Caregiver Burnout: Recognition, Prevention, and Support Resources
Signs of stress, self‑care routines, and community support networks.
Stress has always been aptly named the hidden killer and no where more that in the healthcare field is that more prevalent. Caregivers often in my opinion get overlooked in this regard. Not only does stress lead to burnout for the caregiver, but it also greatly impacts those who need them the most.
When talking about burnout and stress, it can have such a negative tone. People will often tell you silly things like that’s just life, or pull up your bootstraps and keep going, as if there is some magic tunnel or threshold that once broken through will make everything better. We know this isn’t true; stress will impact you, your patients, your family, basically every aspect of life. If you do not take proper steps to help yourself, it will eventually wear you down and possibly even kill you. Now I know that is a harsh thing to say, but it needs to be said. Now I need you to listen to me, I’m going to help, and you are not alone, and we can get through this.
The First step is Recognition
Become self-aware of your feelings. What makes you feel agitated? Is it thought of getting ready in the morning? Is it dealing with intake forms, possibly the interaction with a less-than-enthusiastic co-worker? Maybe you’re taking on too much? Take a step back and figure out that these triggers will go a long way to stopping your burnout.
Signs of stress and common signs of caregiver burnout
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Physical signs
Headaches
Muscle tension
Fatigue
Trouble Sleeping
Emotional Signs
Irritablity
Anxiety
Sadness
Difficulty Concentrating
Next step Prevention
Ok, so you have done the work and now have at least an idea what is leading to your stress, now you need to work on dealing with and preventing it from coming back with a vengeance.
Here are some great examples of things I have found that help me:
I need my rest, I’m basically an angry, grumpy bear without proper sleep. To fix this, I went ahead and made a plan. I said 10 pm is my sleep time. I sat my family down and in not-so-many words, I told them, unless this house is on fire, I’m in bed and out like a light by 10 pm. Of course, at the beginning, I failed, but through adjustments like a sleep mask, earplugs, and some melatonin, I was able to get this stress out of my life. I found myself more like the real me, happy and looking forward to the day.
Maybe you dread the morning commute? How about an awesome playlist from Spotify you can belt out while on your drive? A little Aretha Franklin Respect always makes my day.
How about you taking on too much work? Put your foot down and speak with someone. Talk to that coworker or boss. Let them know how you are feeling. We all have those arguments in our heads, but sometimes others are just oblivious of what is going on.
This one is a personal favorite if you have the chance. Look for a place called a rage room. You basically pay to go into a room and smash things. I know it sounds crazy, but after a tough week, it can be very satisfying and also a great workout.
No matter what you are going through, there are ways to manage that stress to help you live the life you deserve, and I mean that. You deserve to be happy and stress-free.
Here are some great resources you can look into that might help.
https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/living-with/index.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/resources/hlv-20049495?p=1