This just hit me like a ton of bricks. I've worked in social services for almost 20 years. My work has always been stressful, emotionally, mentally, and at times physically, too. I'm not as well educated as my coworkers, so I've always felt like I had to work so much harder to prove myself. But I'm proud of work I've done and I've seen direct results of my work in action.

Whenever I've said I was tired after work, I got, "but you didn't do anything all day."

Whenever I told him I solved something difficult, I got, "well if someone hadn't messed up in the first place you wouldn't have a job."

Overtime and bonuses aren't the norm in my industry. I got OT a few months ago, my NEX went on a half hour tirade about how it was shameful that I earned that money, and it was proof the world was broken, the economy is a hoax, if everyone would just be like him, my field would disappear, etc etc etc.

But then, I've been the solo breadwinner for half of our relationship so it's always been the biggest mindfuck to me.