Take care of yourself!

Are you a carer without realizing it? Carers are people who provide practical and emotional support to persons with mental health problems. Most often they are the mother or sister or close relative of the sufferer. But a carer could also be a friend or a neighbour.

If you are providing help or support to a member of your family, a partner or a friend who is experiencing some form of mental distress, then you are a carer. You have an important role to play for this person, and you perhaps need support yourself.

In order to be effective in helping a person with mental distress, do not neglect your own health, specially if you have other family responsibilities or if you have to cope with this problem by yourself.

Often carers find it difficult to come to terms with the illness of their close relative. They may therefore find it even more difficult to face the community to explain the problem to others, as they feel that others will not understand. These carers thus become very isolated. Caring responsibilities in this situation often make carers unwell and over-stressed.

Even if you have a burden of responsibility, you owe it to yourself to have a healthy lifestyle and social interaction. It is easier to achieve this if you can enjoy the support of a professional team who can understand and listen to you. This where Friends in Hope can help, as it recognizes the important role of carers and their need for a support system.

Meetings are held regularly at Friends in Hope to discuss problems relatives and others encounter in their role as carers. Carers find that by interacting with others facing similar problems they feel less isolated and less worried about their situation. This in turn helps them to be more effective in their caring role.

If you want more detailed information on support services being offered by the association, please contact Friends in Hope by calling or emailing the Centre. The more people get involved, the easier it will be to organize support.

Phone Number : 5 924 7601

Email: [email protected]