Understanding Caregiver Stress
In short, caregiver stress is a problem for caregivers and the people who they are caring for. There are over 50 million caregivers in America in any given year who are looking after a chronically ill, sick or disabled friend or relative. Being a caregiver is a tough job! Often the caregiver can feel that they have no sense of control over the person's recovery and that the person they are caring for does not resemble the person you once knew. The stress of caregiving can affect you and the person that you are caring for. How can you tell you are suffering from caregiver burnout or stress? Signs of Caregiver Burnout or StressWhether you are taking care of elderly parents, are an alzheimers caregiver or looking after someone who is sick, there are a number of signs of caregiver burnout or stress. These may include:
Caregiving can be a very stressful job. The feelings that you are feeling are not wrong, they are just those of somebody under stress. In many ways, caregiving is the "hidden patient" who carries the silent suffering of the person they are caring for. The impact of caregiver burnout and stressCaregivers who have a history of chronic illness themselves are 63% more likely to die than those who are not caregivers (Journal of American Medical Association) In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences it was reported that those who are suffering from caregiver stress are more likely to suffer from:
These sort of caregiver statistics make it important for the caregiver to look after themselves and look for ways to reduce their stress. Just as you are focused on the needs of the person you are caring for, your overall health depends on you caring for yourself. Chronic caregiver stress will eventually lead to caregiver burnout. For more information stress and health - see this article on "how does stress affect health". Some Tips for Caregiver StressWhen looking after somebody else, probably one the first thing that you are going to let go off is your own self care - as you put others needs before your own. In the long-term this can be detrimental to your health and well being, and this caregiver stress can result in something called Self-Care Deficiency Syndrome. A situation in which you are not really giving yourself enough self-care. Headaches, insomnia, indigestion and a general feeling of being overwhelmed or irritable can all be symptoms of Self-Care Deficiency Syndrome. Caring for others is hard work which can lead to burnout and health issues. One of the first steps is to become aware of the stress that you are under and the emotions that you are feeling. Listen to your body. If you are tired then take a break. Pushing on will only increase your fatigue and risk of burnout. Make a decision to also set good boundaries. You are likely to have many priorities and a to-do list as long as your arm. Learn to say no and learn the art of delegation. Also seek help from support groups and caring others. Practice more Self-Care. This can be difficult so really try to give yourself permission to practice self-care rather than feeling guilty about taking time-out for yourself. Related Stress Articles
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