Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Taking Care of the Caregiver
If you’re a caregiver for a chronically ill relative or friend and are feeling overwhelmed, even depressed, this advice can help.Being a caregiver for a chronically ill family member is a 24-hour job. With all the attention you give to others, it’s understandable that you may feel tired, unhappy or irritable. But you may be beyond feeling just “worn down.” The strain of being a caregiver can eventually lead to diagnosable mental distress. A study of 200 caregivers found that 13 percent of the caregivers met the diagnostic criteria for one or more of these disorders: major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
If you suspect that you may be suffering from depression or another illness (see bulleted list below), it may not be easy to get the help you need. You may feel guilty about asking for help for yourself. On a practical level, it can be difficult to find a substitute caregiver, even for short periods of time. If it is at all possible, you owe it to yourself to get treatment. You will feel better, and the quality of care you can provide will improve.
Where a Caregiver Can Find Help
If you are a caregiver for someone who is chronically or terminally ill, you probably work closely with a doctor or team of doctors. What you may not know is that your loved one’s doctor may be able to help you as well. Speak to your doctor about your concerns about your mental health. He or she may be able to give you a referral to a mental health practitioner.
Support groups are also wonderful ways to improve your life as a caregiver. Many of your fellow caregivers will be dealing with the same issues and will be able to share coping strategies and tips. To find a support group, try the Yellow Pages or ask your doctor. Online support groups are also helpful, especially for people who have trouble scheduling time away from their loved one.
Symptoms of Common Psychiatric Disorders
Symptoms of depression:
- changed eating/sleeping habits
- exhaustion
- feelings of hopelessness and anger
- loss of interest in activities
- unexplained physical symptoms like headache/stomachache thoughts of death/suicide
Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder:
Symptoms of panic disorder:
- excessive worry and irritability
- inability to relax
- insomnia
- unexplained physical symptoms like headache/stomachache
- episodes of intense fear
- sweating and shaking, pounding heart, faintness, nausea, numbness or hot flashes
- feelings of detachment from reality
- fear of dying or losing control
- intense anxiety between episodes
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder:
- memories and flashbacks of traumatic event
- emotional numbness
- difficulty concentrating
Posted in Depression and Anxiety on August 22, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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I am currently burning out. Are you fixed and feeling better? If so, how did you do it?! I am at the edge of overwhelmed and have hardly begun this caregiving phase.
Posted by: mikzhealth | March 21, 2009 7:37 PM
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I took care of my parents for 10 years, I lived next door to them. My Dad died 5 years ago from cancer. He died at home,we had Hospice come in to help. I'm still not over the schock of watching him fade away. My mom died 2 1/2 years ago, she had MANY illnesses, including Alzheimers. She was labled "non-compliant" by her doctor, because she refused to follow his orders! One of her problems was Cogestive Heart Failure, also, Type 2 Diabetes. She was supposed to limit her fluid, salt and sugar intake. She refused to do it, and would call me in a panic, that she could not breath. I would run right over, and call 911 (11 times in the last 3 years of her life) The last visit to the ER, her doctor refused to admit her (which I found out later). So, they gave her a shot of Lasix, and sent her home! I called her doctor the next day, to ask him what was I going to do? He ordered Hospice, and she died 1 week later. I have 3 older sisters, and they have turned against me, saying that I killed my mother! None of them ever came to help, until she was on her death bed. My husband and I have moved, and now, I am suffering with depression, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, a Herniated disk and Osteoporosis. Mom was a very heavy woman, and wheel chair bound plus on Oxygen 24/7. It was very difficult, taking her to her appointments, etc. I know that I need help, but don't know where to turn to! My back causes me so much pain that I can't even do the food shopping anymore. My sons or husband do it for me. I just needed to vent, and any suggestions would be very much appreciatted! It is so difficult, moving to a new area, where I do not know anyone.
Posted by: BurntOut | November 22, 2008 6:26 PM