Should I hide family problems from my friends?

Not everyone leading a double life is trying to be Batman. Every day, thousands of young people have to balance the day-to-day realities of being a teenager with the challenges of a difficult home life. From illness and bereavement to dealing with parental addiction or having to be a carer, it can be really hard to stop your problems getting in the way of growing up and having fun.

In the clip above from Selfies we meet Louis, a typical fresher loving Uni life. But he doesn’t tell his new friends that when he leaves campus, it’s to take care his mum who is undergoing cancer treatment. Like the clip? Watch Louis' full ‘Selfie’ over on All 4.

Family Affairs

When should you keep the public and private parts of your life separate and when should you open up? Here are some ideas for balancing your home responsibilities with your own needs...

Make room for some ‘me’ time

Looking after yourself is important. For your own sanity you need to be able to get away, chill out and experience a ‘normal’ life even if it’s only for a little while. Getting some headspace will help you blow off steam, cope with the stress and keep you fighting fit. If you’re a mess it’s going to make it even harder to handle things at home.

Shoulders to cry on

Even just having a few trusted mates you can talk to will make the world of difference, giving you chance to vent your feelings outside of your family. Bottling up your troubles completely could put you on the fast track to even more problems.

Avoiding the guilt trip

If you do manage to escape from your troubles and grab some time with your friends, you’re probably going to feel guilty about it. Remember, you’re entitled to look after number one occasionally and, in reality, your loved ones will probably feel a lot better knowing you’re making time to be happy.

Helping hands

If your problems at home are having an impact on your day-to-day life, you might need to find some extra support. From your teachers, tutors and employers to counsellors, doctors or support groups, there plenty of people who can help you cope. They might be able to help you manage your workload, take a bit off time away from your responsibilities, find practical resources or just act as someone else you can lean on.