Take Care Of Yourself To Take Care Of Others

It is not easy to be responsible for the care of another person. Caring for someone is a difficult task and requires a lot of time, dedication, effort and responsibility. When another person’s well-being depends on you, the energy and time you put into it will begin to consume you.

In many cases, caregivers begin to set aside their own health and their own lives to meet their new responsibilities — even without being fully aware of it. Sometimes when taking care of others, people forget the most important thing: taking care of themselves.

People who devote part of their time to caring for others should receive adequate support and attention to their own health. Taking care of yourself and setting aside time for yourself is essential.

Approval of the necessary

Just as people do not become dependent on others overnight, they also do not become caregivers overnight. When a family member begins to have problems, an adjustment process takes place, through which the future caregiver begins to assume his or her new role.

He usually goes through a few steps before adapting to a new situation. In the first stage, it is normal for him or her to deny that a family member needs help with their daily activities. But there will come a time when the problems are so obvious that it is impossible to continue to deny the new reality.

Once a person has accepted that their loved one needs help, he or she begins to look for information: what illness the loved one is suffering from, how it is progressing, what kind of treatment he or she needs, etc. At this point, it is normal to experience emotions that are difficult to deal with, such as sadness, guilt, anger and frustration.

He gradually begins to assume his new responsibilities and organizes his time and resources according to the needs of the person in need of care. Caregivers tend to adapt more or less to this new stage of life.

Adapting to change

When a person becomes a caregiver, his or her former life begins to change. The new situation can bring changes to family, work, relationships, and physical and mental health.

The caregiver is likely to begin to feel guilty, thinking he or she is not doing his or her job well, or feeling extremely lonely. Caregivers also often become isolated from others, which can exacerbate negative emotions.

Not all changes are negative. While the experience is difficult, fighting for another can help you discover new things about yourself or another person that you didn’t know existed before, and help you grow as a person.

When exhaustion eats

When you start neglecting yourself after taking care of another person for a while, it starts to show. It is important to pay attention to the warning signs so that problems can be solved when they occur.

Signs that you are at the breaking point include:

• Constant fatigue or exhaustion.
• Feeling of loneliness or isolation.
• Increased use of drugs or addictive substances.
• Recurrent mood swings and increased irritability.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Problems at work.

To take care of another, you have to take care of yourself

It is essential to take care of yourself so that you can take care of someone else. Here are some ways that can help you maintain physical and mental balance:

• Rearrange your time: prioritize your tasks and organize your activities. Leave space for moments of rest, as it is very important to dedicate time to yourself as well.
• Get plenty of rest: get enough sleep and do something relaxing before bed. Look for moments during the day where you can stop and rest.
• Stay Healthy: Moderate exercise and a balanced diet will help you feel good, save energy, and release mental pressure.
• Express your feelings: It is important to express your own feelings, both good and bad. Positive emotions bring you closer to others and create a pleasant environment. Expressing negative emotions, in turn, prevents the accumulation and suffering of negativity.
• Maintain your relationships: Friends and family are the cornerstones of personal well-being. Ask them for help if needed, call them to tell you how you can and avoid the feeling of being isolated and trapped.

After taking care of someone else for a long time, some people drift into exhaustion into deep blood that is hard to escape. If the rhythm of your life overwhelms you, ask for help as soon as possible. Take care of yourself so you can take care of another life without spending yours.