You helped when me when I had a nervous breakdown

DEAR DEIDRE: Family responsibility led me to the brink of a nervous breakdown.

I felt as if all the pressure was on my shoulders, and I had nobody to turn to.

I’m 45, with difficult teenage children and elderly parents, both of whom have dementia.

Caring for them all is hard enough, but then there was a flood in my home and, in the same week, my boiler broke.

I was so anxious I couldn’t sleep. I just wanted to run away and let someone else deal with everything.

You were so understanding. You sent me your Help For Carers infor­mation pack, which listed sources of ­support – practical and emotional – both for me and my parents.

And you told me I needed to talk to someone, rather than taking all the burden on myself.

I was surprised and touched when, a few weeks later, you wrote back to me asking how I was coping.

Thanks to your advice, professional carers started coming to help look after my parents.

Things are still tough, but your help stopped me falling apart.
I’m so grateful.

DEIDRE SAYS: I’m glad the pressure has eased. But if you feel you can’t cope, do talk to your GP.