If at all possible, DON'T file bankruptcy. It's not worth it to trash the future on something like this. Yes, you have quite a bit of debt, but you CAN do something about it. And, yes, that means biting the bullet and getting a job to help PAY for those debts.

Cut the cards up, don't use them again, close the accounts. Then, if you have to have something either save for it, or spend cash to get it.

Cut up the cards yes but DON'T close the accounts.

Why?
1. Your credit score is calculated partially with a debt to available credit ratio. Which means if you have 3 cards with $4000 limits and they each have $1000 on them, your ratio is $3000/$12000 so comparatively not much debt. Move all those balances to one card and close the other two your ratio is now $3000/$4000, and your credit score will go down.

2. Let's say you got a card with a T-shirt offer on your first day of college, $2000 limit and 32% interest, of course, you didn't know what the rate was so you spend like crazy. Mom and Dad bail you out and you close the card in the midst of tons of promises. 5 years later you're newly married and in a good job, you go to apply for a mortgage. "Sorry kid, you don't have enough credit history." If you would have just cut up that card (and any additional ones they send you) There would be 5 years of on-time payments because the balance was paid in full each month. That alone could put you in B+ or A credit rating.

You could also try getting a p/t job, saving up some money rather than paying off bills little by little, and try to do settlements with your creditors to pay a portion of the balances. Sometimes they will settle for 40-60% of what you owe them. If you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it will stay on your credit record up to 10 years (in the U.S.), meaning your hopes of being financed in the next 10 years are shot. However, if you don't make at least the minimum payments on your cc balances, they can sue you, which can lead to judgments, and eventually executions on those judgments (i.e., selling your property to pay off debts). Either way, you need more income. You could also try getting an unsecured debt consolidation loan, and make one payment on the loan every month. The loan payment would probably be much lower than what you would be paying per month to the credit card companies. And stop using credit!