It’s Time to Talk

Time to Talk Day (6 February) raises the awareness of the importance of talking and encouraging everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.

Mental health problems affect one in four of us, caring for a relative or friend can be emotionally demanding so it’s important to look after your own mental wellbeing. According to the Office of National Statistics, if you are a sandwich carer (two people are dependent on your for their care), you are more likely to report symptoms of mental ill-health, feel less satisfied with life, and struggle financially compared with the general population.

Talking about your feelings can be a great way of getting a load off your mind but many people find this difficult and feel vulnerable opening up. Bottling things up and ignoring difficult emotions can feel safer, but the truth is that this can be damaging for you. Read our advice about the importance of talking. A great place to share your feelings is at one of our support groups. Peer to peer support is often far more valuable to Carers than professional support, read what our Carers have to say:

“I was a bit isolated I must admit, all these things that I wasn’t ready to share, I started talking about it to the group and I started feeling at ease and comfortable about it.” Neelofar

 

“I found Carer support meetings helpful. I always thought that the kind of thing you see on American TV programmes where people talk about their feelings wasn’t for me, but I gave it a go and I have found it very helpful.” Graham

“My suggestion is get out there and share with other people, you’ll realise you’re not on your own, they give you support and you give them support.” David

 

Download a list of Carer support groups or search on the Events and Groups section of our website to find your nearest support group.