Fighting overwhelm can be overwhelming! Three months ago, we ran an article with a Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire. In taking the Self-Assessment, we learned that overwhelm is a problem in the life of a caregiver. As a caregiver, you must learn how to overcome overwhelm. This article offers a few suggestions.
To be overwhelmed is to feel paralyzed, powerless, and incapable of changing our circumstances. Becoming a caregiver happened in a second. We didn’t ask for or plan for it; everything in our lives changed. Helplessness is dangerous because it encourages us to give up before the fight. Feeling there is no way up or out is not reality.
The caregiver can navigate all the changes, emotions, and uncertainty. They can reduce the feelings of overwhelm and start to see the future. Don’t let your emotions hold you back from action.
- Take life one step at a time. What is the next best step right now? Sometimes that is all that matters.
- Break down big tasks into smaller steps. No one can eat a hamburger in one bite.
- Keep a caregiver journal to track everything you are trying to remember. Here is a link that explains how to set one up: Caregiver Journal.
- Think back to other troubled times in your life. How did you deal with the situation? Can any of those skills be used today?
- Join a support group in person or online. The Suncoast Aphasia Support Group meets in person, and the Co-Survivor Support Group is online. Both are great places to hear from others who understand your path and can offer support and suggestions. See when the next time these support groups meet at the Aphasia Community Center Calendar.
- Do you know someone that has been a caregiver? Sometimes that person is right beside you, and you don’t know. They would understand and be able to offer support.
- See a therapist. Sometimes, talking to someone with a clear and unbiased view of your challenges feels good.
Click to revisit the Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire.
Click to read the first article in the series: Healthy Habits.
Click to read the second article in the series: Stress Relief.
