Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 2

Flybaby

WaS - sounds like the perfect opportunity for you. I have only one hesitation, which would be, would you be able to stop worrying about the people you help and think that you have done all you can do to help them, or would it set you back if you constantly worry about them?


I think you have wonderful skills to offer and it could be a great learning opportunity for you to be able to help people within a set of boundaries and then walk away and leave the worry "at the door" so to speak?


As for the sloth bag..................what a ridiculous price - but I have saved the picture and will be attempting to make you one at some point this year!!!!!

faerielight

Oh Waves, you'd be so good at the helpline, you really would It sounds like it would be so rewarding, boosting your self esteem and feeling like you have a place in the world.Having mental health issues will only make you a more understanding worker, and if the supervision is good, you will be able to offload calls that you found difficult.

Believe it or not, considering how dire my mental health is now, but I was a samaritan for 2 years, 7 years ago. It was hard at time, but it was really rewarding .I say, go for it! x

Waves_and_Smiles

Aw, thank you both! Not being able to switch off is an issue and one that I had when I was working. I am hoping that because clients will be referred onto other services that it won't stay with me as much, there won't be ongoing counselling from the helpline itself so hopefully I wouldn't feel as responsible. I would take advantage of the supervision for that if I needed to however, because is it something I have always found difficult.

Another option my friend suggested was taking a supervisory role as she will be doing and working with those manning the helpline to offer them support. That way I am not working directly with clients which might take the pressure off a little. It would still be 4 hours a week with the same training, the only difference is that role is only open to people who have already worked in the mental health field with previous supervisory experience which I have. I would probably find it more rewarding to work on the crisis line but supporting staff might be safer for my mental health.

I am still amazed that I am contemplating this, if you had asked me a year ago I would have run for the hills.

Aw, Fly! If you can make me a sloth bag I would be overjoyed! What a lovely thing to offer! No pressure though, just if you get a bored moment!

Torry_Quine

wAS As long as your health allows the helpline sounds perfect as it would help you while helping others.

Ono I'm with you. Bookshops are dangerous places

Waves_and_Smiles

Thank you Torry, I do tend to feel much better about myself when I feel like I am making a difference, however small. As my friend is one of the people setting this up it does mean that I would skip a lot of the selection process and wouldn't need to be interviewed, she has known me since she was 15 years old so is quite aware of who I am as a person. All I need is a CRB check which is no problem at all. Another positive is my friend is running her ideas about how best to set this up past me so I am actually having input on how it is organised from its inception, I will know exactly what I am getting myself into.

whitewing

Yellow lamp gets my vote Faerie.

WaS, think your voluntary position is a great idea as long as you do only do the 4 hours. It would be easy to be sucked in to more and more, knowing how kind you are.

I did the scary thing that I put off from last week. I think it went better for having been left for a few days. (Although it was on my mind all weekend).

I am reading A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy. (Written by the mother of Dylan, one of the Columbine shooters and all author profits going to research and charitable organisations focusing on mental health issues). It is an excellent book so far (page 168). One that makes you pause every so often to process what you're reading. I hope that it does enormous good for mental health (or 'brain disease' as they refer to it to try to put ot on a par with other health issues) in the coming years.

Pyxis

WaS, that offer sounds amazing! Right up your street!

You said you can pick your four hours. Would it be 4hours in a block, or four separate hours?
The reason I'm asking is due to the one slight reservation I have, and that is, if the the hours fall on a day when you are unwell, or very sleepy, say, I am worried that not being able to undertake the commitment that day might make you feel worse.
Of course, if the hours are moveable feasts, then that's not a problem.

By the way, just thought, you haven't mentioned the voices for absolutely ages. Are they less of a problem these days? Has Cynthia done her bit then?

calleyw wrote: »

WaS, have a wave from me.

Thought you might like this



A sloth handbag. Price £250 :eek:

Yours

Calley

£250? You could buy a real sloth for that! :rotfl:
Mind you, you couldn't keep your purse in a real sloth!

It never ceases to amaze me what women will pay for a bag. I resent paying more than about £10. My latest one came from a charity shop and cost a fiver! And looked brand new!

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Ono I'm with you. Bookshops are dangerous places

Ooh yes! They're the most dangerous places in the world! I went into Blackwell's in Oxford last Autumn and was almost never seen again! Came out with five books! And that was being hard on myself!
Then I found their music shop, which was equally dangerous. Won't tell you what I came out of that with!

Waves_and_Smiles

This is the plus side to being on so much medication Pyxis, almost no hallucinations. The voices are there but not often and I don't notice them as much. Unfortunately they will be back soon as we reduce the medication but it is the only option if I am to have a life.

My friend and her colleagues haven't decided how to distribute the 4 hours yet. They have a vague idea of having a group of core workers who agree to be on at set times to make sure each 24 hour period is covered and them the volunteers who will do short shifts by logging on for their 4 hours a week. Whether that is all at once or split up is still to be decided as is how much advance notice one has to give. Obviously, they don't want to be in the position where they have 20 people for one shift then only 2 for the next so they need to think on that.

Birdie85

It sounds like a great thing to do WaS, I think a supervisory role would be better for you as I do worry about you getting over-invested in callers. Definitely see what your psych says about it.

LOVE the sloth bag! Should be relatively easy to knock up, for a lot less than £250! I do have a thing for bags though and have a few designer ones, mainly bought from outlets in the US where they're a LOT cheaper than over here!

Wednesday Weigh In:
6lbs off!!! :j It's the final day of the work competition so I did 2 back to back fast days (which I don't like doing) and I was pretty good over the weekend considering it was Mother's Day which included a nice breakfast and a 2 course Sunday lunch with prosecco! I doubt this will all stay off, but I'm really pleased... and it looks like I'm in with a chance of winning a prize! Just waiting for everyone to weigh and the final results to come out!

Postive Things from last week:
1. I made this gorgeous recipe for Chicken and Ham pie again and it is so srummy with a side of green veg. Seriously, everyone should try it!
2. Had a lovely lunch with my boys on Sunday and Baby Bird was so good; he sat nicely on his chair (a grown up chair, not a high chair! *Sob*) and ate his lunch whilst people watching. I was really proud of him.
3. I dyed my hair after noticing some grey roots the other day! :eek: It was getting a bit toooooo red so went for a brown this time, and of course my hair was so red that the brown has barely covered it, but it looks nice enough!

Positive Steps for the week ahead:
1. Try another Hairy Dieters recipe.
2. Treat myself to a big slice of chocolate cake this afternoon!
3. Make a doctor's appointment for my dodgy knee. I always try to put up with things and wait for them to go away but I fell over a month ago and it's still sore so I need to put on my big girl pants and make the call!

tea_lover

For some reason Birdie I read that as hairy knee! Think I was getting confused with the Hairy Bikers... that teach me not to skim read!!

Aargh - scary work thing today and the universe has decided to throw in crippling period pain to add to the fun. Also have my brownie mentor coming this evening to see how I interact with the girls and check my planning so just 12 hours of being observed and judged today..... roll on bedtime...