Being a caregiver can be one of the most rewarding jobs out there. It can also be one of the most underappreciated. Caregivers are often the people who will push aside their own wants and needs so they can give someone else their full and undivided attention.
A caregiver’s day-to-day responsibilities consist of caring for and planning to care for another person. This schedule sometimes leaves little to no room for tending to their own wants and needs.
Stress and anxiety are common in this role due to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. Caregivers often experience feeling overwhelmed, changes in their eating and sleeping habits, body aches and pains, and feeling irritable. Let’s explore some of the ways adult caregivers can manage anxiety and take care of their own health.
Put Yourself First
Putting yourself first is often easier said than done, especially when a majority of your time and energy has been dedicated to the wants and needs of someone else. But it’s never too late to start putting yourself and your overall mental health and wellness first again.
You can’t expect to fill someone else’s cup if yours is completely empty. Prioritize your own self-care by maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet, aiming for at least seven hours of sleep each night, and engaging in regular exercise for at least thirty minutes each day.
Practice Mindfulness
A lot of anxiety actually stems from worrying about past actions or events that you’re unable to change or future events that haven’t even occurred yet. You can help bring your body and mind back to the present moment through the help of mindfulness techniques. These techniques include activities like completing a body scan, deep breathing, listening to music, meditation, and yoga.
Lean on Your Loved Ones
Anxiety can feel lonely and isolating. The signs and symptoms that come with anxiety may even cause you to withdraw from loved ones or activities that you previously enjoyed. Self-isolating from other people might feel like it’s safer at first, but we all need the support of others.
As a caregiver, you spend a lot of your energy caring for other people. It can be easy to forget, but you deserve the same support that you offer to the people you care about. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
You show up for your friends and family, so let them do the same for you. Let your loved ones know the best way that they can support you. This could mean just hanging out with you, being a healthy distraction from your thoughts and feelings, or diving deeper and trying to help you better manage how you’re feeling.
Avoid Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
A lot of unhealthy coping mechanisms appear to offer a quick fix. It can be tempting to gravitate toward these short-term solutions when you just want to feel better as quickly as possible. This can easily lead to consuming things like caffeine, alcohol, or drugs as a way to provide temporary relief.
Unfortunately, these unhealthy coping mechanisms can actually lead to worsening signs and symptoms. Plus, this behavior can turn into a vicious cycle that can become difficult to break.
Professional Support Can Help
You can’t keep dismissing your true thoughts and feelings, no matter how uncomfortable they may be to deal with. Struggling with anxiety isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to care for someone else. But you’re only human. You’re not expected to have all of the answers in life or be at your best every day of the week.
A mental health professional can provide a safe and secure space for you to talk openly and freely about what you’re experiencing. Reach out today to learn more about how anxiety therapy and working with us can help you better manage anxiety.
