You may feel overwhelmed. It's normal.
‘The worst is when you feel like you're the only one going through this. It's you against the world. You can feel like you always have to be on top of everything. But it’s allowed to be hard.’
Remember there is support out there.
‘Remember that there's people you can talk to. There's support you can access. And there are other young carers out there who face this stuff too.’
And know you are still important.
‘You deserve to live a healthy and happy life. You don't need to feel guilty about every now and again taking time to look after yourself.’
Start by trying to take time for you.
'We can feel like it's impossible to think about ourselves. But it's so important to make sure we do. Because if we're falling apart at the seams, it's so much harder to care for someone.’
Find out how others relax.
‘Playing with my two dogs. They’re my major stress relievers, my two pups. Couldn’t live without them.’
‘Recently got an Xbox, so I play some games with my friends.’
‘I only read Medieval Fantasies. It’s a completely different world and I get very involved in it. I can read a book and not know what’s happening in the world around me.’
‘I go along to the young carer meetings when that's on. It's a good chance to unwind and get away from the house.’