Mentally Exhausting

Originally Posted: Aug 8, 2008

All of those times Loren told me that working for REM was mentally draining -- I did not believe him. When you have a job that you spend most of your time watching TV or shopping or going out to restaurants (basically just watching, kinda-participating-in, normal life) you tend to not see the hard part that can come from working with the mentally disabled. However, after these past few weeks, my brain is fried from my less than (physically) demanding job. The trouble with this type of work situation is - it is unpredictable. The clients can be completely happy-go-lucky one day and completely physically aggressive and unresponsive the next day. Not that that aspect is not difficult enough to deal with -- but even worse than that -- is knowing how capable my particular clients are. I have discovered that I am basically there just to babysit. Maintain them. Not help them in any real way. The two guys I work with are smart, so much smarter than they are given credit for, and yet REM insists on treating them as children -- because their guardians treat them as children. The guys know this and use this to their advantage -- unbelievably manipulative, these two.

THAT is what frustrates me. I wouldn't mind the behaviors, the cursing, the derogatory remarks, the physical aggression, the refusal to work... IF I knew they could not help their behaviors. However, they can. They use these behaviors as leverage. As an attempt to gain something they want or as an attempt to get out of something they do not want.

And THAT is all too mentally exhausting. No wonder this company has an insane turn-over rate. We DSE's do no real good. I feel used and worthless with this job. I won't lie, there are definite perks to the job. In example, today: I took a short cat nap while I was working because my two clients were napping in their rooms, I was treated to a free delicious meal at Bob Evan's this afternoon, and I was able to chill out and watch multiple episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Definite perks.

But it is coming to the point where the stress and my inability to leave the work at work is outweighing all of the said perks.I cannot decide whether to stay or go. Frustrating.