Caregiving often results in chronic stress, which comprises caregiver's physical psychological health. Depression is one of the common negative effects of caregiving. Caring for a person with dementia is particularly challenging, causing more severe negative health effects than other types of caregiving.
Impact of Caregiving on Caregiver Mental and Emotional Health. The psychological health of the family caregiver is negatively affected by providing care. Higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health effects are common among family members who care for an older relative or friend.
Approximately 27% of carers had high psychological distress. Nearly half of the study population reported changes in their health and wellbeing. A delay in general practitioner (GP) visits was common and associated with >2-fold increase in risk of high psychological distress.
Almost half of the caregivers, who provide care for more than 40 h a week, are diagnosed to have depressive symptoms. They are also at higher risk of having depressive symptoms (AOR 1.59 CI 1.16–2.18) and poor SRH (AOR 1.73 CI 1.11–2.69) than those who invest less than 40 h in a week.
Signs such as avoiding the loved one, anger, fatigue, depression, impaired sleep, poor health, irritability or that terrible sense that there is “no light at the end of the tunnel” are warnings that the caregiver needs time off and support with caregiving responsibilities.
Caregivers of severely ill individuals often struggle to adjust to new responsibilities and roles while experiencing negative psychological outcomes that include depression, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Emotional Effects of Caregiving
Caring for an older adult has been associated with anxiety, depression, and higher use of psychoactive medications. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed, isolated, tired, apathetic about activities they once enjoyed, agitated, irritable, angry, sad, and worried.
You may feel like you don't have any free time. Caregiving is also hard because you often see many changes in your loved one: The person you're caring for may not know you anymore. He or she may be too ill to talk or follow simple requests.
Some of the most common signs of caregiver burn out include: No time left for a balance—social life, fitness, personal time. Changes in your appetite, resulting in either weight loss or weight gain. Decreased immunity.
Many caregivers suffering from PTSD report aches and pains that won't go away. Additionally, many experience headaches and thoughts of hopelessness. They feel unable to move forward. Many caregivers detach from their families and friends, feeling numb, empty, and guilt-ridden.
Depression can result from the intense demands of taking care of someone who cannot carry out their usual daily activities. The demands of a caregiving role can cause stress and take a toll on a person's health, employment, and family relationships.
Symptoms of caregiver stress symptom may include changes in appetite, weight or both; feeling blue, hopeless, irritable, or helpless; withdrawal from friends and family; changes in sleep patterns; getting sick more often; feelings of wanting to hurt yourself or the person for whom you are caring; loss of interest in ...
Caregiving while also handling your own responsibilities, feelings, and concerns about your loved one's illness can cause anxiety or stress. Being a caregiver comes with many tasks, such as managing medications, cooking, doing paperwork, making appointments, and tracking symptoms.
Many caregivers also feel guilty if they spend time on themselves rather than on their ill or elderly loved ones. Caregivers who are "burned out" may experience fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.
You are free—as if there is no cost to your time or the emotional and physical stress you experience as the result of caregiving for your aging parent. The beliefs and refusals of parents to agree to a caregiver, other than you, is another reason why caregiving is so exhausting.
Stress – Taking care of a loved one and being responsible for their health can be very stressful. There are a lot of tasks to juggle, from managing medications to helping with getting dressed or bathing. If you're feeling stressed, try to set aside little breaks throughout the day.
For family caregivers, rage and resentment are both extremely common, but they're not often talked about, especially when compared to caregiver stress, burnout, or grief.
Failing to practice self-care habits contributes to the stress caregivers feel and the problems they may experience with their own physical, mental and emotional health. The likely outcome or consequence for a caregiver who is not taking care of him- or herself is burnout.