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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Aiko - Interview 17 >> Aiko was reluctant to take medication for her own depression.

Aiko has been caring for her husband who suffers from complex post traumatic stress syndrome, bi-polar disorder and severe depression for seven years. She believes mental health services should address the needs of the whole family.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Kiran - Interview 26 >> Spending more time at home means Kiran can care better for his wife (recording in Gujarati).

Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a son or daughter >> Miriam - Interview 05 >> Miriam has turned down opportunities for promotion because she doesn't want the added stress.

Miriam carers for her son who is in his late twenties. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but she thinks what he has is drugs infused psychosis.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Marcie - Interview 04 >> Marcy gave up work to care for her husband and says it had financial and social cost.

10 years ago Marcie's husband Larry was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Today he is completely depended on her and Marcie gave up her job as a Ward Clark to look after him. Most of Marcie's time is taken up with caring for him, which is restricting and isolating.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Anne - Interview 20 >> When Anne's husband stopped working he felt bad and life changed for the family.

Anne has been caring for her husband, who has severe depression, over the last four years. She has recently returned to part time work after having been a full time carer for some time. She believes it should be a requirement that health professionals listen to carers.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a sister or brother >> Ramila - Interview 13 >> Ramila thinks it is unfair that carers absorb all the stress without enough support.

Ramila has been caring for her brother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia for ten years. She thinks carers and service users deserve to be treated with more respect.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Emily - Interview 19 >> Working while caring became so stressful that Emily gave up her job.

Emily has been caing for her husband who suffers from Schizophrenia since she came to the UK three years ago. She says her relationship to God gives her peace and makes her able to cope with a difficult situation.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Kiran - Interview 26 >> Kiran's daughter came home regularly while at university to help care for his wife (recording in Gujarati).

Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a son or daughter >> Miriam - Interview 05 >> Having other people talk about 'how to express emotion' may be insulting to carers.

Miriam carers for her son who is in his late twenties. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but she thinks what he has is drugs infused psychosis.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a son or daughter >> Jane - Interview 22 >> Jane grieves that her daughter will never have friendships, get married and have children (played by an actor).

For the last 20 years Jane and her husband has cared for their daughter Sarah, who has schizophrenia. She worries about what will happen to their daughter when they are not around anymore.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Wei - Interview 31 >> Since Wei's husband got ill, they have little money and are socially isolated (recording in Chinese).

Wei has been caring for her husband since he got mental health problems more than 20 years ago.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for other or more than one relative >> Raye - Interview 30 >> Raye puts everything on hold when she worries about her father.

Raye grew up with mental health problems in the family. Today, she is the main carer for her father (paranoid schizophrenia), her sister (schizophrenia) and her brother (manic depression). She now feels she needs to let go of some of the responsibilities and focus on her own life.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Emily - Interview 19 >> Emily describes some of the stress she went through when she first arrived in the UK and started caring.

Emily has been caing for her husband who suffers from Schizophrenia since she came to the UK three years ago. She says her relationship to God gives her peace and makes her able to cope with a difficult situation.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a son or daughter >> Jane - Interview 22 >> She worries about who will care for her daughter when she and her husband are gone (played by an actor).

For the last 20 years Jane and her husband has cared for their daughter Sarah, who has schizophrenia. She worries about what will happen to their daughter when they are not around anymore.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Wei - Interview 31 >> Wei's husband is not communicating with her and she finds that very hard (recording in Chinese).

Wei has been caring for her husband since he got mental health problems more than 20 years ago.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for a parent >> Amar - Interview 01 >> Amar thinks more resources are needed to help people avoid getting mental health problems caused by the stresses and strains of life.

Amar's mother got a schizophrenic disorder around the time the family moved from Kenya via India to England. Over forty years later, Amar is her mother's main carer, on top of a full time job and being a parent.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Aiko - Interview 17 >> Aiko thinks stress at work was the trigger for her husband's mental health problems, but that a traumatic childhood was the underlying reason.

Aiko has been caring for her husband who suffers from complex post traumatic stress syndrome, bi-polar disorder and severe depression for seven years. She believes mental health services should address the needs of the whole family.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for other or more than one relative >> Raye - Interview 30 >> Raye has depression and an eating disorder, but feels luckier than her father, sister and brother.

Raye grew up with mental health problems in the family. Today, she is the main carer for her father (paranoid schizophrenia), her sister (schizophrenia) and her brother (manic depression). She now feels she needs to let go of some of the responsibilities and focus on her own life.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Rani - Interview 07 >> Rani's husband keeps her awake at night, which affects her blood pressure.

Rani cares for her husband who has depression and he is very much dependent on her. She finds it hard, especially since she suffers from ill health herself.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> People caring for their husband, wife or partner >> Marcie - Interview 04 >> It can be difficult to find the time, but doing crosswords and learning Spanish helps Marcie deal with stress.

10 years ago Marcie's husband Larry was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Today he is completely depended on her and Marcie gave up her job as a Ward Clark to look after him. Most of Marcie's time is taken up with caring for him, which is restricting and isolating.

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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences >> Stress and carers' health >> Stress and carers' health

Stress and carers' health