Carers - what has worked for you?

Dear Carers,

I'm looking for some advice for ideas on how carers can find real help... What has worked for you?

I live with my husband who has a veering combination of anxiety, depression and bipolar, which is tough enough on it's own, but our 11 yr old daughter has anxiety and OCD as well. Both are on medication, are doing counselling & getting help, but as you know - it usually ends up being the carer/ family glue that is left to hold everything together, do all the normal full mental load of having a family while working as well as coping it on "bad days". Add in a very clingy 9yr old as well who needs learning support and my tank is getting extremely close to running on empty.

Trying to reach out for extra assistance has so far led to dead ends. My GP suggested counselling for myself (but honestly talking to a psychologist feels exhausting to be honest, I just don't have the energy) as well as 'taking a break'. I find 'taking a break' difficult as anytime I go away my daughter's OCD flares and she's on the phone to me panicking and in tears (I'm her safe person who seems to calm the ocd) and the guilt and fatigue just comes with me. It's also led me to start thinking, well what do I need?

So reaching out to all the carers out there for any advice on what has worked for you to help keep yourself going, to "fill the tank", so I can have a go at a few different things to see what works for me.

Thank you legends

Pip xx