Life has many surprises and challenges, but sometimes we just have to follow through the many different things life throws our direction. Some people go out of their way to escape the many challenges they might have to face. You know, that’s okay because that’s why there are people out there willing enough to help them out. When you take time to understand someone’s struggle and the situation they are in then you will only understand them. It doesn’t take much to help someone out. Experiences are not what happens to you, but it is what you do with what happens to you. Lending a hand towards someone who needs it is the best feeling ever. I haven’t done anything that really changed anyone’s life, but I have always been there when someone needed my support. Whether they need it or not I am there, or if someone else disapproves of it, I’m still there to support them. I will never someone behind when they need my help. I will never advise anyone into doing something, or even when asked for, I never give them advice. I prefer to be able to just be there to give them support. I wouldn’t want my advice to come back and bite me later on if something goes wrong for whoever that asked for my advice. I’m a better supporter than a person who gives advice. In this paper, I will be writing about how I will survive with this kind of job and what some of my experiences may help me with this kind of job.
What are the issues that are in your own history that will affect your feelings, behaviors, attitudes, and own mental health in the day to day dealings working with substance abuse issues?
I believe that the only problem I would have working with substance abuse is if they are harming anyone and especially a child, while under the influence. That I will not be able to deal with because I cannot tolerate anyone harming another human being because they are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. I understand that some people get carried away when they are under the influence, but if you know it then why don’t you stop using or perhaps go elsewhere where you know you won’t be able to hurt anyone. Other than that, I believe I will do just fine with working with someone who had substance abuse issues.
What are your vulnerable points? What is your strength?
One of my vulnerability is the emotional state that is most dreadful to me, in reaction to which I’ve developed the strongest defenses. Fear is pretty dreadful. I don't want to experience it for very long Somedays are usually worse than the other for the most part. I fear of being a failure. For me, sometimes it triggers a deeper and more dreadful fear of solitude, hurt, or hardship. But I try my best not to think too much of what makes me vulnerable too. The fear failure sounds like this to me, “If I fail, no one will help, be there, love, or comfort me.” Another one that I hear is, 'If I fail, I won’t be able to help others, and I won’t be worthy to anyone.” One of my many strengths is I believe in the good people have within themselves. I always see the good in what anyone can become. Another one of my strengths is I am a strong person who has gone through many struggles to become who I am today. Even when someone doesn’t see what they have I see it. Sometimes we all get so wrapped up in others' lives because we think they have it all going on, and we want that. But that’s where we’re wrong. No one has a perfect life, each and every one of us has struggled at some point.
What is in your own history that could impact how well you survive in a job such as this?
One of my own history that would help me impact on how well I will survive in a job like this happened three years ago. It might not seem like such a big tragic, but to me it was. It has nothing to do with addiction or any sort of substance. When I was twenty-eight-years old I got engaged and then became pregnant. It should have been the happiest time of my life, but it turned out differently for me. God had other plans for me. Which I am thankful for today. I ended up raising my son on my own. It was tough for me, but I managed and still doing the best I can for my son. My fiancé left me for another woman who was married during that time. I was then eight months pregnant and left all alone. Many thoughts ran through my head. I just couldn’t understand what went wrong or what I did wrong. Honestly, I’m still doing my very best to get the situation out of my head and stop blaming myself. I didn’t do anything wrong, instead, I did everything right. I always do, and then end up getting left behind or abandoned. Like every girl, or guy, I fell in love with someone who gave me a lesson in life. It’s stupid I know. I went into depression for a while. I remember there were days when I couldn’t even find the strength to go on, but when I look at my son, somehow it kept me going. In this case, I believe some people would have turned to drugs or alcohol, but it wasn’t for me. I was stronger than the influences. There were many times I thought maybe going towards that route would numb all the pain away and make me feel better, but I always found the strength to step back and be a fighter. I’m glad that I am that strong to have avoided the hard road full of dangerous things. This experience that I had is going to help me survive because I believe that if you know there is something or someone there that needs you for support, you will be able to overcome anything. Or, if you know what is most important to then you can overcome anything. When you believe in yourself, you can be anything you want, and fight any battle that gets thrown your way.
How will you maintain self-care in your own life as a helper? How will you establish and maintain boundaries?
When it comes to self-care, you need to know your value. Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself since it generates positive feelings and increases self-assurance. Self-care also needs to remind you and others of the importance of you and your needs. I'm going to keep myself focused, inspired, and safe. By regularly practicing self-care and finding that it is the backbone of my daily and weekly routine, will enable me to be my best and help others. Limits are key to healthy relationships and a healthy life in reality. The creation and protection of boundaries is an art. We may take tips from observation here and there, or by looking at others. But boundary establishing is a rather new and challenging idea for many of us. One way of setting your boundaries is to be direct with your client in a good way. Also, tune out your feelings when you are with a client.
CONCLUSION
The main point of all this that’s been written in this essay is telling someone that I will be able to handle anything that will be thrown at me or at least tries my very best to help someone who might need my help out. I will never judge anyone just because they are different from and because they chose to do things differently from me. My point is I understand that everyone is different and everyone has their own problems which every one of us deals with them differently. Not every two-person are going to be the same. We all think differently and do everything differently. There shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to judge someone because you don’t know what that person has been through. Therefore, by judging a person by their appearance is something no one should ever do. Until you walk in their shoes, you should never judge them. For this reason, I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Just believe in you.