Family Caregiver Stress
Being the primary caregiver in your family can be a rewarding and sometimes stressful, undertaking.
Whether you care for children, elderly relatives, or relatives with physical or intellectual limitations, the responsibilities associated with this role can sometimes become overwhelming and take a toll on your psychological and emotional well being.
Symptoms & signs of family caregiver stress
- Feeling persistently tired and overwhelmed
- Snapping at other loved ones for no reason
- Unmanageable stress
- Feelings of isolation, like you are the only one who cares
- Having negative thoughts about the people in your care
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Depression
- Grief
When is it time to get help?
If your daily activities are difficult to manage, including your paid work – it’s time to seek help. If your other relationships are suffering because of the energy you put into caring for a family member – it’s time to seek help. When you find your life is affected by the stress you are under due to caring for a loved one – it is time to seek help.
Family caregiver treatment methods
There are several treatment methods that effectively deal with this issue including:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
- Person Centered Therapy differs from more traditional therapeutic approaches in the belief that, while the therapist has expertise in many areas, the client is the expert on themselves and their lived experiences. People are essentially trustworthy and have a vast potential for understanding themselves while also being able to ultimately resolve their own problems when guided properly.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy is based on observations and experience, which looks at emotions and emotional intelligence, which helps support stronger and more secure relationships by helping better understand how our actions impact others, and how our emotions drive our interaction.
- Existential Therapy is focused on providing the client with a greater understanding of themselves including self-development, and self-awareness. This therapy works on the individual’s unique set of choices and the meaning behind them, making them know they can’t blame their decisions and the repercussions entirely on past conditioning and/or genetics.
Together with your therapist, you will discuss the best therapy for your unique personality and circumstances.
What will I get out of treatment with Insight Psychological?
The circumstances surrounding your family may or may not change but we can help you work on how you are dealing with the stress and help you to find and implement strategies that may alleviate the stress you are experiencing. We have therapists who specialize in this area and are available for online, telephone or in-person counselling. Contact us to learn more.
