Even though caring for someone can be fulfilling and have special moments, it is normal to experience a range of emotions. Some of the more common difficult emotions that occur when someone is caring for a loved one include:
- Worry
- Sadness
- Stress
- Frustration
- Loss
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Guilt
However, if you start to feel like these difficult emotions are with you a lot of the time, or that they start to affect your life or the way you behave, it may be worth checking in with yourself (and sometimes asking someone you trust) whether it is time to get a bit of extra support.
In the next section we will look at some of the signs of carer strain, depression and anxiety. In that way, you have chance to think about whether you need to follow up with a health professional for some extra support.
Feeling overwhelmed
Although you may be coping on a day to day basis, it is normal for carers to feel overwhelmed at times. During those times make plans to have some time out for yourself and remind yourself that what you are feeling is temporary. As soon as you get chance, make time to talk to friends and family and take some time out to restore your energy.
Go back to your notebook and the list of things that you may have made that help you to de-stress
Depression, anxiety, alcohol and drugs
Although some temporary relief may be had by using alcohol an recreational drugs, they can worsen your mood, especially afterwards increasing feelings of depression and anxiety.
If you have previously experienced depression or anxiety it may be helpful to see your GP or mental health professional to monitor your mood at this stressful time. If you feel that there is an urgent or emergency situation you can go to the local hospital emergency department. There may be respite services available to help continue caring for your family member or friend if you need to seek help for yourself. In the section about Respite Care (click here to go there), we explore why many people are reluctant to use it, even though it can be really very helpful to all concerned.
More than being overwhelmed?
If you find that you are experiencing troubling emotions a lot of the time, it may be a sign of something more. It may be that you are experiencing carer strain or depression or anxiety and need something more than a bit of time out.
It can be easy to just keep focusing on the person you are caring for, but in order to look after someone else, it’s a good idea to check in with how you’re coping. Click here to learn about carer strain, and here to learn about depression and anxiety so that you can be aware of what to look out for.