People Reveal The One Situation Where They Felt Completely Helpless

Never Again....

Being robbed at gunpoint at work. Guy approached me outside as I was walking to my vehicle to go home. Held a gun to my head and then said if I wanted to make it home that I'd do what he asked. Had me turn around and walk back inside then had me take him to our petty cash then tied me up. Took me about 30 minutes before I felt like I could get up (I thought he was still in the building) then another 10 minutes to get myself loose. Definitely not a rollercoaster I want to ride again. delap87

The Back End....

Having severe sciatica. To the point where I had to use a cane and it was terribly difficult to cross my apartment. The pain would cause me start crying and I truly felt helpless. For reference, I'm a 23 year old male who also felt like my health was invincible. No history of back pain. Luckily things got markedly better, but for awhile there I didn't have much hope. JohnGalt1776

Mom....

When my dad called me at 1 a.m. and then just didn't say anything. I somehow knew that my mum had died. I mean, if she'd just been in hospital or something, he would've spoken up immediately. Instead he was just... silent. Because what was there left to say, really? So I had to ask him. And then he confirmed it, and asked me to go and tell my sister (who lived in the dorm room next to mine) .

I don't think I've ever felt more helpless than I did then. (My mum had not been ill beforehand. She'd just collapsed and died after having dinner with a friend.)

Ineedanaccountforthi

Leave the Bottle....

My parent was an alcoholic when I was a kid. I was the only one who seemed to know. I didn't have any other family I felt like I could tell, so I told my teacher at school. Cue my parent twisting things, calling me a liar, mentally ill, accused me of ruining their lives, etc. This when on for over a year. They made my life a living hell for telling someone. I felt like there was nothing that I could do but take it. Pruneyfingers

Bedside Manner....

The first time I had a patient die. There was nothing more we could do for him, so I just sat at his bedside till his daughter could come to the hospital. Morfa_

Travel Smart...

I was young and stupid on my first big vacation on my own in Turkey. I put my one and only debit card into a free standing ATM that was on a corner in a quiet part of the town I was visiting and nothing happened after it went into the machine. It just made a whirring sound and nothing changed on the display or anything. I felt waves of helplessness crash over me as I realized I now was in a strange far away country literally without money, what the hell do I even do, call my embassy or something? It's all going to be a huge nightmare.

I sat down on the curb by the ATM thinking about what to do and literally like ten minutes later my debit card was whirred out of the ATM again. Now I travel with several credit cards and only use my debit one at home, I also never use free standing ATMs, I try to find ones that are inside bank branches. Smegma_eyedrops

Life in Toronto....

My mom has Alzheimers and is slowly losing her mind. She knows something is wrong and gets scared and frustrated and angry (and abusive) sometimes, but doesn't realize that she's not capable of making decisions and doing all the things she used to. I'm trying to have her drivers license revoked, enact my power of attorney, take over all her affairs, and probably put her in a home.

Every step I take involves so many appointments with useless doctors, etc, and it's nearly impossible to get her to appointments. She has money to pay for care, but I can't access it, and she pissing it all away on scams that target the elderly and forgetful.

I took so many days off to bring her to medical appointments or deal with emergencies that I was fired from my last two jobs. The rest of my family criticizes and complains that I'm not doing a good enough job or moving swiftly enough but nobody helps me, and I live in a state of complete chaos where it's difficult to even make breakfast or take out the trash. If anyone knows a good therapist in Toronto. madeamashup

Blood is Never a good sign....

My mom had a manic episode on Valentine's Day, and cut a 1 inch by 3 inch hole in her arm. She went into psychiatric care, and my grandparents decided the stress was too much so they left town for vacation, leaving me with her piece of sh!T boyfriend. If I wanted to shower, I had to clean up her blood. There was no way he was going to do it. I was 14.

Finally, luckily, a friend's mother took me in until my grandparents got back. They fed me, let me sleep a ton and let me participate in all their wholesome family stuff. I don't think she could ever know the depths of my gratitude. An_Lacha_Bhacach

Too Soon....

Right now. A family member died last week from a genetic disease and the funeral is tomorrow. He had just turned 3.

My heart is breaking for his parents and words seem so shallow. I wish I could make it stop hurting for them. shakeybakeylady

Everybody Hurts....

One of my friends was very suicidal, everything in her life was going badly (familly, breakup, university stress and so on). She was admitted into the Hospital, but the hospital wouldn't release her unless they knew she wasn't going to be alone. I took time off work and spent a whole week with her. I really thought I was helping if even a little, but one night when we were in bed ready to go to sleep, she told me everything she was feeling. I was speechless, I was scared, at one point I was even convinced the ending her life was the right answer. I realized that I had no idea what to do.

I made sure she was eating, I tried to keep her distracted with random news or stories, etc. but after that night I felt helpless to help my friend, I felt like nothing I did actually helped and the week ended in a somber note, but I didn't leave her side until I knew she had someone else there with her.

We talked later, when she was feeling better, and she told me how much my being there helped and she apologized. Even though I felt like I did nothing, just being there helped even if slightly. Moral here, don't give up on your friends, even if you feel helpless. MessyDiddle

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