Hello and positive thoughts to everyone on this thread and all readers looking in .
Some carers may find this a worthwhile read. I know that I can relate to much of it myself .It also has links to support services.We all need to acknowledge that we are human sometimes and take care of us.
Positive thoughts and best wishes to everyone
Who cares for the carers?
Nobody ever dreams it could happen to them but one in five Australians will experience mental illness at some stage of their lives. While the majority will recover well and lead full, independent lives, a significant number will need care and support for varying amounts of times. This means hundreds of thousands of family members, unprepared, uninformed and untrained, will become the primary carers of loved ones.
A carer is someone who provides care and support for a parent, partner, child or friend who has a disability, is frail aged, or who has a chronic mental or physical illness. In a recent survey of the 2.3 million carers in Australia, 58% reported that their physical health had been adversely affected, a third said that they had sustained a physical injury as a result of being a carer and over half reported depression, anxiety, high levels of stress and other detrimental effects on their own mental health.
Carers become so used to supporting the vulnerability of others, they find it hard to allow others to see and support the vulnerabilities in themselves. They often experience feelings of loss associated with their caring role, grieving for ‘what could have been’ or ‘what once was’. Mental illness is not like cancer, diabetes, or M.S. With mental illness, people don’t know what to say, or how to respond. They are usually embarrassed or fearful.
Unlike patients hospitalised with a physical ailment, those suffering mental illness never receive visitors. They never receive phone calls, cards or flowers. There are no Red Nose or Daffodil Days for those living with mental illness. Carers constantly feel out of their depth, as if they have lost control of their lives, fighting never-ending battles with officialdom and losing hope easily.
http://livingnow.com.au/articles/issues/who-cares-for-the-carers
The burnout rate in carers is generally high. Burnout goes hand in hand with the job of caring because unlike other means of employment, there are no holidays, no weekends and the pay’s lousy. Burnout is a build-up of sleep deprivation and physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. It spawns feelings of defeat and failure. It involves a loss of self-esteem, self-confidence, self worth and self-image. It creates a gradual loss of identity.
Caregiver Stress & Burnout Tips for Recharging and Finding Balance
The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel you have little control over the situation or you’re in over your head. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind—eventually leading to burnout. When you’re burned out, it’s tough to do anything, let alone look after someone else. That’s why making time to rest, relax, and recharge isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Read on for tips on how to regain balance in your life.
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/caregiver_stress_burnout.htm
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