We have talked about the signs and symptoms of caregiver stress. Now, some handy hints on what to do to help alleviate that stress for you so you can be more efficient in your caregiver role.
Life is stressful! The American Psychological Association (APA) does routine sampling to assess stress levels in America. The name of the paper is “Paying with Our Health”. The APA notes that financial concerns are a major stressor for Americans, but regardless of one’s socioeconomic status, there is stress.
We are never completely stress-free. There is eustress in our lives every day. This is good stress. If we did not have eustress, we would have no reason to get up each day. It keeps us motivated and working toward our life goals. It's when the stress becomes distress that it impacts our well-being. Distress is bad stress, and an online dictionary uses these words to describe it: anguish, suffering, pain, torment, upset. Strong words and feelings and they impact our ability to live in peace with ourselves and our world.
10 ways to handle distress include:
1. Recognizing and admitting you are in a state of distress
2. Practice relaxation – brings your body and mind back into balance Check out this website for more information on relaxation.
3. Use technology as a tool - search the internet for information
4. Be physically active every day – take a short or long brisk walk
5. Manage your time – make a list and stick to it
6. Practice positive thinking – at the end of each day think about all of the positive things that happened
7. Write in your journal – this helps define the problem and get it out for you to work on
8. Plan fun activities – things you enjoy are unique to you, make sure you do something for yourself every day
9. Seek out a professional resource – sometimes we just need help to see our options
10. Ask for help – you do not have to do it alone there are others that are willing and able to lend a hand
The stress is not going to go away, but we can do a better job of managing it rather than allowing it to manage us. Being a caregiver is one of the most loving things we can do for someone we care about. However, it is not easy. Please contact me if you need further information or advice regarding managing your caregiver stress.