.
But is everyone who is depressed suffering from true clinical depression?
Are there not a group of people that just need ti look at things from a different angle.In my case,I might feel depressed,but then simply need to remind myself,just to the ability to go and work,its better than being too ill to leave the house.If someone is in this position ,wouldnt they gladfully swap places,and be happy again
Sploom:
But is EVERYONE WHO IS DEPRESSED suffering from true clinical depression?
Are there not a group of people that just need ti look at things from a different angle.In my case, I MIGHT FEEL DEPRESSEDbut then simply need to remind myself,just to the ability to go and work,its better than being too ill to leave the house.If someone is in this position ,wouldnt they gladfully swap places,and be happy again
I’ve looked up the literal definition of depression…Oh come on, it’s my day off.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the word is bandied about a bit too freely and frequently…a bit like saying you have flu when its only a sniffle. 
I’ve had low ebbs in my life, including a couple of epic ones, same as everyone else… but Christ not DEPRESSED and definitely not to the point of ‘‘low esteem or not enjoying stuff I usually enjoy’’ or worse suicidal.
Maybe I’m just lucky as I can just take stuff as it comes on the chin and ‘‘just get on with it’’.,.and maybe that has summet to do with me not being a very sympathetic person,.as I think everyone is like myself.
If work is getting you ‘‘depressed’’ Sploom (in the true sense of the word) try another occupation…end of.
As I said I have no doubt there are genuine people who suffer REAL and literal depression, but being in a range somewhere between feeling a bit down to severely ■■■■■■ off…is NOT depression.
Then when the inevitable sympathy seeking kicks in yawn yawn I have no time for it …as I said.
Thanks to those who’ve offered good advise ,
And to others keep quiet if you can’t offer something sensible !!!
Having a good day today as been busy out in the 26t rigid which is manual so exhausted tonight
I’ve changed some eating habits and will try to stay dry for August and see if that helps .
Just to add I’ve walked out on jobs before turned phone off drove for a bit and stopped in a lay by
Have you only listened to those that told you what you want to hear?
Stay dry?
That is a good idea.Its something ,maybe,I should do too.Every week,I drink a bottle of wine ,or a little bit more,and then the following morning,bang,theres the depression,its the come own from alcohol.What goes up must come down and go down further into the bargain.That feeling of dread that you get the day after.So,another drink will cure it.You might ask why Im drinking it then.Probably because Im addicted to the stuff.I dont think about it in the week,but come the weekend,I cant seem to get through the weekend without it.
I cant seem to get through the weekend without it. quote sploom…
considering all the religious crap you post the above is quite worrying… 
Doctors can prescribe medication that makes alcoholics vomit if they drink alcohol.
I haven’t drank in over a year. When I did it was like a can of beer every few months.
Best to quit when possible.
But I’ve never been that into alcohol. I get some people drink it for the social interaction… but taste wise it has never appealed to me.
Blue Estate, my tuppence is this.
My previous work in car transporters was hard work, i hadn’t realised how close i was to breaking point but wifey had seen it and urged me to pack it in, in truth i’d become part of the bloody machine but was too busy to see it for myself, i think this can happen more easily than many realise, the car game is bad for this but others in general transport will know how it can be.
OK that’s my sorry tale for what its worth.
Now i work with lads who also packed the game in and regularly speak to old colleagues who also found other types of work and got out of the game, still driving but now on supermarkets or tankers like myself, not one of us would go back on transporters for all the tea in China, one of my mates has turned down a large incentive bung to go back on the bloody things.
We’re all just as well off financially, more so in fact because when we work out our hourly rates (many of us salaried but on job and finish) we’re better off.
We’re all much better off health and wellbeing wise because we now work around 1/2 or 2/3rd the hours we used to and compared to what we did before the job’s a holiday camp, yes of course some still moan where we work but there’s always a band of bods whom if you paid 'em £2k a week to lie in bed they’d still moan about it…and those moaning haven’t come from grafting work anyway or they’d be bloody glad to be out of it.
This hard graft long hours chasing round in transport is not an older blokes game especailly, but on the other hand why work to the end in a poorly paid job when you can still keep a decent income coming in whilst changing your working hours to something far better.
Not saying you are an old bloke cos i’ve got a good few years on you, but i’ve come to realise i should have packed in the cars before i reached 50 instead of carrying on another 3 years.
The thing is now with the shorter hours, the fewer days of the week i have to work, the lack of pressure and knowing i’m going home at the end of every shift, all the pillocks on the road don’t bother me one bit cos no pressure, in fact the job’s such a doddle and paid so well for so little graft that i’m reluctant to retire.
Have a look round mate and see what’s out there, i can’t emphasise enough how much changing my work life has changed our lives here, no reason it can’t do just the same for you.
m.a.n rules:
I cant seem to get through the weekend without it. quote sploom…considering all the religious crap you post the above is quite worrying…
Yep it is ,
At least I’m talking to others about my problem and realising some of the triggers
