How not to burn out when caring for a bedridden relative?

Burnout is a common problem among those who care for bedridden loved ones. To avoid it, enough to remember about yourself, but not to immerse yourself entirely in the care of the patient.

Signs of emotional burnout

• A feeling of tiredness and unwillingness to continue;
• Insomnia and constant lethargy, even with a normal amount of sleep;
• indifference;
• disregard for one’s worries and needs;
• aggression toward the patient and increased irritability;
• hyper reaction to minimal problems;
• Inability to relax;
• abuse of alcohol and smoking;
• problems with concentration
• of time to solve personal problems;
• frequent exacerbation of chronic pathologies.

Find helpers

Do not take it upon yourself to care for your bedridden relative. Other family members can also participate and help you. Make a schedule of help, distribute duties, and do everything together. Ask for help, because it is in your best interest. Start small with specific requests. For example, “I don’t have time to pick up my medicine – please do this” or “I need to go to work, please take a relative to the doctor. Gradually they will begin to participate in the care of the sick person. If all relatives are far away and cannot come – hire a nurse. Some volunteers and people can help for a small fee. Don’t think that there is no place to wait for help – there are a lot of kind-hearted people these days. 

Live Your Life

Don’t put yourself off: stay in touch with friends, keep going to school or work, and don’t forget about personal relationships. Because of your routine, every day will be like “Groundhog Day,” and for everyone else, it will continue. Don’t let loved ones lose and forget you. If you are 24/7 living next to someone who is sick – invite your friends over. Your friends all understand and will be happy to meet, even in these conditions. If you are lonely, find like-minded people on the Internet. This is a great way to distract yourself, share experiences, and gain new knowledge. 

Treat Yourself

Make sure you find time at least once a week to do something that gives you joy: watching a film, taking a hot bath, grooming, getting a massage, reading, having dinner with your loved ones, etc. The more often you make yourself happy, the more energy you will have to care for your patient. 

Learn to relax

Try different relaxation practices. These may include yoga or meditation. Sometimes a crash room or something similar can help. There are a lot of ways to do this–choose the one that works for you. Even regular knitting or embroidery takes you away from everyday life and allows you to relax. Find stress-relieving practices online: deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. Apply them several times throughout the day, even five-minute breaks will allow you to completely reset your entire body and mind.

Make time for extended rest

Ask friends, relatives, a caregiver, or volunteers to fill in for a couple of days. Go on a mini-vacation, go to a spa, or just have a party. Any prolonged change of picture, provided you rest your soul and body will allow you to get rid of emotional burnout and reboot. 

Don’t close yourself off in your emotions

Ask your loved ones to listen to you. In no case does not experience everything alone. Even the simple vocalization of his feelings, reduce the overall temperature of emotions. You can also find a support group where people with the same problem meet.