Welcome to another blog post from mental health carer Matthew McKenzie. This time I thought I would blog about something most carers find useful, but is actually quite hard to provide. Before I continue, I would just like to mention that a carer is someone who cares for a person suffering ill health, but an important point is that carers are unpaid. Carers tend to fall on difficult times due to the stress placed on health services, cuts on other services, plus misunderstandings by those who have not encountered carers.
Category Archives: Thoughts about Caring
Being there for the family
It has been a while since my last blog post. Usually I review psychiatry or psychology lectures, but I thought to go back into writing more about carers. This time I think I shall blog about why people want to be there for others, especially those that are close to them.
The role of a carer unfortunately is not an easy task or one that people are often ready for. Who is to say when the next person is to be struck down by a physical or mental illness. If we are to begin that journey where we are to care for our loved one, there are many paths that we can go down and each path can make things easier or incredibly difficult in the long run.
The Philosophy of Carers
Hello fellow carers and all,
It has been a while since my last blog post. I guess its because I have been so busy on so many things. One of my tasks is attending awareness events and also helping at events, especially mental health and carer events. Still, one task that can take quite a bit of time is providing care or support to my close relative.
There is one problem though when talking about being a carer, let alone a mental health carer. This would be down to understanding the carers world, it goes far deeper. Perhaps much more deeper than I could try to explain. I want to blog abit about the idea of being a carer, especially experiencing the task becoming a carer where you feel you have lack of knowledge about the situation.
My post for World Suicide Prevention day 2015
Sorry I have not blogged for a while since as with many mental health carers, I am currently caring in crisis. It can be so difficult, but when a loved one has to be placed in a mental health unit, then other things need to be placed on hold.
As of this blog post, I am one of those mental health carers trying to keep things stable while recovery for my loved one is vital.
Carers networking – the reasons why its important
Thanks for visiting my mental health carers blog. Sorry to not have blogged for a while since I have only managed to get myself a horrible cold, although I have now recovered. I thought to blog about networking and if you have gone through my other posts, you would have realised that I attend many events especially mental health and carer events. My emphasis is that carers should try to avoid being isolated, which is one of the most unfortunate things to happen to a carer.
If you do not know already a carer is someone who takes time out to carer for someone perhaps a family, friend or neighbour. Carers most often do not do this out of choice, carers hate to see their loved ones suffer if they feel support is lacking for whoever they are looking after. There are of course many other reasons why people, families and communities feel compelled to care, but I want to save that for another blog.
Carers – It is ok to moan and complain……sometimes
Sometimes it is known that carers tend to complaining and making a fuss. We fuss about who we care for and then an argument starts when things are not done right or there is a disagreement. We make a fuss at the health service when we feel that our loved ones are not getting the best service. Carers can sometimes make demands for information when they feel they are kept in the dark. As a carer, I have been down this very road several times. Can you relate? If you are a carer then you may understand.
Valentine’s day is more than just about love
As of this blog post, today is valentine’s day. This is the day where people share their appreciation of each other. Where there is a chance to express your love interest or rekindle the flame of love on your current partner. Of course there will be many others there who do not have anyone to share the special day with, but maybe there will come a time when it is there turn.
Caring – What it means to me
I was so chuffed to be asked by Matthew to do a guest blog. Matthew is such a star raising awareness about carers’ issues that I feel honoured that he has asked for my views!
I regularly do a slot at Corporate Induction for South London and Maudlsey NHS – “What it feels like to be a carer?” . It is great to have a “captive audience” to get the message across about the valuable work that carers do and how involving them has a real potential to make the medical professionals’ job easier – not more complicated as is often believed to be the case.
What defines us #carers
If you are a carer or have recently been one, I guess you are at least aware of some of the difficulties carers can face. If you are a new to the caring world then feel free to wander around my blog site, which is usually dedicated to carers helping to support those suffering mental health difficulties. My site also touches on other subjects like awareness, events and learning more about mental health and psychology, but for now I want to delve into a topic on what defines a carer.
Staying strong as a mental health carer
Staying strong as a mental health carer
Are you caring for someone? maybe a close relative or friend? Perhaps a neighbour or maybe you are keeping an eye on your work colleague, but what if you have been caring for someone suffering mental health problems? What I mean is if you are being there for someone suffering addiction problems, psychosis disorders, bipolar, chronic stress or others that I have not mentioned.
A Caring Mind 