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4 Questions to Ask Yourself if You’re Not Sure You’re Experiencing Caregiver Stress

Caregiver in Duluth GA

Stress and burnout are common problems that you might face as a family caregiver. The dilemma is that stress is sneaky and it works on you while you’re busy going through your life and doing the things that you need to do. If you’re not sure whether you’re overly stressed or not, try asking yourself these questions.

Are You Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed?

It’s one thing to feel overwhelmed now and again; that’s a regular part of having a busy life. But if you’re waking up, going to sleep, and spending all day long feeling overwhelmed, then that’s a sign of bigger problems. You might not even notice at first that you are feeling overwhelmed so often, but you would still be feeling the effects. Journaling your feelings can help you to identify the feeling of overwhelm before it takes over.

Do You Have Physical Symptoms?

Stress often manifests as physical problems, but it can do so with different results in different people. Maybe you’re having aches and pains more frequently than you used to in the past. Some people develop chest pains or difficulty breathing. Still others find that their immune system becomes compromised and then end up with colds or other illnesses far more often than they used to. Start examining any physical symptoms you’re experiencing and determine whether they can be chalked up to stress. Talk with your doctor to help you get to the root of the matter.

Are You Having Trouble Concentrating?

When you’re really stressed, it’s difficult to make decisions and to keep your eye on the prize. If you’re finding that you’re having a tough time with concentration, stress could be your cause. Pay attention to tasks that have typically been easy for you. If those are more difficult than they should be, it’s time to lower your stress levels.

How Long Has it Been Since You Saw Your Friends?

When you’re busy, you don’t think about how long it’s been since you saw your best friend or just had an evening out. As you become more and more stressed, though, you have less energy for those types of activities and it’s extremely common to begin isolating yourself. At first it’s because you only have so many hours in the day, but then it becomes a situation in which you fear that you have nothing in common anymore and you feel left out. Make the effort to reconnect with your friends and you may be surprised how much they’ve missed you.

Recognizing the signs of stress you might be experiencing helps you to solve the problem before it becomes something much bigger.

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