Highs and lows of peoples jobs (56)

I work as a support worker for people with mental health problems.
and to honest it's extremely stressful but rewarding.
last night was a typical example of extremes of the job.
I had one client behaving in a challenging way because an inexperience member of staff had approached him wrong. He behaved aggressively toward be threw a cup at me, etc. i manage to talk him down and all was calm. But left me wondering why do i do this
Later one of the clients who hasn't been communicating with staff and not eating and sleeping at last spoke to me. Mind you this is after two hours of me one to one constantly talking at her telling her about my cat my childhood stupid stories. She eventually said to me 'do know what Mair i love it when your on duty". Well, i nearly cried. After that she told all about her mother her father where she been on holiday. Then she went to have a smoke. Came back in the room and said "I going to bed Good night"
This statement might not seem much but she has never in one year said good night to any one.
All the what happened with the other client suddenly didn't matter and my job was worth it again. So how about you lot what are the highs and lows of what you do?

I think what you do is fantastic and you should give yourself a pat on the back when you feel low because you're doing something so special. A friend of mine works with severely epiletic (not sure how to spell it) but he too has low times as well as high - but when faced with an offer of taking a new direction he chose to carry on.

Being a mum obviously has it's highs and lows but I think my writing gets to me sometimes. I'll have times when I don't write just because of a rejection for a manuscript. Since only 1 is accepted in 5000-10,000 its quite normal even for well known names but does get to me. I was thinking about just going back to a desk job then half hour later got an email saying I'd been awarded Editors Choice for 2006 for some of my poetry by a large international society and have been nominated for inclusion into the Poets directory 2006 alongside Burns etc, this is like getting an oscar! So that's put me back on track - if only I could earn some sensible money at it!!

Wow that somthing so what do you write about? will you email me one of you poems pleas so i can see.

I write supernatural/horror books by choice but I write poems because my nan enjoys them - I think they're crap - but people seem to like them! And if it gives me a chance of landing a good agent then I'll carry on writing them.

hi pilipala,

know exactly where you are coming from worked for the RNID for 3yrs with people who had mental health problems, learning disabilities etc,

that was with adults, i know work with young people who have drug, drink, aduse problems,

and i have gone for a couple of jobs in childrens home just opening here so keep you fingers crossed for me guys

yes it is stessful, you learn to duck pretty quick and to read body lanuage even quicker,

but what i put in i get out a million time over, the shifts are crap the pay aint going to make me a millionare, my kids suffer sometimes because of it, but not very often and they understand,
but i wouldnt change it for the world, xxxx

Yea i know what you mean about body lanuage and ducking. I also been threatened with a knive my friends and familly have a fit but its all part of the job. Mind you learning to read body lanuage helps when you meet people out the profession to. I can see trouble comming a mile off

I said a few days ago there were special people here and you've just proved my point. The jobs you do are so special and there's not many people who could or would take the strain. I am proud to make your acquaintance, truly!

And your to Cariad. Not every day i get to meet an author