Is working with mental health patients a good idea if I am not completely mentally stable?

Working with these people can be a great joy, and very taxing. I had classes of mentally ill, schizophrenic, bi-polar, etc. students. I had some classes and students that really got to me. I had one schizophrenic student that asked if he could take his finals early. he took his finals and then checked himself into the youth psych unit -that day. One time a student dissapeared, I found him upside down in a narrow closet-it was the only thing that gave him comfort at the time. I didn't make any deal out of it. I let him stay in for about 5 minutes, then asked him if he could help me with something. My students always had box cutters, all sorts of things, so please don't give me a lecture on his brains falling out, etc. I got him out without anybody being upset, and they learned. I had great joys, and had times that I cried.

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My son had a spinal injury in the Coast Guard-they gave him 22 different types of mind altering meds at the same time-different branches of the service-no computerized pharmetical records- After his spinal surgery they realized that he was now a mental patient. Because it was an Army hospital, they put him to work, so your tax money wasn't wasted-think about that. Because he was the equivilant of a top Sgt. and was menatlly ill, they put him alone in an office as a mental health expert on the mental health HOTLINE. About once every 3 hours, someone would check to see if he had committed suicide yet. I kid you not!! So he had all of these people calling because they or a family member was suicidal, having a break down, etc. He bonded with a Navy wife that had post-partim depression-and at times, she talked him out of committing suicide-her husband was deployed. When her husband came home things were better for her. He actually came to the hospital and thanked my son. I don't see anything unethical about you continueing to work there. It might take awhile for you to get an actual accurate diagnosis and medicine. You know that. If you feel that you can do it, you should be able to continue, when it's too much you'll know, or somebody will let you know. Just remember that you like to do this and you are trained. At the VA, they get residents-new staff-nurses, dieticians-social workers, chaplins. That experience at Crippler gave my son confidence. He will help and advise new patients of their rights and how to expedite VA pay. He's confronted chaplins about the fact that they publically pray for everyone, except the mentally ill. Recently, they took down all calenders-anything with a date-then the patients had to know what date it was when they talked to a social worker or a doctor. He took care of that. He called the patient advocate office, after his in ward complaints fell on deaf ears.
I'm aquarius- I'm mentally and emotionally stable-but I'm eccentric. We needed a new truck, we live 2 blocks from car row-so I shopped in old clothes, while walking a pair of 80 lb coonhounds. We bought a 2011 Ford last month, because the Ford salesmen were polite to me. Think about it-do you want to deal with rude or uncaring people, if the vehicle developes problems? Then there's the time that I needed a new freezer, it was snowing, and I saw a sign at a feed store that ducklings were in. I took a box of ducklings in the stores with me-they were selling out quickly-the ducklings. Some people would call that crazy.
You want to help and like it, but you feel drained with all of your problems, and the patients' problems. Staying and working there is ethical, nobody tells a nurse with cancer that it's unethical to work with cancer patients, but when it's too fatigueing they stop work. Look at that way-and you can talk to us any time you want.
Good luck and keep us posted-OK

Hi Looney, What a great name! I filly understand, I think at this point any job will drain you. It is so great you work with mentally ill people. It takes a very special person to do that. I have been in health care many years, I did a psyc, rotation during my training. I know that it takes an extra amount Patience, and inner strength to do that job. I also have experience as an in patent. I can't tell you how much the staff helped me. Mostly just gaining my confidence and listing to me in an understanding way. Do you have direct patent contact? I don't know the full extent of what you do have to do. You have ask a very difficult question. I can only answer you from my own experience. (where is Von & Pup when you need them). I most likely have been bipolar, beginning as a Teen. I was always the problem child, alcoholic nut case. In the late 50's, bipolar and depression went undiagnosed.

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Some how I managed to get through college and Physicians Assistant surgery program. I worked all my life going through Depression to hypo-mania, and back to depression. I self medicated all those years. All the way up to 3+ years ago. You sound like you are fairly young. I think in many ways my work helped me. Plus I had a wife and child to take care of. You have the good fortune of be diagnosed and are on medication. You question your diagnosis, allot of people do, that's normal. It may take a while to find the right combination of medication that will work for you. If your condition is not interfering your patent care, and you are not getting worse, you may want to continue working. How ever if you have to prepare and dispense medications, taking medication your self. That me a little risky. Some of these medications decrease your mental alertness and ability to make sound judgments. Tell your doctor what you do, and he will work with you on this issue. I am sure you will get some more answers here also. Let me know how your doing form time to time. I put you on my friends list. Stay here with this group, and post often, even though you may not think it is of any importance. Hang in there! Dave As an after thought, I personally would not discuss your condition with any one at your work place. You have the support of this group to do that. Dave

im dealing with trauma, ptsd, depression, panic and anxiety, on top of that on a taper for percocet, i am a CNA and do private home care taking care of an elder women, i love my job, and didnt realize how bad my illnesses were until the morning i found myself giving CPR to my nana till the medics arrived, it was too late, and since then i havnt been the same, full downward spiral for me, i am now in intense therapy, my dr upped my prozac, im on xanax for panic attacks, i did try and go back to work thinking it may help me to continue to give care, the first day was ok, by the second day, just the smell of my client due to all her meds shes on was making me gag, so you see, its up to you and how you feel, it was then i decided to no longer stay in the caregiving field. mabe one day ill be ok to do it again, but as for now, its not even a thought. you will know if its the rite place for you to be.

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take it one day, one step at a time, dont over do it because the important person rite now is you, i am here for you and so is the rest of our family here, hang in there, keep comming back to us and let us know how your doing. take care

the universe runs in millions of years, i would think it solely impossible that human ife only exists in the the short time frame we put on it. People like to make labels only in order to understand our universe. many things remain unexplained, the placebo effect is the same beleif that allows god to be true, beleive in something hard enough and it is bound to manifest, don't except labels unless you are truly so disabled that you can not function. If meds are helping it is great, but i hold true that if you put a lie dectetor test on someone and ask if god is real it will come up true, so is it god or belief that is true. Belief being true would be the same as god being true. belief is the strongest medicine we have. YOu indeed can overcome your issues through true believing and true intent in your heart.

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IF your disability is not strong enough to make you litreally crazy, if you are even able to think about it, it means you are not crazy, belief and good thoughts and modification of those thoughts can create a peace within that not many find. I would continue to battle your illnesses through introspection for the true answer, and if you indeed see yourself going on meds then do so. But i emplore you to try alternatives, a strong enough belief in anything can actually manifest that anything. You are not a victim of labels, you are a unique individual with unique thoughts, nurture those and you will find a stregnth you never knew you had. If you ever feel you want to conquer the meds, you may as well try, no harm in trying. Try without them, if it does not work try again with them. Belief can indeed manifest into reality. Thoughts have more power then most people can even comprehend, i wish you luck and see a great future in your future. You can do it, i promise.4 I prefer working through your issues first, mine caused over 25 years of complete suffering to work through, but i am almost there and had the most divine experience happen to me. It was so intense it allowed me to get off of hard drugs without even a thought, it was also so intense it made me not eat for 2 weeks strait and sleep. I quite literally saw a higher power, whatever that means to you. Always try, never give up, i would rather die trying then to not try anymore. You will succeed, but find your own rout to do so. Good luck, i believe one day you will understand and receive the peace you deserve, good luck my friend. Isuees can fully be worked out through introspection and hard work, mentally hard work, which far exceeds actual hard work, for the most difficult undertaking a man can take is that of self introspection. I truly wish you luck, but deep down i know you will succeed. Attachments cause pain, once you understand this line you will understand more about yourself, anyone who suffers is a very strong individual. THe best teacher is not the teacher who has experienced nothing but textbooks, the greatest teachers learn from harsh life experiences, choose to fix those problems and go on to show the lessons they have learned to others in the hopes they too will not go through the same. The best way to serve god as you believe in him is to serve others, and that is the most righteous cause, whether society says you are fit to do so or not. Love yourself, respect yourself and teach others what you have learned. Good luck
The Last Adam