I Like Doctors Who Are Knowledgeable And Passionate

To become a medical doctor, you really have to be willing to work incredibly hard just to become a doctor. 


However, as someone who has seen doctors more than once, I've noticed that some appear to be more passionate about what they do for a living than others.  Some of them clearly have a passion for practicing medicine.  Some of them love to help others and are fascinated with what they do.


To me, I like working with a doctor who is not only knowledgeable in their specialty.  I like working with doctors who are very enthusiastic.  It motivates me to stay healthy.  It motivates me to help myself.  And if they're as passionate as they seem, to me that increases the chances that they're true experts and very competent in their field. 


That's what I like when I work with a medical professional.

Human Services Workers Must Be Realistic About Helping Others

Many people who try to help others believe that if they make a difference in just one person's life, than that makes attempting to help others all worth it.  And that is not only commendable.  It's also realistic.


However, some individuals working in the human services field who try to help others have unrealistic expectations and unrealistic goals.  They think they're going to go out and save the world.  Then, after a while, reality slaps them in the face.  They learn that they can't help everyone, even though they'd like to do so.


When trying to help others, be realistic.  If you can't be realistic, then maybe the human services field is not for you.  If you can't accept the fact that you must be realistic, then you'll probably burn yourself out.


And if you become burned out trying to help people, then you are you going to be able to help people?

Does Not Watching Violent News Stories On TV Help?

I've never been the biggest fan of watching local, national, and world news on TV considering that most of the stories reported are negative and involved violence.  And especially when I was a teenager, I hated the fact that our world has violence in it.


For years, a friend of mine recommended that I not watch the news.  He pointed out that there isn't much point in watching news that's very negative considering that there is nothing I could do about it anyway.  I can't save the world, after all.


Finally, a number of years ago, I decided to take his advice.  I stayed away from watching the news on TV.  I did this for several months.


So did it help me emotionally?


Honestly, not much.  The reason was because I knew that there was just as much violence going on in the world.  Just because I stopped watching the news on TV didn't mean that the amount of violence going on was decreasing any.  I knew that there was just as much violence happening.  I didn't know the specific stories was all.


However, just because staying away from watching the news on TV didn't work for me so great doesn't mean that it wouldn't work for you.  I'd encourage you to try it if you'd like!

Altruism Matters And Is A Factor

Many people in our world love to help people.  Maybe they enjoy performing volunteer work.  Or maybe they work as a paid employee in a field that's meant to help people, such as the nursing field.  Maybe they work as doctors, psychotherapists, or human services workers, to name just a few.  And some people simply like to help a friend going through a tough time in their lives.


However, some individuals point out that those who try and succeed at helping others aren't doing so just to help others.  They say they do so because it makes themselves feel good about what they're doing to assist others.


Yes it's true that nobody is completely altruistic.


But when it comes to most people, I think their is still a lot of altruism involved.  Most folks who try to make a difference in the lives of others really do care about the people they're helping.


Hence, they have my respect.

Volunteering At Nursing Homes Anything But Thankless

Ask just about anyone who has worked in the mental health system, and they'll tell you that there isn't much thanks in the mental health field.  So many people they work with and try to help don't appreciate the time and effort they make to try to help them.


However, this is not the case if you volunteer at nursing homes.


I've volunteered at nursing homes and assisted living homes for quite a number of years.  And believe me, lots of the residents there really appreciate me taking the time to visit with them.


And being appreciated by people you're trying to help is a terrific feeling.  It makes it all worthwhile and then some.

Those With Physical Disabilities Are Already Aware Of It

Anyone who has a physical disability that others can visibly see can relate to this post.

I used to be on medication that caused my hands to tremor from time to time.  And obviously, I was aware of it.  How could I not be?

Yet despite the fact that I was well aware of it, every so often someone would point it out to me (as if I already wasn't self-conscious about it).  Most people meant no harm by it.  But their curiosity would sometimes get the best of them and they'd ask me about it.  Yeah, like it was something I wanted to talk to them (or anyone) about anyhow.

However, I wasn't super-sub-conscious about it.  But some people with a problem such as this are.  And who can blame them?

I had a friend who had a physical condition (I won't say what the condition is) who was very sub-conscious about it.  Unlike me, this person had been dealing with this problem all of this person's life.  And when someone, such as a customer at this person's job, pointed it out to this person, it could really ruin this person's day.

I know many people mean well.  But I must say it's pretty darned ignorant to go up to someone and ask them about a physical problem they have.

So please, for those out there who don't see how upsetting it is for people who already are having a difficult time dealing with their physical issues, it's time that I point out that enough is enough.  Everyone needs to realize that it's not OK to bring it up unless the person with a physical issue brings it up first.  After all, it's nobody else's business, and it doesn't help matters to bring it up.

Volunteer Work Can Benefit You At So Many Levels

Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the community, make a difference in one or more persons lives, and can help you feel good about doing a service without expectation of financial reward.

However, it's also a cool way to discover new interests, such as hobbies, as well as finding out what you might like to do regarding paid work, whether it be a future job or a career.

In this day and age, so many professions require education and/or experience to become employed in those fields. That's where volunteer work (internships, etc.) are also handy.  So many don't realize that they're not going to really know if they're going to like working in a particular field or not until they actually start working in that field.

So if you can't start out getting paid in a profession if you don't have the necessary skills, working in those fields as a volunteer is something to consider.

I realize most people have busy lives.  However, even though taking the time to volunteer takes up more of your time, it can still be worth it and make your life better now.  For example, I was working at a dead-end job years ago that I didn't like forty to fifty hours per week.  However, during that time I also decided to work as an unpaid intern for a radio station.  And even though that required me to work an extra seven or eight hours per week at the station on top of the already long hours I was putting in at my paying job, it made my life better.  I enjoyed doing something else besides my boring full-time job.  And it was great obtaining experience in the world of radio broadcasting, a field I'd been fascinated with ever since I was five years old.

So even if you don't have a great deal of time to spare, making the time to volunteer is something that I'd recommend.

What Is More Effective For Treating Mental Illness, Meds Or Psychotherapy?

As a person who has been in treatment for depression and anxiety for a long time, I've often wondered: what's a more effective treatment for mental illness: medication or psychotherapy?

Since everyone is different, it generally depends on each individual.  However, while I believe that meds and psychotherapy are equally important, in general, psychatric meds help more people than talk therapy does.

So how can therapy be just as important but at the same time be less effective (in my opinion)? 

I think therapy is just as important because as great as meds can be, they don't do everything.  If someone has had overly-negative views about the world and themselves due to suffering through one or more traumas in their lives, the meds aren't going to make everything better.  Years of suffering from depression, anxieties, and other forms of mental illness don't just disappear after that person has been put on the right medications.  That's where psychotherapy helps.  Therapy is a slow process.  But without it, meds alone aren't a cure-all.

However, at the same time, I think meds are more effective because so many people who seek counseling from a qualified therapist don't put in their best effort to overcome their issues.  I'm not saying that all people with mental health issues don't do what they can to help themselves.  But a lot of them don't (if you don't believe that, talk to any mental health worker).  And if someone doesn't do what they can to help themselves, the therapy is much less likely to benefit that person.

Psychotherapy can be terrific for those who have gotten on the right medications and do what they can to help themselves.  But for those who are in therapy just to disagree with everything the counselor says, not work on their goals, and rely soley on their pills as a feeble attempt to overcome their issues, don't expect the therapy to be equally helpful as the meds have been.

Rude People Often Don't See The Dangers Of Being Rude

We've all been there-your going about your day that's going just fine when you come across someone whose not having such a great day.  And this person decides that it's best to take out his/her frusterations out on innocent people.  And that innocent person is you.

There's always someone who's occupation it is to be personable while dealing with the public, but they're not very good at it.  I once worked for a hotel in which the front desk manager was rarely friendly with the guests.  And the odd (and scary) part is before being promoted to the front desk management position, she worked as a sales representative for this hotel.  I wonder how many times she failed to make a sale for this hotel due to her unwillingness to refrain from taking out her frusterations out on the customers.

I realize that people aren't perfect and that even the nicest folks are rude to others on occasion.  However, some out there are rude to others on more than just on occasion.  And that makes me wonder this: aren't these rude types afraid that sooner or later they'll be disrespectful to the wrong person and put themselves in real danger?  After all, you never know who you're messing with.

Nobody should be rude to others on a regular basis because it's not the right thing to do anyway.  But if I were unfriendly to others quite often, I'd not only feel guilty and with good reason.  I'd also be afraid of who I was messing with.  Just because someone appears to be pleasant and seems to be an easy target doesn't mean he or she is.

Rude people often rationalize that they're not as disrespectful as they actually are, and that the rest of us are just as crabby to everyone.  They also think that it's OK to be rude because they're day (or their lives, for that matter) isn't going well.  They fail to realize that we've all been through tough times in our lives, but most of us elect not to take it out on others.  It's called having some class.  And it's also about being aware of who you're taking it anger out on.

I don't like the idea of ruining someone's day anyhow.  But even if I didn't care, I'd fear messing with someone that's not afraid to stand up for themselves and isn't about to put up with it.  Some stand up for themselves by giving it back to rude folks in an appropriate, rational way.  However, there are people who don't and can pose a real, serious threat.