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

[Daisydreamer]

New here? Welcome to the SANE Friends, Family and Carers Forums! We are so happy you found us and have joined our wonderful community. There are lots of people here like you who are supporting a family member, friend or loved one, and who can understand what you might be going through and offer valuable peer support.

You may see people reaching out to share their stories, asking questions, looking for others who get it, seeking support and offering support. We hope you find this a supportive and welcoming space to be. 

We want to get to know you, and introduce you to other members of the SANE Community. 

To get started, you can simply post here by clicking "reply" to introduce yourself and a fun fact or two about you. 

Or, you can introduce yourself to the community by starting a new discussion thread! How to do that you ask? Follow the below steps to create your first post.

• Click back into the Welcome & Getting Started topic area
• Click the ‘New Discussion’ Button
• Type in a subject title
• Enter your post (there are some helpful tips on how you can introduce yourself below)
• Then click post!

You may see our Peer Support Workers welcoming new members in this space, so please reach out if you have any questions, or if we can help you get started 🙂 We are always happy to help! To reach us, @moderator or email us at team@saneforums.org. We look forward to getting to chatting soon

[Joonbug]

Hi, newbie here 🙂 

Husband recently diagnosed with Schizotypal Personality Disorder and I need help navigating 🙏

[Shaz51]

hello @Joonbug  and welcome 

how are you getting around the forum my friend 

@Daisydreamer, @Former-Member 

[Mumto8]

Hi, I have a son who is in mental turmoil at the moment. He is 20 and has distanced himself from everyone. I have not had anything to do with him in 8 months. He seems like a complete stranger. He has abused weed and alcohol over the past 2-3 years and his mental state has been going in to a decline. He has problems with understanding who he is, as it can change at the drop of a hat, for no reason. One day he wakes up and no longer wants to go to school, date a certain person, continue the course he started, walks out on an apprenticeship. He mistrusts everyone. He makes up stories and believes them. He feels victimised. He isn't working at the moment and has turned away from everyone who loves him and wants to help him. He believes no one cares or understands him. He mistrusts everyone. He is withdrawn and retreated from the world. He has threatened to take his life at various stages when abusing alcohol or drugs. And when you talk to him after rationally, he says don't worry about me, I'm fine. He's admitted he doesn't understand himself and would like to seek help. Then a few days later you ask him if you can book him a doctors appointment and he gets angry and asks why, as there is nothing wrong with him and he never said he needed any help. I am at a wits end. I am very worried about him and his mental state, but he's alienated himself from me and the rest of his family and friends who love and care about him. I don't know where to turn.

[Former-Member]

Afternoon @Joonbug & @Mumto8, and welcome to the forums 😊

I wanted to acknowledge just how tough it can be caring for someone with complex mental health issues, and it can be really common place not knowing where to turn, so it's great that you've both found your way to the forums!

One of the helpful services offered by SANE is the free counselling service available to friends, family and carers. When I was starting out in my journey I had some wonderful conversations with phone counsellors who normalised my feelings and offered advice on where to turn to next. Might be worth a call, at the very least to enquire about building those supports for yourself in your own caring journey.

Rhye ☘️

[Mumto8]

Thank you very much, I will look in to it.

[Shaz51]

Hello and welcome @Peacock 

I will tag a @moderator That might help you with your question 

So letting you know that you are not alone my friend xxx 

If you like to share your story 

[Syzygy]

Hi

I feel better already having found a support group. I live in a regional area and my daughter (22) has had this diagnosis. I have struggled with providing the best support I can for her, while still surviving myself! 
As everyone on this forum knows, BPD is extremely challenging to either live with, or support a family member that lives with it. I am keen to hear and learn about good resources out there, and also connect with councillors that are specifically experienced with helping carers/parents support their loved ones. 
Hoping to connect with some of you in the future.

[Jilly1]

Hi there my name is J, I am a carer for my precious Hubby, Son and my Dad (since my Mama passed away 2 years ago) I manly cook for him and help with some house work my Dad is 92 but very active and lives on his own.

My Hubby suffers with depression (badly), Autism, diabetes and dreadful pain, he battles to walk and now uses a walker. He gets so upset with his limitations. 

Our Son sadly had meningitis at 20 months then a dreadful case of the measles straight afterwards and was left with brain damage, Epilepsy dreadful anxiety attacks. He also struggles with depression at times, and is also Autistic. 

I am also available for our Daughter when her Family needs support especially with our little Granddaughter who is a bundle of 2 year old energy and love. 

So as you can see, I have a lot of caring responsibilities, don't get me wrong I love all of my Family I just want to be able to have a place where I can learn from others and pick up some good ideas and advice in being even better at this gig. 

I also have 2 wonderful Sisters who are both fighting Cancer  - I find this very hard to deal with it's so sad to watch them fight this fight.😢Thank you for reading this. 

J❤ ❤ ❤