A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without this help due to a physical or mental health condition.

Many carers feel a need to put on a ‘brave face’. It can feel that your difficulties are ‘nothing’ compared to that of the person you are caring for. This can cause people to neglect their own needs, which can have a negative impact on their emotional well-being.

Emotional distress can present itself in many ways such as low mood, anger, poor memory or concentration or loss of confidence.

Being a carer gives you another role and this may affect your previous roles such as being a partner, employee or friend. When a role is lost or changes our sense of identity, purpose and belonging are often reduced and this will impact on your emotional health.

It is very common and normal to feel angry, guilty, isolated, stressed or low.