Looking after someone can be emotionally draining. It can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed. It can also mean that you have no time for a life of your own, no time to meet up with friends and talk about your worries, and that you become lonely and isolated.
Sometimes you can find yourself getting angry and resentful towards the person you are looking after because of the demands they have to place on you. This is a natural perfectly natural way to feel, but it is not healthy, either for you or the person you look after.
And in some cases it can lead to carers experiencing mental health problems.
It may be that you prefer to carry on with your caring role alone, and that you don't want to accept practical help from others, but it will still help you to talk about your feelings with others, especially people who will have had similar experiences to you and will know just how you feel.
There are plenty of people out there who can listen and advise.
Your local Psychological or Talking Therapies service offers counselling and other therapies for people who are experiencing stress, anxiety or depression. You can refer yourself direct to them.
Details for your local Therapies services are:-
Looking after someone with dementia can be especially stressful - the demands your time can be great, and you may be watching someone whom you have known and loved for years change before your eyes, and become a very different person to the one you knew.
There is now a wide range of technology available which can help to greatly reduce the stress of looking after someone with dementia - go to our page on Gadgets To Help You Stay Safe to find out more.
The Admiral Nurses provide information, practical advice and emotional support for people living in Kensington and Chelsea or Westminster who care for a relative or friend who has dementia.
Carers Network is the main organisation in Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster providing telephone, one to one and group support, grants and breaks. They also offer home visits.
Tel: 020 8960 3033
Email: carers@carers-network.org.uk
Address: Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, London, W10 4JL
Our Support and Advice for Carers pages includes details of a variety of support groups and other organisations where you can share your experiences with other carers :
Carers UK is a charity set up to help the millions of people who look after an older, disabled or seriously ill family member or friend.
They provide specific advice on Getting enough sleep, Coping with stress and depression, and Coping with resentment and guilt.
The Carers Trust offer advice to carers on taking care of yourself, and on getting the most from your counsellor.
WPF Therapy offers help if you want to talk in confidence about emotional or relationship problems with a counsellor. Concessions are available.
Tel: 020 7378 2000
Email: reception@wpf.org.uk
The Samaritans run a 24-hour helpline where you can talk in confidence about your feelings.
Tel: FREECALL 116 123