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Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember02 May 2019, 1:26 pm AEST

Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Taking on the role of caring for someone with mental health challenges is no easy feat, as mental health differs to physical health, sometimes it can take time to become aware that we are mental health carers in the first place. It can be very emotionally and physically demanding, as well as at times a rewarding experience. One of the really tricky elements of this task is understanding your identity as a carer, as well as supports that may be available to you.

Join us here on Tuesday the 21st of May as one of our Youth Peer Ambassador's (Carer) talks to the community about the challenges of defining our caring role, with a particular emphasis on young carer's. We welcome people from all walks of life to attend this event, and look forward to seeing you here 😄

Want to receive an email reminder on the night? Hit the 'Support' button below.

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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

outlanderSenior Contributor21 May 2019, 8:45 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

@Faith-and-Hope for young carers (and older carers too) they are basically the same which is the Carers allowance and carers payment through Centre link. I think you have to be 16 to get that payment though so im no sure whats offerred to those under 16..

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember21 May 2019, 8:45 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

On that note @outlander The next discussion point may be worth reflecting on

For our final discussion point of the evening!

It can be really challenging to share your experience with other people, and talk about your role as a carer. How might you discuss life as a carer with others and find support from those in your network as a carer?

@Faith-and-Hope @Tim_YPA @Tictac @Shaz51 @Appleblossom

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Tim_YPAContributor21 May 2019, 8:46 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

@outlander I get that, I actually can't remember very well a time before becoming a carer (thank trauma), but I think for me it was finding something I was passionate about and then finding little bits of time to work away at that passion. For me when I was younger it was fitness stuff, not its research stuff.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Tim_YPAContributor21 May 2019, 8:48 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

I don't think I told anyone about my carer situation for probably three years – because I just didn't know how to explain it. I really struggled to apply any sort of ‘framework' or ‘script' to my situation, so I had no idea how other people would understand it. This led me to compartmentalise my life so that I had ‘carer Tim', and then ‘work/school Tim'. This created many tensions, as there were times when I felt I wasn't being true or honest with my friends, especially when I couldn’t get to events because I had responsibilities at home. It also meant that I didn't seek out support services at work and school, because in those spaces, I kind of locked away my carer identity. When I got to uni, I started to more and more identify as a carer and tell people about it. I think part of it was being around a new group of people, but also realising that many people do know something about mental illness and can usually empathise with some of the challenges I was facing Another thing that helped was getting involved with my community, and hearing the diversity of experience people have. Being involved in SANE and many other organisations helped me learn how to tell my story in a way I felt comfortable.

(Miss Piggy speaking the TRUTH!)

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

outlanderSenior Contributor21 May 2019, 8:49 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Thank you for sharing @Tim_YPA
Yep the 'my normal' can be really hard to explain even though it might not be something we agree with or how we want things to be its how it is at least for now. Like you im often talking to a brick wall when it comes to others but thankfully there were some changes even though very small at one point that shows that things can change.
Stepping back can be hard hey..

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Tim_YPAContributor21 May 2019, 8:52 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

@outlander yes stepping back is sooooo hard. I remember chatting to someone in their 30's who is also a carer, who was saying they'd got to a place where they were able to step back, and not try and fix everything...at that time I could not even fathom that. I'm trying though because I know I'll burn out otherwise. But it's finding the time to step back that then won't create more stress worrying about it. I have a good friend who helps me think through these things and plan it out, which I find always helps.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Unknown userMember21 May 2019, 8:53 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

There can be a lot of early resistance in the desire to seek out support services both from the perspective of the carer & the person living with CMI. Did you notice a difference after engaging with the support services? @Tim_YPA

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Tim_YPAContributor21 May 2019, 8:55 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

@Former-Member honestly, my first time seeking out support when I first 'became' a carer, didn't go down well, because the counsellor just didn't get CMI. That put me off for ages. But, then I did some research and found a psychologist who was really on point with their CMI knowledge and was able to understand the challenges I was facing. Once I started seeing this person regularly it helped me find more 'me time' in the sometimes chaotic day-to-day of caring and life.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Faith-and-HopeSenior Contributor21 May 2019, 8:56 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Talking to others and getting help has been way difficult for us, partly because the behaviours involved, and the intensity of them (talking about husband here) have been beyond belief to health professionals, and I have been rebuffed, disbelieved, inappropriately redirected, etc ...... all this after telling the kids that there was help out there for us, and I would find it. I came to the point of recognising that my own health would crash if I didn’t disengage, and move into a role of damage control. That’s really where we have stayed, and we can’t do anything about hubby’s behaviours, so we stay out of the way of his daily regimen, waiting for it to show up medically somewhere. As individuals we visit our own counsellor’s for personal support. We are open with close friends, but there is a limit to how much can be said because it’s so overwhelming, even to listen to.

We hug a lot and have huggy friends, and we distract a lot.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

outlanderSenior Contributor21 May 2019, 8:57 pm AEST

Re: Topic Tuesday // Defining your role as a Carer // Tues 21st May, 7pm AEST

Actually @Former-Member there isnt many people who know about my carer roles besides here, immediate family and some health professionals but often people have assumed i dont even work and when i meantion it i always get the wide eyes and the oh! Reaction. I find most people are generally supportive of carers however it doesnt mean they are physically willing to help.

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