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From kristeffor: I’m a certified Recovery Support Specialist who works at an outpatient Addition and Mental Health clinic. At times I find it difficult to sleep at night due to some of the heartbreaking issues I support people through. Any wisdom would be appreciated! 
Wow thank you for the work you do. Genuinely, it’s so so amazing and I just want to celebrate how much you help others!
Sometimes spending so much time helping others really drains us emotionally and mentally. There is no shame in that. Even with general friendships, there are days where you need to say “hey I love you, but I need a break from mental health issues”. I know you can’t exactly say that to people you work with, but what does your support look like? Are there people or professionals in your life that also help you and listen to you? My friend works in mental health and she will request days off for mental health leave, she sees a professional about anxiety from work.
There really is no shame to be had. When you’re strong for others, you also need to rely on others to be strong for you.
Hi Friend, As @ManekiNeko has said “Thank you for the work you do” It is indeed a wonderful gift to be able to reach out to others in times of crisis but for sure it can take a lot out of you and stay with you for long periods of time.
ManekiNeko has asked you about your support, I am going to ask if I may about your routine at the end of the day or at the end of a long shift? do you have an unwind routine for example? I think it could be very useful to you get some of the day out of your so that you could at least get some sleep. I have found a site that could help with making an unwind routine for you that you could try when you get home and see if that is something that could work for you. Taking care of yourself is so incredibly important.
Again Thank you for being an awesome human being and hopefully soon you will be a much more chilled out awesome human being. Much Love Lisa. x
@heartsupport Lisalovesfeathers: I can’t tell you how much your kind words mean to me. I’m the role of the caregiver, but don’t often allow myself to be cared for. I think that is linked to your question re: what my routine looks like after work. I find myself as a caregiver/support giver in my “fee time” also. Thank you so much for the link and I will ABSOLUTELY be utilizing this resource!
@heartsupport ManekiNeko: Thanks for the validation and encouraging words. I think you’re on to something with the shame piece. I have high expectations of myself and will take your advice and will look for ways to take a step back. Thanks for your support!
Thank you for what you do and for caring the way you do. Not everyone is willing to support others in their recovery, and not everyone is willing to put their heart into their work. Although your empathy is without a doubt a huge blessing, it makes it also challenging to separate at times your personal life and needs from what you hear at work. It makes completely sense, and it is definitely something that “first line” workers struggle with at times. Personally, something that I like to remind myself is that people I serve deserve to be supported by someone who is at their best - and acknowledging when I’m not, when things are affecting me too much and when I need time for myself, is part of that process. Journaling as well as having spaces and people I can talk to is essential - whether it’s friends and/or a therapist. When you can be honest somewhere about how you feel, when you have a place where you can share what’s on your heart without the pressure of needing to keep up appearances for the sake of others - it truly helps. If you can have this with your coworkers, that’s even better as they may understand what you’re experiencing. If you need that space outside of work, that is completely okay too. Many therapists for example are trained to support care workers and understand the risk of burnout that is present in our professions. All in all, make sure to not stay alone or to build up those emotions just on your own. Helpers need help, and acknowleding it is one of the best ways to keep doing what you like and to practice setting the boundaries that you need. You will never be selfish for taking care of yourself at the same time as you take care of others. Self-care is, in itself, an act of love as you will feel more at peace and more inclined to help others too. Much love to you. <3