"I love humanity; it's people I can't stand." - Linus van Pelt
First and foremost, I am a human being. I am one of those people in the Linus quote that I can't stand. For too long, I have defined myself by my work and now I'm reclaiming the rest of me that is pretty buried underneath. It's been a slow go, but I've made some movement with psychedelic therapy in the past while
So, on the professional side, I am a Registered Social Worker who has had a variety of roles over the years. I am one of those rare males in the profession. I have a BSW and an MSW. My professional interests are in mental health, psychotherapy and a growing interest in psychedelics.
On the personal side, I am an avid reader, I enjoy movies, baking, walking around town aimlessly and various spectator sports. We have a couple cats who we love and who cause endless mischief. Oh, and I love trying new restaurants and finding new items at my fave places.
Just to clarify the title of the blog, I'm not antisocial in the clinical sense, just in the wrong use of the definition sense. I don't commit any crimes or act particularly obnoxious, I simply shun the company of (most) others. I'm more asocial than antisocial, but it simply doesn't have the same ring to it. I used to fight against this, but after going through some fairly intense healing, have accepted who I am and this is a part of it!
In my previous lives, I have been unemployed, a cafe owner, a retail worker, a library shelver and a care worker for adults with developmental challenges. In my career as a social worker, I've worked in the realm of urgent response work, psychotherapy (group and individual), policy and standards, EHR implementation and more! This blog has morphed along the way from being very detached to now being more personal.
You can view my Blogger Profile HERE, if absolutely necessary.
An actual social worker hired by a library? Be still my heart. I'm glad to see that someone else thinks this kind of position should exist.
ReplyDeleteMy 'take' on your asocialness (and perhaps I say this because I have a similar take) is that we are searching for intimacy from our clients that for one reason or another (attachment issues?) we are unable to get from those around us.
ReplyDeleteIf this is a 'pathology', it's one that I believe many people in the helping professions share.
Thankyou!!!!
ReplyDeleteI googled anti-social social worker cos I've been wondering all day about whether to drop my social work studies cos I can't believe how horrible humans are ( I prefer my dog and my aloneness to being around people). I guess I want to do social work cos I got told I'd be good at it, help people through the Borderline Personality stuff the way I'm fighting it currently and to help them with addictions. I guess at the end of the day though I'll always be an outsider in the world, but at least I can still make some difference to someone elses life somewhere... :-D
Why did you enter the social work profession if you are asocial? Social work is for those who love being with people. You are like a fish in dry land if you are a social worker and you don't want to be around people. People who are energized with people are the ones fit for social work. It's true one might enter social work to solve his or her own personal problems but he or she definitely should have a developed or natural quality of liking people. People can sense when you do not like them and that's bad for a social worker.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the empathy, open mind and the advice, Anonymous! I must suck at what I do and not even know it. :p
ReplyDeleteNice blog...I too can be described as an 'asocial' social worker.
ReplyDeleteI'm a natural introvert and a psychologist in the heart. SW seemed like a better path towards what I ultimately wanted to accomplish.
Co-workers laugh at me though...I detest the label "social worker". I prefer the term 'artist', as I practice therapy on an inpatient psych unit.
I look forward to reading more...
Dave
I have to say that I have been enjoying the blog as I have been browsing. I am heading off to get my MSW this fall, and have been working in residential home care leading up to this decision. I am a bit of an introvert compared to some co workers but I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Not everybody likes the bubbly extrovert that loves everybody (That's for you Anonymous). I have seen bubbly extroverts reduce to rubble the hard work that has been done with some of the clients in the house. Anyway, enjoying the blog!
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmmm, ever wondered if your "antisocial" attitudes are just part of (the counselling end of) the profession of SW?
ReplyDeleteDoes the motor mechanic go home and build engines all night? Does the chef cook "fine dining" at home?
If people are your "business" maybe in your downtime, your private time, your me time, its good to not have so much to do with people. A solitary task like carpentry is a perfect liesure time activity. Just watch the fingers on the saw table! And has the added benefits of creating a physical product, you can see what you have made and whats more others can see it too.
Similarly, ifn you spend all day dealing with emotions, and having your own emotions "activated" by whatever tragedy has bought the client/customer/punter to your door/couch, then maybe you dont need to have your emotions activated by "drama" on TV or the movies.
Lots of old SWers dont watch much TV or go to the movies.
Din you get this kind of stuff in SW 101.
So, I found this today, and although you haven't posted recently, I just wanted you to know how much better I feel about knowing there is someone else in the Social Work world like me. I'm in an MSW program currently, and in my first practicum, and the anxiety of being thrown in to do sessions with the clients is literally killing me. I am not a people person, I am highly introverted, and I generally would prefer the company of myself over anyone else always. Thank you for sharing all of this. It's helped me a lot.
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