Two social work questions - (details inside)

I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of pursuing social work as a career. I love the idea of helping people and think it would be very rewarding. However, I’m bipolar and many people have tried to dissuade me from going down that path.

So, question one: is it a mistake to pursue a field that can (potentially) be damaging to my own personal stability? (Personally, I think it would give me a good perspective and maybe I can empathize with my clients better than someone who only knows mental illness from a textbook.) But, I am concerned about potential “burn-out.”

Question two: Can I live off of the salary I’d get as a social worker? I’m not talking about a luxurious lifestyle, but enough so I can move out of my parent’s basement and carve out a life for myself?

I’m putting this in social, because I think it would be a good discussion, but if you’re a social-worker you get bonus points!