@Daisydreamer
First thing you need to do is ask questions about what supports are available for you. I went through so many services and not one of them mentioned carer support. Not one. I had no idea there was help for me. So ask. And keep asking. If you are someone who has trouble advocating for yourself, please find someone to help you with this.
I am now a member of MIFWA (Mental Illness Fellowship WA) carer’s program, which runs some coffee mornings, carer workshops, occasional lunches and provides an annual respite opportunity.
I am also engaged with Carers WA, and there are workshops through them as well, and catch ups.
I work full time and also volunteer, so I don’t often get to do the face to face meet ups, but the newsletters, online chats and occasional workshops really make a difference to me.
AND both of these organisations give you a call every now and then just to check in. It’s lovely.
And lets not forget the SANE forums, which are so useful, not only at the time they are running, but the archives where you may find some useful information.
And the last thing I’ll say here, is find a way to have some respite – an hour, a day, a weekend – whatever you can fit in. We get so busy and say we can’t fit in self-care or respite, but I’m not saying add it as another thing ‘to do’. I’m saying drop something else of the list and take that time for you to recharge. That might mean getting your groceries delivered or picked up, asking friends and family to do a couple chores for you.
