Hi Sam im a young carer and i have been getting very stressed and i at home i live with my mum and grandma. When i get back from school my mum is at home not feeling very good and i find out my grandma is out. Because my grandma is very slow it takes her about three hours to get home and when im not with her i start getting very stressed thinking that something bad has happened.Also i worry when my grandma is because im at home with my mum i start panicking that i have to phone for an ambulance with out my grandma there to help me. What should i do to keep my self calm and not get really panicked?
Sam
Hi there,
Being a carer for someone else is a lot of responsibility and can be stressful. When caring for another person it’s important to take extra care of yourself. If you feel like you’re struggling then you should ask for help. You don’t have to do everything on your own.
A young carer is someone who looks after another person, like a family member who can’t look after themselves. This can include everyday things like cooking and cleaning or even taking care of younger siblings. A young carer may be looking after someone in the family with mental health issues and can be really difficult at times.
It can be hard to manage school work, find time to spend with friends and take time out for yourself and sometimes it might feel really stressful. You might be worried about lots of different things, like how well the person you’re caring for is. You might feel you don’t have any other choices around what you do and you may feel you’re not in control of your life. This can make you feel lonely and isolated.
It’s okay to feel nervous about what to do if you have to call an ambulance. Nobody wants to be in a situation where they have to do that for someone they care about. One idea might be to get used to talking about your mum’s health on the phone. You can do that by talking to Childline on the phone. It’s free to call us on 0800 1111 and our counsellors can help to practice what to say and how to say it.
Being a young carer can take up a lot of your time and it’s important that you feel you have the support you deserve. There are lots of different groups, clubs and projects just for young carers that could give you some time off from caring and give you the chance to meet people in a similar situation to you and who may know what it’s like to be a young carer.
You don’t have to cope all on your own. The Young Carers Trust help a lot of young people who are caring for others. And you can always speak to a Childline counsellor for support any time.
I hope this helps, take care.
Sam
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