Understanding caregivers’ burnout

Dr. Rijusmita Sarma

(The writer is a counselling psychologist. Can be reached at 8638716076

Caregivers are people who provide physical or psychological care to another person who isn’t capable of helping himself/herself for various reasons like age, declining health, injury, or other debilitating medical conditions. Caregiving can be rewarding and satisfying but can also be exhausting and overwhelming at times.

Caregivers’ burnout is described as a stage of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that is experienced while taking care of someone else. Caregivers’ burnout does not happen immediately but escalates over time. This progression can be understood in three stages:

Stage 1: Honeymoon Period: Caregiving starts with excitement and hope. For the first 16 to 18 months, one aspires to do everything and believes it is possible to do everything required, with consistency and perfection. Caregiving proves rewarding. But as we settle into the routine, the excitement wears off and disappointment seeps in, fatigue sets in, and resources begin to feel thinner.

Stage 2: Increased caregiving challenges: As caregiving becomes more challenging, the caregiver might feel tired and overwhelmed. This stage is characterised by putting in more hours of effort but seeing fewer results, resulting in a sense of hopelessness about caregiving. In this stage, people might develop anxiety, depression, anger towards their loved one, and frequent conflicts with doctors and other family members.

Stage 3: Overwhelmed by depression and despair: In this stage, the symptoms of burnout accelerate as the pressure increases. The changes in the caregiver become clear to others and also to themselves. There could be resentment, physical exhaustion, anxiety, depression, compassion fatigue (unable to feel compassion for the person they care for), a feeling of being trapped, and resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drinking. Another way of discussing caregiver burnout in different stages is as follows: 1. Frustration, 2. Isolation, and 3. Despair.

Some common causes of

caregivers’ burnout are:

n Conflicting demands: The care receiver’s needs are present in addition to the needs of the family, the needs of employers and co-workers, and the needs of the caregiver themselves. Trying to meet the needs of everyone can lead to stress.

n Ambiguity of roles: Sometimes caregivers do not exactly know about their roles and responsibilities in relation to others around them. This confusion and lack of clarity can be a contributing factor.

n Emotional demands in caregiving: The extreme degree of emotional and physical care needed by the care receiver can be overwhelming after a period of time. especially when there seems to be no improvement despite the best efforts put into caregiving.

n Excessive workload: When there is too much to do and there is little assistance around, it can be burdening.

n Lack of privacy: when there is no time to be alone.

Caregivers’ burnout may be presented as:

n Disrupted sleep

n Increased irritability

n Altered eating patterns

n Anxiety and persistent worry

n Inability to experience joy or pleasure

n Loneliness

n Hopelessness

n Social withdrawal

n Physical and emotional fatigue

n Body aches and pains

n Changes in weight and appetite

n Increased headache

n Frequent difficulties with health

n Abuse and neglect of care receiver

n Guilt and low self-esteem

n Decreased self-care

n Suicidal thoughts

What can be done about it?

Some helpful ways of preventing and taking care of burnout are:

n Developing a routine including time for self-care can be helpful. Prioritising one’s physical and mental health, having adequate sleep, eating nourishing food, doing something that the caregiver enjoys, and exercising are crucial.

n Asking for assistance from friends and family can help free up time.

n Connecting to support groups can be helpful. It can be a source of helpful advice and emotional support. It can also be instrumental in reducing or eliminating feelings of isolation.

n Talking to a friend or family member who cares to listen and support can help ease distress.

n Taking breaks can help ease the stress. Breaks can be short everyday breaks, and longer ones for days and weeks can also be considered. Respite care can be relied upon during breaks.

n Practice acceptance can be helpful. Instead of focusing on the ‘whys’ that are not under our control, focusing on things that can be worked upon can be less stressful. Focusing on the ‘Whys’ may lead to self-pity, anger, and blame on others, which can increase the stress.

n Focusing on the positive reasons why the caregiver chose to provide the care can be helpful.

n Breaking bigger tasks into smaller steps can be resorted to. Focusing on the entire week can be overwhelming, but making a to-do list for each day and doing one task at a time can be less stressful.

n If you are a caregiver, acknowledge your efforts, and if you feel discouraged, remind yourself of the ways you are being helpful to your loved one.

n Talking to a professional and discussing how you are feeling can not only help you feel better but also enable you with helpful skills to manage stress in a healthy way.

Caregivers’ burnout is real. A study reveals that 60 percent . of caregivers experience burnout. But this phenomenon is often overlooked. Acknowledging caregivers’ burnout and implementing ways to deal with it can be immensely helpful for maintaining the physical and mental health of the caregiver. This is crucial for both the caregiver and the care receiver. Hence, managing caregivers’ burnout can be considered as an indispensable part of holistic care and management of debilitating physical and mental health conditions.