Welcome to the Friends, Family and Carers Forum! Introduce yourself here 🙂

[Shaz51]

Hello @Shaggy , @metamorphosis , @EA747 how are you today and how are you finding the forum 

Any questions please ask as you are not alone 

[Appleby]

Hii new addition to this space.  My daughter was diagnosed with psychosis in 2014 and last two years her schizophrenia is playing up a lot. She’s 27 years old and also has moderate intellectual disability which makes it more challenging for her to practice any coping strategies. We recently went through a change of meds. She’s desperate for the hallucinations to go away.   It’s extremely difficult to see her struggle. 

[Indigomoon]

Hello, I’m a Newbie here! 😊 I’m the youngest of 4 in my family and I have two adult siblings (brother and a sister) with complex mental health issues. My mother is in her late 70s and has a lot physical issues with her health. My mother and brother and sister with health issues, all live together. My brother is currently going through a period of not being well and we are trying to navigate the path to getting him some help. It feels like there’s a drama on a daily and I’m finding it rather challenging. 🙏

[Cjrobbo13]

Howdy! I'm a 53 yo Carer of an 18yo with multiple mental health issues. Looking to chat with other Carers and share experiences and seek advice. It’s a windy journey! ☮️

[hanami]

Hi there @Appleby 

Welcome to the forums! It sounds like a tough situation to be in with your daughter and her disability making coping strategies more difficult. Have you had a look at the Carer's Gateway website. They offer amazing support to carers and could be helpful for you. One Door is a good resource for information and support about schizophrenia that may be able to offer you support with strategies to support your daughter.  Keep reaching out and again, welcome!

Hugs,

Hanami 💮

[hanami]

Hey @Cjrobbo13 

Welcome to the forums, it's so wonderful that you've found us! I hope you find lots of support and friendship here from like-minded people. 

Have you seen Carer's Gateway for support for carers? It's a great resource!

Does your daughter have a good treating team and mental health care plan?

There are some great social spaces here to connect with people, I'll link here. 

Welcome again,

Hugs, 

Hanami 💮

[hanami]

Hi @Indigomoon 

Welcome to the forums! I first want to acknowledge what a caring sibling you are. It sounds like such a complex situation. I once worked with a family of three siblings who all lived together and had mental health issues and two of them had mild intellectual disabilities too. They also went through a few stages where there were challenges on a daily basis. 

I feel that your siblings and mothers could really benefit from a multidisciplinary care team that you would find in a community mental health service. Do they live in an area where there is a public mental health service like this? A GP would need to refer them but they would get care from mental health nurses (which can address and monitor physical health issues too), a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, and occupational therapist to ensure the house is set up well for their needs. The team would make regular visits to your family and monitor their situation for as long as necessary to put all the adequate supports in place (even if it's long term, ongoing)

I'll put a link here  to a range of services you can look into including community mental health services. Would love to hear what you think of this suggestion and looking forward to hear what others might offer.

Keep reaching out and let us know how you're going,

Hugs

Hanami 💮

[Cjrobbo13]

Im reaching out for Carer supper for myself in Cairns ✌️

[tired_sisyphus]

Hi everyone, I discovered this forum about 4 months ago. Lurked a bit and now I think it's the right time to come say hi.

I look after my wife who has complex trauma, long-term depression and anxiety.

For years I've battled alone, supporting whenever I can, but without a good mindset. My support had been ineffective. This year (after an unfortunate hospital visit) I joined a few support groups which had been invaluable teaching me the importance and know-how to look after myself.

We're about to face some emotional challenges relating to a very beloved pet. I might put it in another section, but I want to preempt the need for support.

Thanks everyone and look forward to contributing.

[tyme]

Welcome @tired_sisyphus ,

Thank you dearly for trusting us enough to reach out to us. It means so much to our tight-knit community.

Being a carer can sometimes be very isolating. I am glad you have learnt that self-care is of utmost importance. Carers sometimes think they are selfish if they apply self-care. However, if you are not well, no one will be able to care for your dear one.

I'll introduce you to a few people by tagging them @Shaz51 @Determined @Anastasia @maddison 

You are also welcome to have a read through JOIN US: Wednesdays’ Well of Wellness – Wellness Tips for Carers! 

Looking forward to seeing you around on the forums!

tyme