Hi there,
Thank you for your letter. Youve done well to write to me about whats happening. I can tell that this is a difficult time for you, and its a good idea for you to have support to help you get through it. It can be really hard when someone we are close to and care about becomes unwell. We can experience many feelings, which can be hard to cope with and understand.
I think that someone in a situation like yours could think about asking several people for help. You could think about talking to another member of your family, a friend, a teacher at your school, or somebody else you trust. You can always talk to ChildLine. Counsellors are there for you when youre having a hard time and need help. Perhaps you could talk to them about the kind of help you feel you need at the moment.
You might want to think about the different kinds of help you might need. For some people this can be emotional support, such as someone to talk to. For others it can be more practical help, such as with getting to and from hospital, or looking after other family members.
Some people find it helps to write down their feelings in a diary. If youre not keen on writing, you could express your feelings another way, like painting a picture or playing music. Sometimes, it can feel good to make something for the person whos unwell.
If youd like support from other young people, how about looking at the message boards? Theyre a place where young people can share their ideas and experiences. You could start a new topic and talk to others about their experience of somebody they care about being unwell.
Im glad that you got in touch.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
