Signs of Caregiver Burnout

How Family Caregivers Can Recognize Their Own Depression

© Lisa C. DeLuca

May 1, 2008

Caregiver burnout, strain and depression are terms used to describe a physical and emotional condition experienced by people who are caring for ill family members. It is not a sign of weakness, it simply goes with the territory, though it is essential that those who give care take steps to prevent or ease burnout. If left untreated, serious consequences could result.

Warning Signs of Caregiver Depression

• Harmful behavior toward the care recipient. (If this happens even once the caregiver should seek help for him or herself immediately.)
• Unrelenting feelings of sadness or doom.
• Feeling like your life is being stolen from you.
• Crying frequently.
• Being easily angered by, and constantly annoyed at the care recipient.
• Sudden change in eating habits resulting in unwanted weight gain or loss.
• Change in sleeping: inability to fall or stay asleep, or, wanting to stay in bed and sleeping too much.
• Lack of desire to do anything.
• Loss of interest in people and pleasurable activities.
• Feeling worthless and guilty.
• Feeling like nothing you do is good enough.
• Thoughts of death or suicide. (Seek help immediately.)
• Chronic physical symptoms: headache, back pain, etc.
• Panic attacks or continual anxiety.
• Feeling completely overwhelmed with worry about how you will manage.

If caregivers experience two or more of these symptoms, it’s time to take a look at the situation and to begin helping themselves.

Guilt often Prevents Family Caregivers from Getting Help for Burnout

If a person entered an occupation which required them to:

• be on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week;
• interrupted their sleep so they were never rested;
• provided no training but tons of responsibility;
• offered little or no pay and actually cost them money;
• and prevented them from having any free time to themselves;

nobody would judge them as being weak if they suffered burnout, nor would they tell them to stop complaining and snap of it. Yet caregivers judge themselves this way. And they have the added burdens of being worried about their loved one and all of the consequences of illness in a family.

Why Suppressing Feelings Can Contribute to Caregiver Depression

The function of feelings is to alert people that something needs to be changed or addressed. Having guilt about feelings can interfere with this process. People caring for ill loved ones may feel like running away, but just because they feel that way doesn’t mean they should or would do it. Perhaps they would simply like to have a few hours off. People will be judged by their actions, not their feelings, so it is important for caregivers to not let guilt about feelings prevent them from understanding what their feelings are trying to tell them.

While it is true that wallowing in feelings is not helpful for family caregivers who must take action every day, suppressing and ignoring feelings can lead to caregiver burnout because their valuable message is ignored. Instead of wallowing or suppressing, people can think about interpreting their feelings and translating them into positive action that will help them cope with caregiving.

There is no magic cure for the pains of caring for a sick loved one. Chronic illness is indeed sad for the patient and the family members, there is no way to avoid this. Caregiving is extremely challenging and there is no way to deny that. Managing the situation in the healthiest way possible is all that a person can aim for. This includes being alert to the signs of caregiver burnout and seeking out support groups, mental health, or medical care as necessary.

This article is not meant to be personal medical or mental health advice. Anyone experiencing troubling symptoms or behaviors should consult in person with a medical or mental health professional.

Prevent Caregiver Burnout.

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