Topic Tuesday// Minds Together: Helping Family and Friends // Tuesday 30th May 2023 5:30-7PM AEST

Hey everyone!

The discussion will be kicking off in 10-15 minutes on this thread! To come along please refresh this page at 5:30pm and join the conversation.

In this discussion we will be talking about:

• Communication with the person you support about what they are experiencing, and what you are experiencing as their carer
• Support for depression and anxiety that is available for carers to access that might be helpful for the person they are caring for
• Looking after yourself as a carer, and how to maintain a healthy and happy life

We can’t wait to see you there at 5:30pm! 😊

Tagging those that have interacted with the post/ or that are online right now and might like to join the discussion: @Shaz51 @J18 @Ah_fah @kendoll @Sunder @Former-Member @Former-Member @Oaktree @StanD @StuF @outlander @Former-Member @Boa @Bow @Elizabeth11 @Former-Member @Tehla @The-red-centaur @creative_writer

Welcome to everyone joining us or reading along tonight! Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the various different lands across Australia that we are joining this discussion from tonight. We pay respect to the elders of those communities (past and present) and further extend that respect to any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people with us tonight or reading back through the thread.

Tonight, we are joined with Program Manager and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Sally Fitzpatrick from Everymind, to talk about support loved ones with anxiety, depression or suicidal distress and delve into communication, relationships, and looking after yourself throughout this process.

To get us started, I invite Sally to introduce herself to the forum's community. We would also love to hear from members of the community joining us tonight about what has brought you here tonight, and what you’re hoping to get out of the discussion. Everyone is welcome here & thank you for joining us! 😊

Hello @amber22 , @TideisTurning , @Sally_Everymind🙂

Hi There @Shaz51 😊

Thank you for inviting me to tonight’s Topic Tuesday, it is great to be here. My name is Dr Sally Fitzpatrick, and I work as a Program Manager at Everymind, and I am also a clinical psychologist. At Everymind, we have been delivering best-practice mental health and suicide prevention programs for more than 30 years. At Everymind we have a focus on transforming the supports available to families, friends and caregivers across Australia. One of our Family and Caregiver programs is called Minds Together (mindstogether.org.au), which is a suite of programs that focus on family and friends who provide support and care to someone experiencing mental health concerns or suicidal distress.

We understand how hard it can be sometimes to juggle everything when you are supporting someone else, and I’m really looking forward to the discussions we can have tonight about how that support journey looks for you, and talk about things that might help.

@Determined , @Smc , @ClockFace , @Krishna , @Faith-and-Hope

Let's get started with our first question...

For the community and our guest:

What might taking on a caring role look like in different contexts? How might taking on this role change things?

@Sally_Everymind

What might taking on a caring role look like in different contexts? How might taking on this role change things?

We know that most family and friends don’t like to be called “carers”. They see themselves as a wife, husband, partner, mother, sibling, friend or work colleague.

Every situation of providing support to someone is different. You might provide 24-hour physical care and support to someone, practical care such as preparing means of helping with the kids, and you might also provide more emotional support for the person. The types of support you provide will also likely change over time.

Family and friends tell us that taking on a caring role makes them feel needed, useful, and good about themselves. However, sometimes it might be hard to focus on the positives and successes when things are hard for either of you. Everyone’s experience is different, and many people experience these fluctuations. Sometimes carers may not be fully prepared for the changes in their relationship that occurs when they are supporting someone through mental health problems or suicidal distress. Navigating these changes, especially when you are not sure what to do or say, can be very confusing or even distressing sometimes.

Very true @Sally_Everymind , my husband says all the time he does not need a carer

I became mum's carer for 3 years before the doctor put her in permanent residential age care as she needed more assistance

Thanks @Shaz51 - you're absolutely right. It can be hard to negotiate that carer role. Sometimes you feel like you're in the role and other times you feel like you're on the outside.