How does psychological help with caring for loved ones help you?
Primarily in preventing loss of strength and maintaining health and stability.
Caring for loved ones at home is emotionally demanding and exhausting in the long term. Especially if they are disabled, elderly family members or people with chronic illnesses. In order not to reduce the quality of life of carers, it is essential to maintain one's own mental health and stability. Psychological support for caring for loved ones is a useful tool for this.
We recommend that you do not be shy about contacting a psychologist. You can arrange a consultation not only when you are already caring, but also when you are still considering care. To avoid running out of energy, we recommend regular sessions. A psychologist is a mental support at such times and helps you to overcome any challenges.
In what specific ways can a psychologist help a carer:
- Identifying the source of stress and strategies for coping with it. Caring for a family member often leads to severe stress and frustration.
- Help with coping with negative emotions. As a caregiver, communication with the ill person affects you and triggers emotional reactions such as sadness, fear, guilt, or helplessness. You need to not only cope with these emotions but also express them.
- Adapting to new circumstances and finding stability. Caring for a loved one often radically changes your role in life and disrupts your sense of stability.
- Self-care and psycho-hygiene. A psychologist can also help you set healthy boundaries and remind you of the importance of taking care of yourself.
- Improving communication within the family. Caring for a loved one affects everyone close to you and has a complex effect on family relationships.
