Being a caregiver is not easy. Caregivers usually end up giving close to all their time helping their loved ones with their daily life struggles. As rewarding as it can be to care for someone important to you, it can also become a problem very quickly if you find that your own wellbeing is not being cared for.
According to Hugues Joublin anywhere between 40-70% of caregivers exhibit symptoms of depression.
Why Caregivers Can Experience Depression by Hugues Joublin
Depression can be a result of a number of things, so there is no specific reason why caregiving can cause depression.
Less Sleep
A part of this could be the lack of sleep – when you are stressed and have a lot of things on your plate, you may not be able to get enough rest which is more likely to add to depression. Hugues Joublin says that even if you feel like you are sleeping well, if you’re not sleeping enough, it could still result in depression.
Social Life
Being busy with caregiving at all times also means that your personal life will be impacted, including your social life. Caregiving is not easy, and can get very demanding. If you think your social life is being affected, this can also add to depression because you are not getting enough interaction with others.
Juggling Personal Responsibilities
Many caregivers – especially those who care for their families – are also juggling their own personal responsibilities alongside. That is, people will have jobs and children to care for, and may end up struggling to keep up with the duties of all the roles they play in life. Hugues Joublin explains that if any of these things start butting heads, you may end up feeling like you don’t have control over your life anymore.
Hugues Joublin Explains How to Manage Depression
Managing depression that stems from caregiving as soon as you start feeling like you may be exhibiting some symptoms is very important. It’s essential to nip it in the bud so it doesn’t grow and become a bigger problem.
In case of caregivers, many feel like even when they are at their lowest, their responsibilities cannot be neglected which can make the problem worse.
It’s important that if you feel like you are struggling, you get help as soon as possible. Hugues Joublin explains that at the end of it, your caregiving capabilities may also be affected so it’s necessary to get professional help. You can also ask for someone to take over your duties for a while, so you can get some time to yourself to handle your personal obligations and social life.
Taking time for yourself is needed to rejuvenate yourself. Also make sure to care for your physical health. Depression and physical health can have a mutually destructive relationship, so you should make an effort to care for your body. Eat healthy, drink enough water, get enough sleep and exercise. While this won’t rid you of the problem entirely, it can help manage the symptoms better.