I want to make a difference...

Okay, so here's the thing.

I really like to help people. It seems like I'm always someone who will notice someone who seems down or like they need someone to talk to and I will be their shoulder to cry on.

My sister recently told me about a woman had a baby, and just seven days later, she had a massive stroke and she is now paralyzed on one side of her body and cannot talk. Although she still has her mind, she is basically starting from scratch. Her husband had to quit his job and move in with his parents who help raise the baby. My community recently did a fund raiser for the family and raised over 5000 dollars. I thought the story was so heartbreaking and I really wished that I could have been involved (I recently moved away from that town and didn't even know it happened until after it was over)

She also told me about a man who works in the oilfield who died. It is a regular thing for some men who work with my brother in law in the oilfield to go grab a few drinks at the bar afterward. (upsets me greatly to hear this) and then feel okay to drive home later. The man who died drove home after drinking and he had a wife and three kids under the age of six at home.. my brother in law had to go to the wife and tell her about this. I could not even imagine!

Anyways, the point of all this is that, in both situations, I just wanted to help. I want to do something. I was the secretary of a program against destructive decisions in high school and so things like alcoholism, drugs, drinking and driving, have always been a soft spot for me.

Here's why I'm concerned I can't help. I'm a very sensitive and emotional person. I like to help people and listen to their problems, but I often find myself bringing the problems home with me and they upset me when I'm alone to think about them. This is why I gave up on the idea of becoming a counsellor although I think part of me would love it, I know I'm just too compassionate and sensitive. There have been instances in the past where I have become way too easily affected by someone elses problems.

Is there any way I can help or get involved with things without having to bring the issues home with me? Or am I just doomed?

I have pretty decent artistic skills, and I am going to school for design, so one day I want to help others out in someway using my artistic and listening skills. I just want to make a difference in people's lives without having it affect me too greatly. I know it will in some ways, obviously, but I am definitely more sensitive than the average person.

I really want to help but I feel like I'm held back by myself.

There are plenty of ways to help people without dealing with them directly. All nonprofits require a lot of work in order to run properly. I work in fundraising for a nonprofit, so while I'm not directly working with our constituents, I am raising money to keep our doors open and continue to offer high-quality programs for them. Many larger nonprofits also have marketing and finance departments that you could work in.

well you could always help just simply by giving support to people when i was in the hospital they thought i was going to die and my daughter just died the children in my moms sunday school class made me a bunch of cards with pictures and what little they knew how to write was on them and it broke me down but it helped me get through mabye you could be a sunday school teacher i think that would be very helpful but the childrens smiling faces would keep u happy i still have those cards to this day

I agree with what aneffigy123 suggested - lots of charities and organisations require, like any other business, people to work behind the scenes, making sure things run smoothly. Perhaps you could try to get involved in a department that won't have you dealing directly with people, but will still help the organisation.

On the other hand, you could try over-exposing yourself, try and get desensitised a little so that it doesn't affect you as much. I don't know if it would work but perhaps if you were constantly in a situation where you have to acknowledge and deal with horrible outcomes, you might become less upset simply because it becomes less shocking to you.