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Stress or anxiety

It can be a stressful time when your brother or sister is experiencing a mental health problem. They may be acting differently from before and this could be changing how things are at home, and you could be worried about your sibling and family which can cause you to feel anxious.

Dealing with stress and anxiety

When your brother or sister is unwell, it can sometimes cause disruptions at home, such as tension and arguments between your parents, sibling or yourself, or it may be that they get into difficult situations that can feel more stressful than usual.

You might also find the disruptions in your family or home life lead to you feeling more stressed with other things in your life, for instance if you are falling behind with schoolwork or finding it difficult to concentrate at work.

“While I was scared that my sister would hurt herself, I also had concerns about my schoolwork and whether or not my school would understand what was going on at home, and I didn't want to speak to my parents as they had enough going on.”

If things are beginning to feel overwhelming, you might like to talk to a parent, a school counsellor or nurse, or another trusted adult about how you are feeling, or confide in a close friend. Although it can sometimes feel like the needs of your sibling come first, it is important that you get the support you need too. 

It may sometimes seem that your sibling is the focus of attention, but noone would expect you to keep your worries and stresses to yourself. You can often find that talking can help you work through your anxieties, and writing down the things that you are worried about and reading them back can also be a good help in looking at why you are feeling stressed and planning how to manage this.

Taking time for yourself

It can feel very stressful when your sibling is unwell, and you may be supporting them, or finding homelife stressful if you are living together.

Taking time to do the things you can enjoy can help you feel more relaxed, or doing some exercise, which is a great way to get rid of stressful feelings and feel physically better too.

Allowing yourself to think about how you are feeling and talking to others can also help you focus on the problems you are facing and work out ways to manage them.