No one has my problem....

I'm writing this because I dont know anyone, even MD's, with my particular problem. I owe close to 300,000.00 in both federal and private student debt. It would have been over 300K if I were not a physical therapist, and caught a break with one of my loan accounts for some forgiveness. So you guys might be asking yourselves "why is he complaining? He has a great job that pays well." You would be right. I do. I get paid well and have no complaints about that. That said, I'm not a MD. I have doctor debt without even being close to the doctor income. All through school I only ever heard from lenders "go ahead and take out this loan. You'll have a good job and will be able to afford it." It was like no one was looking at how much debt I was racking up and tried to stop me. Of course, I also realize 90% of the blame there goes to me for not tracking how much debt I was going into. Then again, how many 19 year-old college freshman are really paying attention to that? All you hear your whole life is how you are supposed to go to college and get a good job. The rest is just details. I know I wasnt told much about the pitfalls of student debt when I started. Banks know that and prey on it.

I represent a group of student loan borrowers that you dont hear too much about. I'm one of those people who "got the job" out of college, but continues to be overburdened with student debt. Just paying the MINIMUMS on this massive debt goes over half my monthly income. Last month I paid out somewhere on the order of 2500.00 to student debt. It's like having an amazing house that I can never live in. To be honest, it feels more like a prison sentence for all the dumb financial choices I made in school. I know what you all are thinking. "Sign up for IBR with your federals". I have. It's the goddamned private debt that's bending me over every month. Because of my occupation and employed status I dont really qualify for much help. When I talk with other people about it, I can always sense how perturbed they get because they think it shouldnt be a big deal, given my earning potential. The truth is that you dont really earn enough as a PT to support that kind of debt load. Then again, I guess no one could really know how it feels unless they were saddled with that kind of debt load. I'm pretty much forced to work in a setting of physical therapy that I absolutely hate because it pays the best. Then I work a second job in the same setting on an as-needed basis, just to make sure I have a little room to breath every month. All my aspirations for my career have been put on hold because of this debt, and, at this rate, could never be resumed until I am AT LEAST 55 years old. This debt also prevents me from owning a home. I wouldnt have enough to pay a mortgage. I get up every morning doing something I hate, and constantly reminded of how I will always have to live in a 1 bedroom apt for practically the rest of my life unless I marry someone with a good career and no debt.

Just looking at a map for the rest of my life, it seems like I will spend the next 25 to 30 years doing something I ABSOLUTELY despise while living in a single bedroom apt. Let's see here, all of that stress and bitterness will eventually manifest as increased cholesterol and hypertension. Well, there starts the health problems. Then I get the pleasure of entering the medical system as a patient, instead of a clinician. Now I can spend even more of my money on medications I will have to be on for the rest of my life! All the while, I will struggle month-to-month to pay off student debt from decades ago, while dealing with insurance co-pays, car payments, etc. Yep, that's the American way, isnt it? Looks like I will be fully indoctrinated. This wasnt what I wanted...

I wish I could get on TV or something and tell my story, so I could warn future borrowers not to make the same mistakes I did. I didnt really need to take out that much money to go to school. I was just young and naive; with apathetic parents, as well. I dont even want to go into all of the ways in which I squandered that money. Funny, though, how a person could make the exact same mistakes with a credit card and there's a way out. Not for me, or those like me.

Anyway, that's it for my rant. If anyone wants to chime in with a different point of view or perhaps lead me to possible sources to get help, I would greatly appreciate it.