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Managing Caregiving Stress

Caring for a family member can be an overwhelming and sometimes daunting task that can cause stress to the caregiver. Taking care of one’s own health to prevent a nervous breakdown becomes imperative under such circumstances. A caregiver’s role is a full-time responsibility and managing your own health and stress levels is important to do justice to the job.

Caregiving Stress is real

Caregiver fatigue can take a toll on your overall health. It is extremely rewarding but can be pretty stressful as well. When you are shifting between roles, it can be a pretty demanding and exhausting job.  The feelings of stress, frustration, anger and fatigue set in leaving the caregiver feeling emotionally drained and exhausted.

Factors that lead to Caregiver Stress

Caregiver stress could be the result of the accumulation of multiple factors including lack of resources and self-care. The focus on an ailing person’s needs may lead to neglect of your own. Lack of sleep, forgetting to have meals on time and the absence of social support can exacerbate these issues. Watch out for these red flags and handle them before they aggravate so that you can deliver your caregiving duties without suffering a physical and mental breakdown.

What are the symptoms of caregiver stress?

If you are feeling like you are becoming prone to family caregiver stress, you need to consider different factors. It is crucial that you are familiar with the symptoms so that you can start the treatment accordingly. 

  • Anxiety
  • Anger
  • Depression
  • Withdrawal
  • Insomnia
  • Changes in eating habits
  • Health problems

Give Yourself Some Me Time

Take a break from your caregiving duties once in a while. Hand it over to someone else and catch up on sleep. Relax. Watch a movie or go for a walk. Catch up with friends. You will feel refreshed and reenergized when you get back. Even a small breather will help you destress and cope better.

Practise Yoga/ Meditation

The practice of yoga and meditation are known to have a calming effect on your mind. You can take out 15 minutes in a day to meditate and relax your senses. It will soothe your mind and introduce positive vibes.

Stay in Touch

Instead of battling it out on your own, stay in touch with your family and friends. Make a quick phone call and unburden yourself. Sharing your feelings can be a stress buster. If you don’t vent out once in a while, negative thoughts will keep piling up till they become too difficult to handle.

So, communicate with people and create a support group for yourself.

Build a Routine

Have a set routine to handle your multiple responsibilities. If there is no plan or checklist, you are bound to be overwhelmed by the situation. Draw up a timetable and keep everything organised so that the daily routine functions smoothly and your stress levels come down.

Counselling as a solution for Caregiving Stress

If you are feeling stressed out because of your caregiving responsibilities, it is important that you enroll for some counselling sessions. These counselling sessions are perfect for a spouse, parent, or family member who is experiencing caregiving stress while taking care of a loved one. 

It is important to learn how to manage your own mental health during this period so that you can perform your role better. These counselling sessions can guide you with tips on how to manage your caregiving duties better. 

These sessions will leave you better equipped to handle your responsibilities while reducing your own mental stress. Samvedna Cares offers specialized caregiving counselling sessions where experts help caregivers by sharing tech on how to handle stress while taking care of patients at home. These sessions can be very useful for those dealing with caregiving stress for a long time and not knowing how to seek help.

Conclusion

As a caregiver, you are also prone to stress. While it may be rewarding, you may have certain problems. You need to ensure that you follow a proper routine and stay connected with the people around you so that you do not have any problems in the long run. Samvedna Care offers counselling sessions for caregivers to manage their stress. You can enroll in some of the programs organized by them for caregivers that help you feel like a part of a community and relieves your stress from time to time.

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