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Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Hi Julia,

I'm a client at my local headspace centre and use eheadspace a lot too. My question is how can I find time to even support myself when I'm the sole carer of a terminally ill parent? The needs are demanding and I did a lot of hospital and home care paperwork while completing my studies. So it's hard to find time to do any self care

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Hi @Former-Member , Julia @eheadspace , and everyone taking part in Topic Tuesday tonight! 

Really looking forward to the discussion. 

I'm well over 30, and have been living with anxiety and depression for years, and currently I'm supporting a friend who also lives with anxiety and depression and is dealing with a lot of loss this year.

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Through my work at eheadspace I have chatted to young people who because of their own lived experience with mental illness present with lots of compassion and care for their loved ones who are going through a difficult time with their own mental health. I have admired their willingness and dedication to supporting others whilst also maintaining their own recovery.

 

Young people often reach out to eheadspace for support because they are worried about a friend who isnt doing so well.  Their friend may be self harming or having thoughts of suicide, but they dont want their friend telling anyone. So the young person is left balancing their worry for their friend as well concerns about breaching their trust, this can take a toll of their own wellbeing and recovery. We work with young people to strike that balance between the needs of their friend and their own needs.

 

In this type of situation I try to support the young people to attend to their own self care, to identify the signs of when our tank is running on empty and how we fill that up. Importantly we talk about sharing the load so having a think about who in your life you can talk to about your friend..working out together what might be a way forward to get the friend the support they need to free up some space for your own self care.

 

Personally being in the mental health profession, I have to continually monitor my own stress levels because its super important for me to be healthy so I can have enough energy in my tank to support others who are going through hard times. When I start to feel exhausted and it gets hard to get up for work, then I know it might be time for me to take a break which may include taking annual leave or a mental health day and doing something nice for myself.

 

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

I found it...

I'm here!

Even though no reminder (notification) came through.

Adge

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Hi @Former-Member @eheadspace  i find it difficult to look after myself when I’m in here because I want to help others. Self care isn’t happening. 

 

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Welcome @greenspace  @Adge  🙂 Thanks heaps for joining.

 

@BlueBay  It can be a tricky balance, our own lived experience drives a desire to support others but also in turn can most certainly churn up some of our own internal afflictions. We will be discussing this further soon Heart

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

I think I didn’t answer the question right. Delete if you need to. I got it wrong @Former-Member 

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Hello @eheadspace , @Former-Member 

@BlueBay, @Adge , @greenspace 

i help others before helping myself x

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

I thought it was stellar 🙂 @BlueBay 

Re: Topic Tuesday // How to support yourself while supporting others // Tues 18 June, 7pm AEST

Nice @Shaz51 ! Can't run off an empty tank 🙂 Thank you for sharing as always.

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