carer burnout

[23_56]

I'm a carer of a 13 year old severely autistic kid. I'm beginning to realise I may be suffering from burnout or depression or both, I don't know.

I feel trapped, that I have no life and I don't honestly remember the last time i was truely happy.

I'm not suicidal. 

I'm not sure where to start to sort myself out. I suppose going to the doctor would be the first thing.

Guess i actually know, just needed to "say" it out loud.

[smallwolf]

hello and welcome.

Firstly ... Sorry that it has been a while for you to get a reply.

I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through such a tough time. Caring for a severely autistic child can be incredibly challenging, and it's natural to feel overwhelmed sometimes.

It's a big step to acknowledge your feelings and consider seeking help. You're not alone in this (cliche), and reaching out to a doctor is a great first step towards.

It's important to look yourself as well. Take things one step at a time, and be kind to yourself.

Lastly, if you just wanted to vent, that OK. If you want to chat some more, I'm listening.

[james1]

Hello 23_56,

Welcome to our forums. I'm sorry you were left on your own without a reply for some time. I hope even the act of posting and saying it out loud was helpful for you. I know we get a lot of people who read posts but don't reply, so you certainly weren't speaking to a void.

Going to a doctor sounds like it could be very helpful since you sound unsure how to proceed. I found speaking to my GP was a good way to even just validate to myself that I was dealing with something that maybe needed more professional support, and that bumbling around myself probably wouldn't resolve things.

Caring for others is such a monumental task and unfortunately the carer often gets lost or forgotten. I hope you can find the support you need, and we're certainly here for you if you'd like to speak some more.

James

[quirkywords]

23_56
welcome to the forums. There is an organisation  Carers Australia who are there to help people carers. You can ring them  or look at their website. 

[David35]

Carer burnout is a real problem. I've had it living and caring for my mum who had bladder cancer. I've organised more counselling with Carer Gateway. I have feelings of stress, emotional exhaustion, even resentment, especially considering I have no support. It's easy to say look after yourself, but there are often no warning signs. There is also a Carer support forum on Facebook. I've received a lot of valuable support and feedback there. It's very isolating being a Carer and sometimes the forums can help.