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When is it Time to Stop Care-giving?
Care-giving is a very stressful situation and can include tension and migraine headaches, high blood pressure, asthma, nervous stomach, bowel problems and chronic lower back pains. Stress can also play a role in a person's susceptibility to heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Listed below are some telltale signs which can help you assess when you need to seek professional help, utilize stress reduction methods, or stop care-giving.
- Snapping at the care-receiver constantly, even over little things.
- Being constantly irritated and in a grumpy mood.
- Seldom able to laugh anymore.
- Feeling constantly tired or pressured.
- Losing interest in personal activities and friends.
- Losing sleep, failing to fall asleep for hours, sleeping restlessly all night or waking up during the night and unable to get back to sleep.
- Yelling or screaming, or having crying fits or rages of anger frequently; getting really upset over little things.
- Withholding affection, feelings of goodwill from recipient.
- Withholding food, baths, dressing changes, etc.
- Constantly blaming the care-receiver for being in this situation, feeling isolated.
- Refusing to go out anymore, even for a walk, because "he/she needs me".
- Withholding expenditures for goods or services he/she need because he/she is going to die soon and it is wasted money.
While this is only a partial list of stress in the caregiver, these and other signs indicate the caregiver is experiencing Caregiver Burnout. The treatment for burnout is simple: get help and get away for extended periods, either through stress management, respite help or through a complete change in care giving. Find out what resources there are in the community to help give you some relief.
No one can remain a full-time caregiver forever; the job is too strenuous and stressful. If you are experiencing some of these signs, get help; talk it over and ask yourself "when should I say this is my limit; I am not able to do anymore". Be honest with yourself and when that "limit" has been reached, STOP! Research alternatives, request help from qualified professionals, utilize other resources, and rest assured that you're doing the right thing in reaching out for help in this.
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