Introduction:
Caregivers are usually divided into two categories -
- Ones who are not paid (i.e. family members, relatives, friends, etc)
- Ones who are paid (i.e. professional caregivers)
When someone acts as a caregiver for a longer period of time he/she feels stressed, overwhelmed. There is a lot of responsibility on a caregiver especially from an emotional perspective.
Signs and Symptoms:
Some of the physical signs of caregiver stress are:
- Frequent Headaches
- Insomnia
- Hypertension
- Weakened immune system
Some of the emotional signs of caregiver stress are:
- Anger, Irritation and Frustration
- Loneliness
- Sadness
- Constant fear about their own health
Causes:
Generally caregiver stress occurs in people if they are taking care of a sick family member/friend for a very long period of time. That's when it starts taking a toll on the care givers health.
The other scenario is one someone is a professional caregiver and has been doing this job for a very long period of time. In that case it not only impacts the person physically but also emotionally.
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