Caring for or supporting someone who experiences mental health difficulties

Do you care for or support someone who experiences difficulties with their mental health?

Caring for or supporting someone who experiences difficulties with their mental health can be rewarding but it can also be particularly challenging. Because these ‘difficulties’ are not ‘seen’ and support can often be more emotional, than helping with practical or physical tasks that are often associated with other caring roles, many people don’t see themselves as carers.

And, whilst things are improving, there is still some stigma associated with poor mental health and this may affect an individual’s willingness to identify themselves as a mental health family carer, not just for themselves but in trying to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the person they are caring for or supporting.

What do we mean by 'difficulties' with their mental health?

It’s estimated that 1.5 million people care for someone with mental ill health in the UK. Mental ill health refers to conditions that have a negative effect on the way someone thinks, feels, and acts. This covers a range of problems and conditions, including:

Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Bulimia and Anorexia
Depression
Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD)
Personality disorder
Phobias
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Psychosis
Schizophrenia

However, individuals who experience difficulties with their mental health are just that- individual! So, in order to access our service the person that you care for or support does not need to have a diagnosis or be receiving treatment, we are most interested in working with you to manage the impact that this might be having on you and potentially wider family or friendship networks.

Our service is funded for those over 18 caring for someone over the age of 18, whilst the person does not need to live with you, one or both of you does need to live in Suffolk or be registered with a Suffolk GP practice.

Need urgent support?

We do not provide mental health crisis support. If you, or someone you know, is in crisis then
please contact an emergency contact.

‍If you or someone else is at risk of serious injury or death dial 999
and ask for an ambulance and/or police.‍

How can we help you?

Our mental health family carer advisers offer an information, advice, guidance and support service, they can work with you on an individual basis to listen and talk through your concerns. Together you can make a focussed plan on what matters to you and what might help you in your caring role.

Whilst everyone is individual, some of the aspects might be:

SAGES

We are part of the Suffolk, Advice, Guidance and Emotional Support (SAGES) partnership. This partnership is made up of Suffolk Communities Libraries, Suffolk MIND, and Suffolk Family Carers.

The partnership has been funded to provide information, advice, guidance and emotional support to people living in Suffolk. Each partner is responsible for delivering its own core part of the service and is dedicated to working together as a partnership and also with many other organisations, to create better access to information and support for wellbeing.

Suffolk Communities Libraries will increase access to information and signposting across the county, using its buildings, staff and resources; this will include increasing access to books on wellbeing topics, large print and audio books, as well as it’s display areas.

Open Space is a number of drop-in health and wellbeing groups across Suffolk, which are run by trained staff and supported with volunteers.

It has been developed with the involvement of participants and provides social activities and mental health and wellbeing related discussions. There’s no need to sign-up, simply drop in to your nearest Open Space when you want to. Everyone is welcome!

Open Space is run in partnership between Suffolk Communities Libraries, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Julian Support and Suffolk Mind.

Suffolk Family Carers have two dedicated Advisers, who cover the county and are responsible for signposting carers and providing 1:1 advice and emotional support.

They also support the development and facilitation of Making Time Family Carers Peer Support Group.

Wellbeing Suffolk

Wellbeing Suffolk offer help and support to improve wellbeing and manage stress, low mood and anxiety. They aim to reduce the onset of mental ill health, prevent deterioration and promote recovery by offering a range of flexible services tailored to meet your specific needs.

In Suffolk, Wellbeing is provided by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust working in partnership with a number of organisations.

Their services, provided in community settings throughout the region, include a wide range of workshops and courses, talking therapies, including counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy. Alongside this, we also offer community events, peer support work and employment advice.

As part of the partnership we provide information, advice and guidance to help family carers of all ages get the support they need to live fuller lives. Through Wellbeing Suffolk, we will offer workshops to help family carers build confidence and self-esteem.

Events, Workshops and Peer Support

Making Time… Peer Support Group

Join our monthly peer support group for those supporting someone with mental health difficulties.

This is a warm, friendly and welcoming group, there is no expectation to share details of your caring role, if you prefer not to. So, if you are a family carer and want to meet others who may be in a similar caring role, then why not come along?

We meet on the last Wednesday of the month from 1.00-2.30pm @ The View, Suffolk Family Carers, Claydon

Our Workshops

We provide a range of FREE online and face to face workshops. These are available to all of our registered family carers, aged eighteen or over (to register please complete our registration form).

If you are unable to find availability for a workshop you would like to attend, feel there may be barriers or challenges that make it difficult for you to attend, or have suggestions for additional topics to help you in your caring role please contact us.

To keep up to date with all our workshops and be one of the first to hear about them please subscribe to our Workshops Newsletter.

Be Well Bus

The Be Well Bus is a mobile one-stop shop for health and wellbeing support in Ipswich and East Suffolk. Anyone is welcome to visit the Bus and you do not need an appointment – simply turn up at the advertised time.

On-board, you will find a knowledgeable team made up of people from lots of different health, care and community organisations. Depending on your needs, our crew will either offer you help and advice there and then or direct you to an organisation best-placed to help.

To find out where the Bus will be you can see the full timetable here. You can visit our calendar of events to see when Suffolk Family Carers are onboard

Self Help Guides

A range of self-help guides are available to download in several formats, with information on abuse, alcohol, anxiety, bereavement, controlling anger, depression, domestic violence, eating disorders, hearing voices, obsessions and compulsions, panic, post traumatic stress, postnatal depression, self-harm, shyness, social anxiety, sleeping and more.

Some of the challenges that mental health family carers face, is when the person they care for or support will not ask for, or accept help. MIND has helpful guidance on what to do in this situation.

Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust has a range of resources related to family carers in addition, they also have some information related to suicide awareness and prevention – including information on how to access the Stepping Back Safely workshops for carers.