Stress Relief

Stress Management: Caring for the Caregiver

Caring for someone who is chronically ill or who requires constant attention, is an extremely demanding job. Caregivers owe it to themselves to recognize and care for their own needs, in addition to those of the care-receiver/patient. In a perfect world the care-receiver would recognize this and try to minimize the negative effects on their caregiver. As we all know, this is not a perfect world.

Keep in mind that what may be stressful for you, may be a minor irritation for someone else, and maybe not at all stressful to a third person. It is mainly your perception, interpretation, and response to an event. However, certain events (such as long term caregiving) tend to be viewed as highly stressful by most people, most of the time. Stress can make you sick — physically, emotionally, or both at the same time. Take responsibility for your personal well being and getting your own needs met. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Sometimes, good caregiving can be overwhelming if you do not take steps to keep yourself in good shape.

Understanding and Identifying the Effects of Stress

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our constantly changing environment. The stress response is a natural chemical reaction that is intended to help us adequately react to extreme situations. It has both physical and emotional effects on us and can create both positive and negative feelings. However, chronic stress (when the stress demand doesn't go away and the stress hormones don't turn off) wears down the body systems.

When you are under stress your muscles contract. Muscle tension can affect your nerves, blood vessels, organs, skin, and bones. Over time, chronically tense muscles can lead to a variety of ailments.

Psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis explains the model of stress as:

• A is an activating event or potentially stressful situation.
• B is your beliefs, thoughts or perceptions about A.
• C is the emotional consequence or stress that results from .holding these beliefs.

Good stress can compels us to action. It can result in a new awareness or a new perspective while bad stress can result in feelings of anger, rejection, distrust, and depression. Stress is a part of everyday life. We cannot eliminate it, but we can learn to manage it. Caregiver stress is the emotional strain of caregiving. Full-time caregiving for a chronically ill person can provoke surprising feelings that can lead to physical and/or emotional problems. It is important to take care of ourselves as we care for our loved-one. Watch for the signs and symptoms of stress that our bodies may be sending.

Do you have any of the common signs of stress?

Stress Journal

Keeping a stress journal will help you focus your efforts and act as a reminder that your stress needs tending to! Print this form and put it in a notebook.