I've never blogged before and I'm not sure anyone will actually read this but here it goes anyway...

I have worked in the mental health/developmentally disabled field for nearly 5 years now.  Let me tell you it is one of the most stressful jobs you will ever have.  It can be rewarding to an extent, but they are few and far between.  My grandmother worked in this field for over 40 years and when I told her this is what I was going to do too, she told me something I will never forget, "You will never get a thank-you for this job; people will come and go and you will see repeat patients and wonder if anything you do is really worth it.  But it is because someday, sometime, you will see a former patient working at a job, or helping someone else, and though they may not remember, you will and then you'll know it's worth it".  I have yet to see this happen and the question "What's the point?" pops into my head at least once a week.  I guess I will either have to be patient or go crazy.  Anyone else have this problem?