Hi there,
Helping to look after someone at home can take a lot of time and energy, it can make it hard to focus on other things like friends or school. It sounds like your ADHD and other feelings have been making things even harder, but you shouldn’t have to cope alone.
Asking for support can feel scary sometimes, and it sounds like you’ve been getting anxious about what might happen if you do. Your teachers are there to support you with your learning and part of their role is keeping you safe. If they know what’s happening at home and with your ADHD, they’ll want to help. There’s also lots of support available to you as a young carer.
Telling someone what’s happening isn’t always easy. There are things that can help though. Try planning a good time to talk when you won’t be disturbed or distracted. You could even ask your teacher for a time to talk privately. Planning what you want to say can help a lot as well, think about what you most want to happen or what support you want.
If you’re struggling to say things out loud or you can’t get your thoughts together, writing it down can help. We’ve got a letter template you can download which can be a good starting point. You could write that letter to give to your teacher, or just use it to make it easier to talk.
Remember, you don’t need to make everything better at once. Making small changes and getting support at school can help to make things easier over time. Even going to school one extra day a week would be something to be proud of.
Lots of people experience anxiety, but it sounds like these feelings are making it hard for you to live your life. Coping with difficult feelings can start with making small changes, like cutting down caffeine or making sure you get enough sleep. There are also lots of techniques you can use to help you cope.
Learning to manage ADHD can take time as well, and if you’re speaking to a doctor or specialist then they can help you with different ways of coping. For example, it can help to set reminders on your phone to stop you getting distracted.
You should never have to cope alone with how you’re feeling, and we’re here to help. Whether you feel able to speak to someone in your life or not, you can always talk to a Childline counsellor. They’re here 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to talk to you, and they can support you with anything that’s happening. You can call for free on 0800 1111 or speak online.
Take care,
Sam
