Hello all carers ive been caring for around 7 years part time at 1st and full time for around 4 years i have been struggling with my mental health and wanted to join this group to see if it would help
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@The_rogue_prince….hi, welcome to the forum.
Thank you good to be here been struggling of late
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@The_rogue_prince…everyone is so supportive,
We’re all here if you need to talk.
Howdy @The_rogue_prince
Welcome to the forum, it’s great to see you
Sounds like you have had a long experience - we know all about that…
Have a look over the garden fence at our neighbourly chat aka Roll call: https://forum.carersuk.org/t/roll-call-september-2024/125628?u=victoria_1806
Feel free to share as little or as much as you want any time of day. We all have our unique situations, but some things are the same…
Do you have any support? Any family/neighbours/paid support to help you?
Could you share a little more about your situation - ONLY if you feel comfortable doing that.
I helped my Mum look after my Dad, then resigned from work and moved to help care for him full time until he passed in 2020. Mum was diagnosed with cancer before he passed
I journal a lot to stay sane, but I also need to walk/run/move to help my brain process things so I got a treadmill a long while ago …but Music and reading are important to me too. These are some of the ways I keep my brain going BUT from a therapeutic sense I try to ground my thinking with self compassion and meditation…trying to reframe things…but these may feel alien if you’re in stress or less experienced with it.
I hope you’ll join in the Roll Call discussion, and feel more connected with other carers like us. Often, it’s this connection that we need to feel less alone in everything.
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Hello @Victoria_1806
A bit more about my situation. I started caring for my father around 7 years ago when he fell and broke his hip part time at first in 2020 I started to claim carers allowance and dropped down to part time work unfortunately dad passed away around us 18 months ago I then began caring for mom she’s 91 she Haa heart problems. My sister helps out when she can.
@The_rogue_prince Thanks for sharing more about your situation. My condolences
perhaps connecting with other carers live could help? Care for a Cuppa | Carers UK
Or perhaps talking to someone could help
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/mental-health-helplines/
Something to ponder - after all the caregiving you did for your Dad and now your Mum, amidst all that is grief. Often carer grief is mixed, complicated and compounded by immediate pressures. https://www.cruse.org.uk/
Cruse has been recommended many times for their compassion and expertise.
I hope something there can help, or just keep chatting here or on roll call - we’re here when you need to share
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