This post examines caregiver fatigue and the importance of taking care of yourself while tending to others.
Taking care of a loved one might feel like a natural response to seeing someone beloved in pain. However, constantly caring for someone else can take both a physical and emotional toll on caregivers. People who are healthy in body and mind naturally feel empathy when they see their loved ones struggling with mental or physical illnesses and ailments. But it doesn’t make you a bad person to experience burnout from attending to someone else. Discover what caregiver fatigue is to avoid burning out while servicing others.
Caregiver fatigue occurs when a caregiver begins to experience the physical and emotional strains of taking care of someone else. Fatigue can develop when dealing with a patient, loved one, family member, or friend who uses considerable resources for their problem or ailment. Long-term stress can develop when you chronically neglect your own needs in the service of someone else. Prolonged stress can have adverse effects on your mental and physical health. Caregiver fatigue is exacerbated by the strain and responsibility of caring for someone else. Unrealistic and unreasonable demands and expectations also influence the development of burnout. Adverse effects can restrict the caregiver and cause them to feel as though they have lost control over their own life and even identity.
Caregiver fatigue can lead to withdrawing from friends and loved ones, losing motivation in your job and hobbies, abusing substances to cope, missing your responsibilities, hopelessness, depression, and resentment towards the person you care for. Angry thoughts and violent urges towards the person can also arise. Self-neglect is the leading cause of caregiver fatigue. That means it is essential not to lose yourself in the process of caring for someone else. To avoid developing these symptoms, don’t take on more duties than you can handle, and don’t stay silent about your suffering. Be sure to eat healthy, exercise, leave the house, and prioritize your relationships and needs. Don’t allow caring for someone else to cause you to neglect yourself and your relationships and duties.
Several aspects of being a caregiver that can be hard for other people to understand are guilt, responsibility, and perception. It is easy for people to judge others and believe that the caregiver owes it to someone close to them to take care of that person because they might be physically or mentally healthy. Social pressure might cause the caregiver to be coerced into becoming a caregiver or feel guilt when they are burned out or exhausted. After all, it’s likely that the other person didn’t want to be dependent on the caregiver. In many cases, they are forced to rely on them to get by. However, that doesn’t lessen the strain of being responsible for another human. It doesn’t matter if your loved one is the victim of a disease or accident. Being a caregiver can and is a tiring job.
The critical thing about burnout is to avoid it in the first place. That involves taking preventive steps and measures along the way to ensure that your own emotional and physical needs are met. Consider this if you feel guilty about meeting your own needs: you won’t be able to be the best caretaker for your loved one if you neglect yourself. Setting boundaries includes knowing when and how to say no to someone. You are not a selfish person for knowing your limitations. Don’t allow your burnout to fester and built resentment against the other person. By setting clear boundaries and taking the space and time to also focus on yourself and your wellness, you can help to mitigate the negative effects of caregiver fatigue. It is also essential to know when to step aside.
People tend to avoid grief and hardships on an impulse. Watching someone suffer mentally or physically reminds us of our weaknesses and limitations and reveals the ugly realities of life. However, that doesn’t mean we should abandon our loved ones in their time of need. Real friends stand by when their loved ones suffer and offer support and compassion through listening and letting them know they are not alone. However, it is essential to know your limitations. Don’t cripple your life in the pursuit of helping someone else. You are not a selfish person for ensuring that your mental and physical needs are met. You cannot help someone with their oxygen mask until yours is properly secured. And sometimes securing your oxygen mask involves taking time for yourself and nurturing your body and mind. Caring for yourself and being selfish are two very different things.