Caregiver Burnout

"Being a caregiver can be one of the most life changing experiences for you, it will require you to draw on your strengths and love, and you might discover something about yourself which you didn’t even know you were capable of. " - Manushi Toor

Who is a Caregiver?

A caregiver is a person who provides care and assistance to another person in form of food, medicines, daily activities and emotional support. It could be a professional health worker, or could even be someone in family, friends or someone’s partner. Sometimes one becomes a caregiver out of their personal choice, but it is possible that one might have to fulfill caregiver responsibilities due to lack of support and resources. Caregiving can be done for any person at any age, and can range from mild emotional support to looking after someone 24*7 because they are themselves not able to meet their needs.?

Caregiver Burnout

Though caregiving is done out of love and affection for the other person, it can still be challenging and exhausting. This becomes even more true if the caregiver is unpaid, does not have any support from anyone, an outlet for their emotions, and are also managing a job. Not being able to get a break and being constantly there for someone can lead to burnout as you are not able to pay enough attention to your own needs.?

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

• Feeling irritable, impatient and frustrated.
• Feeling overwhelmed and anxious, and worried all the time.
• Feeling a loss of control over your life.
• Feeling a loss of energy and motivation.
• Feeling stuck and helpless.
• Withdrawal from friends and family and feeling isolated and lonely.
• Loss of pleasure and interest in activities that were previously enjoyed.
• Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
• Having headaches and other physical pains without any medical condition.

How to prevent and manage it?

• Have a support system- someone you can talk to or rely on when you feel overwhelmed.
• Keep some time for yourself, in which you focus on self-care and your leisure.
• Take care of your physical and mental health. Your nutrition, sleep schedules, stress management etc.
• If you feel you inability to cope with the stress, reach out for help.
• You can join a local support group for caregivers, interacting with people who have same experiences as you can be therapeutic, and can even provide you with additional resources.
• Be realistic about your goals for caregiving, being mindful of your capacity and resources.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself and understand your limits as to how much control you have over the situation, do not take responsibility for everything as there might be situational factors beyond your control.
• Seek professional help if you feel you are having a burnout- through therapy and counselling.