How well equipped are you as a parent to cope with the emotional rollercoaster that having an SEN child can often bring? Fortunately, there are ways to keep your well-being intact whilst protecting and promoting that of your child. Notice the signs We are the best people to notice when things are not correct; however, we need to be prepared to notice. Are you noticing changes in your behaviour, feelings or emotions? Are others seeing similar things? Are you struggling to balance your commitments, continually running out of time, or not meeting deadlines? Is your mood, appetite or sleep being affected? Are you experiencing energy loss or unusual levels of fatigue, worrying constantly, or obsessing over trivial things? Becoming angry or tearful at the slightest thing? If any of the above seem familiar to you, then you may be experiencing a form of psychological stress, burnout, anxiety or depression. There is also the phenomenon of carer fatigue, which can have a sudden onset. Prevention is better than cure. These symptoms rarely occur in isolation or without triggers; they result from a situation or set of circumstances producing sustained or high levels of stress. Often these triggers are unavoidable, such as caring for a loved one, so what can be done? When it comes to maintaining good mental health, it is vital to take early action to prevent a difficult situation from developing. What do you do to release the pressure? We often fail to give ourselves opportunities to unwind and relax. While this is not always possible, where we can, we must find time for ourselves, be that 10 minutes for a coffee with a friend, a walk around the park, or losing ourselves in a good book, for example. A regular regime where we find at least a little time for ourselves can prove very beneficial to our mental health in the long term. Take action So when things get too much, what should we do? It is crucial to take action to maintain our mental health, but what if things have gone too far and your mental health is beginning to suffer? It is never too late to turn things around, but if the situation is getting serious, we must seek help in some way, shape or form. This might initially be reaching out to a family member, either for emotional or practical support. Still, it might extend further, reaching out to statutory agencies, e.g. social care services or medical professionals. There is a lot of help available for carers, such as daycare and respite services, which can offer much-needed relief. There are also services available to the individual, such as counselling or medical care, which can effectively treat the symptoms of mental ill-health. You are rarely, if ever, alone to deal with these things, and you must ask for help when you need it the most.