Helpless

The people I work with have a hard life. Most of the time their diagnosis is not the beginning of their difficulties but rather just one more way to kick them to the ground. Most of the time their family sucks, their friends are in just as rough of a position.. if they have any friends, they often use drugs to numb the pain, and run back to abusive relationships because its the only semblance of love and care they have. I sit there so often while they are talking to my supervisor thinking about how this could be just like anyone I know and love. The people sitting in front of me aren't awful despicable people. They are people who have made some mistakes but also have got the short end of the stick their whole lives. I sit there and see them and think "that could have been my dad" "that could have been my mom" "what if something happens and my brother ends up like this" "wow this is what it must have been like for my uncle" but I can't think that for too long because the longer I think about it the more real it becomes because the people I see are brothers, sisters, moms, dads, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, uncles, aunts, and friends. These people lives exist outside of the office and I can't stop their hurts and pains, I can't pull them out of abusive relationships, I can't make them stop using... half the time I wouldn't blame them for starting to use. I feel so helpless. I am not quite sure why I chose a career that makes me feel the one feeling I hate the most. Helpless.