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Being a carer isnât an easy role. When youâre busy responding to the needs of others, it can deplete your reserves of emotional and physical energy and make it easy to forget your own health and mental well-being (research on carersâ health shows that high numbers of carers suffer health effects through caring). And if you are trying to combine caring with a paid job or looking after a family, this can bring about even more stress.
But putting yourself last on the list doesnât work in the long term. If you are caring for someone else, itâs important to look after yourself and get as much help as possible.  Not only is it in your best interests â" but also those of the person you are caring for.
Look after your physical and emotional healthÂ
Eat regularly and healthily. If you donât have time to sit down with every meal, try to make time to sit down once a day. Instead of relying on fast food snacks, try to go for healthier options.
You can find more about looking after yourself on Carers Direct, including advice on how to get time off.
Look for supportÂ
Friends and family may not always understand what youâre going through and it can be helpful to talk to people in the same situation.
- Carers UK have a lot of useful information on their website and run a helpline: www.carersuk.org CarersLine 0808 808 7777
They also have a help and information booklet âNew To Caringâ which can be downloaded. - The Princess Royal Trust for Carers have a chatroom on their website and also run 129 Carers Centres nationwide which provide information and advice and emotional support. For more information visit: www.carers.org.
Find out what benefits you're entitled to
You can find benefits available to you on the Carers Direct website or by calling Carers Direct on 0808 802 0202.
Other people to contact:Â
- Your GP and primary care team
- Social services.
- For details of government services and information for carers, go to Carers Direct.  Â
For more on support for people with breast cancer and their carers:
- Macmillan (links to external site)
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
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