Topic Tuesday // Staying safe while supporting others // April 18, 7pm AEST

I'm with @BlueBay {waves to BlueBay} - getting triggered is the biggest challenge for me.

Exhaustion. Isoaltion- particularly when you're supporting someone who is going through uncommon experiences. Breaching confidence.

Yes @Odette, @NikNik

sometimes I will write something and if i don`t get a reply back I start to feel i have said the wrong thing

@NikNik sometimes I think that I worry and think of that person I want to help so much that it takes up a lot of my time. Not that I don't want to help, don't get me wrong, I always do. But then I think about them all the time and wonder how they are; if they are okay, if they are alone. I wish I could do more.

But at the end of the day - we (I) need to look after ourselves first and foremost. We can't help others if we are not okay. I feel that would do more harm. That's why sometimes I have a little break from the forum.

You will often hear professionals and probably others in your life bang on about self care. I use to have the misconception that self-care was something I did when I felt myself going downhill – but what I’ve since learnt is that self-care is also a preventative and should be integrated into your life.

I kind of imagine the different aspects of my life, each as a glass of water and I need to keep an eye on when water is getting low in one and top it up.

As someone who provides peer support, self-care is important to you too.

Does anyone want to share what benefits they have seen by integrating self-care into their lives?

How do you do it?

(& don't worry if you can't answer this just now, we will be looking at this in more depth soon!)

@Shaz51 @NikNik

I'm the same - if I don't get a reply back i think I have upset that person or said something wrong. It's that BPD - not wanting to hurt others; people pleaser