Caregiver Burnout
Monday January 26, 2009
When Caregiving Becomes Too Stressful
When John Campbell began caring for his wife while she was being treated for stage III cervical cancer, he never imagined the toll it would take on him."I knew something was wrong when I felt too tired to even call friends and family. There were times I would go into my office and just cry for no reason. I became alarmed when I dreaded caring for her everyday."
John suffered from caregiver burnout, a common occurrence among cancer caregivers. Mental and physical exhaustion plague the caregiver, causing symptoms similar to mild to severe depression. The good news is that caregiver burnout can be prevented and managed. See: How to Prevent and Manage Caregiver Burnout
Comments
Caregivers often feel resentment and inadequacy when faced with the difficulty of a loved one’s illness. And this extends beyond those providing phyisical care. Friends and relatives who live at a distance all have their own emotional journey to make. As well as the tips given here, caregivers and other family/friends should take care of their emotional journey in order to avoid problems building up through their loved one’s illness. This can be done by talking with a sympathetic friend, by journalling, meditation or many other self-help methods. When emotions are not acknowledged and dealt with they get stuck and continue to cause problems - sometimes even manifesting as physical symptoms. If you are in this situation and having difficulty dealing with your emotions, please get help.
Anne Orchard
Author ‘Their Cancer - Your Journey’
www.familiesfacingcancer.org
how much max hair has to be cut off?
i think that it is a good idea to help people with someone that doesnt have hair