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Caregiving can be one of the most rewarding and challenging roles you will ever have. It can also lead to burnout if you aren’t careful. Caregivers experience many of the same stressors as other caregivers, such as juggling multiple roles, time constraints, and financial pressures.
However, caregiving as a whole triggers additional reaction that can push even well-meaning people over their limit. Caregiving can be taxing on your emotions and physical well-being. Whether you have ever experienced feelings of isolation and loneliness or discover new challenges with every passing year, chances are you’ll eventually feel them all at once.
Caregivers who are pushed beyond their limits may show signs of elevated stress that lead to various physical and emotional problems. These symptoms include chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, depression, self-doubt, no appetite for anything but sleep, excessive alcohol or drug use, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, compulsive self-care behaviors such as overwork or overscheduling in order to avoid those same feelings again.
If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or your loved ones who provide care for others on a regular basis (such as housekeepers who take care of elder family members five days a week), then it might be time to reevaluate your situation and seek support from friends or family members outside of your role as a caregiver.
Caregiver burnout: what it is and why it matters?
Burnout occurs when you reach your emotional, social, and/or physical limit. It’s a common experience for caregivers, especially those who have regular responsibilities that may be more demanding than their own jobs.
When you’re overworked and underpaid, you may feel like you’re working twice as hard as everyone else. Your desire to make things better may cause you to take on even more—without a break. The more you do, the less you feel like doing. You’re exhausted, demotivated, and often lonely, too.
You begin avoiding responsibilities and opportunities, or you give up entirely. The good news is, you don’t have to do this. Caregiver burnout is something you can prevent. If you recognize the signs of burnout, you can take steps to prevent it from taking over your life.
Signs of caregiver burnout:
Like many other forms of stress, burnout manifests itself physically. Chronic fatigue, low energy, headaches, and stomach problems can all be symptoms of caregiver burnout. You may also experience an increased risk of developing certain medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Many caregiver populations also have increased rates of suicide. Emotional symptoms of caregiver burnout are similar to those experienced by other stressed-out people. These can include feelings of isolation, loneliness, guilt, anger, blame, and resentment. If you experience any of these, your loved ones may also.
How to recognize when you are in the event of a burnout?
If you notice that you feel overwhelmed, like your emotions are all over the place, you find yourself avoiding responsibilities and opportunities, or you have an increased tendency to give up, then it might be time to reevaluate your situation.
While no situation is ever perfect, there may be some things you can do to better support yourself. If you notice that you often feel lonely, avoid social situations, or experience increased irritability with loved ones, try to engage with them more often or seek professional support, such as counselling or a therapy session.
If you’re often irritable, short-tempered, or feel entitled to apologize for things that aren’t your fault, like overscheduling or overwork, try to find a better balance between work and other areas of your life.
Strategies to deal with burnout as a caregiver:
- Focus on your own well-being.
- Recognize and accept your feelings, and seek help when you need it.
- Get support from others, whether that means enlisting the help of a family member, a professional, or both.
- Be kind to yourself.
- Seek out activities that help you decompress and relax, like meditation, walking, listening to favourite music, or reading.
- Take time to rest and recharge, both physically and mentally.
- Don’t feel like you have to do it all, or accept guilt if you don’t have all the answers.
- Take care of yourself, especially emotionally.
You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. You don’t have to “tough it out” if you’re having a difficult day.
Conclusion:
Caregiver burnout is a real, serious condition that can seriously impact your health and quality of life. It isn’t something that will just go away on its own, so you need to do something about it.
Make sure you get enough rest, eat a healthy diet, and find ways to escape from the stresses in your life. If you notice that you’re experiencing signs of burnout, don’t wait until you’re in the worst part of it to seek help.
The earlier you start, the better your chances are of successfully managing it. If burnout is affecting your life, don’t hesitate to do something about it. Caregiving isn’t for everyone, and it’s important to be mindful of how much you can handle. Prevent burnout before it happens and you might be able to enjoy the experience for a longer period of time.
Want to learn more?
Reach us at wecare@considracare.com, or call us at 1-855-410-7971, and we will be happy to assist. Discover more tips in our information booklets or on our resources page.
