It’s not right for everyone or every situation, but sometimes families can be a really good source of support.
Ask yourself these questions to help you work out who you might talk to in your family:
- Can I trust them not to tell to other people when I don’t want them to?
- Will they give me a hard time?
- Will they make me more upset? Can they help me or find me support?
- Do I want to talk to someone who is not involved in the situation?
You don’t have to talk to your parents if you don’t want to – brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles, or even grandparents can be really helpful. They might’ve been through stuff in the past and have good advice on how to get through it now.
I wouldn’t talk to anyone in my family
Sometimes families can cause a lot of distress. Even if they’re understanding, you might just not want to talk to them about whatever’s troubling you. If you don’t want to speak to your family, try talking to your friends, Samaritans by calling 116 123 (for free), or your local doctor.
You don’t have to go through tough times alone, there will always be someone to listen.
There are other people to talk to
If you need to talk to someone outside the situation, either face-to-face or over the phone, have a look at the different options in getting help for information on where to go.