Mental Health and the Caregiver: What to Do to Help Yourself
Mental health is the state of our wellbeing in terms of how we think, feel, and socialize with others. It says a lot about how we handle stress and even how we make choices.
Mental health is important to feel good about oneself and to appreciate life and the world in general. It helps makes sense of life’s purpose and drives one to deal with the challenges of everyday life. In short, we need to be healthy mentally, emotionally, and socially to survive and flourish.
Many things can negatively affect a caregiver's mental health. Below is a list of some of those factors. Which of these apply to you?
1. Stress and burnout
2. Aggression and violence in the workplace
3. Heavy workload
4. Personal problems
The next question is, how severely are you affected, and how do you cope?
There are many signs that your mental wellbeing is compromised. If you find that your thoughts and emotions make you lose focus in caring for your patients and you commit many errors, this is a red flag.
Do a self-check of how stressors impact your physical health as well as your relationships at work and home. Do you have thoughts of harming yourself or others? Also, if you feel depressed and hopeless for weeks on end, it’s time to pay serious attention to your mental health.
What you can do to cope
1. Take care of yourself physically.
Eat well. Ensure a good night's rest. This move could be a struggle in itself because some mental conditions, such as depression, affect appetite and sleep. Bear in mind that you are still in control of your body, and giving it what it needs will keep you in shape and you’ll be able to cope better. Love yourself more this way.
2. Reach out to others.
Choose someone you can trust - a friend, a colleague, or your significant other, and talk about your feelings. Being open about what you feel isn't a sign of weakness.
On the other hand, it is a sign of maturity. It provides relief. It also helps point you in the right direction – of what to do next. If you have no one to talk to, there are groups that offer support online and in person. Avoid pre-judging someone’s ability to make a difference in your life.
3. Don’t lose your logic and self-control.
Toxic situations are poison to mental health. If you have a choice, stay away from senseless confrontations and arguments. Better reserve your energy for uplifting activities. When people are mean to you, practice self-control and remain reasonable. Losing it can make you act on impulse and do more damage.
4. Do things that recharge you and make you happy.
This is perhaps the best way to help yourself to be mentally healthy. Perk up your happy hormones. Surround yourself with cheerful people who will inspire and motivate you. Connect with your loved ones. Go and spend time in your happy place. Whatever you do, don’t stop loving yourself.
5. Alcohol and drugs are never a solution.
Alcohol and drugs cloud your thoughts so that you tend to make bad decisions. Others may say that it can probably mask hurtful and gloomy feelings but it will not definitely make your problems go away.
6. Your patients are still the priority.
As a caregiver, your focus should always be to take care of your patients. Your mental state should never put them in harm’s way.
7. Seek professional help.
When your thoughts and emotions are out of control, and you can't get ahold of yourself, talk to a professional. This step is not admitting that you've lost to your circumstances. It's a concrete way of coping.
Caregiver or not, your mental health does not always stay the same. There will surely be highs and lows in the course of your life. But when you feel down and gloomy, always pick yourself up and tackle whatever challenge life throws at you. And if this proves difficult, remember that there is hope. There is help.
