Many caregivers experience chronic stress, yet have enough resources to not descend into full-blown burnout.
In this case, parents and caregivers are often lulled into thinking:
I can push through this. What choice do I have anyway?
This will never change. Why bother anyone?
Others have it worse than me. I can’t complain.
Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, these untrue thoughts are convincing liars. Our brains believe them because we are tired, we are stressed, and our energy to fend off those nasty little boogers is depleted.
Chronic stress has serious negative consequences on our physical and mental health, our relationships, and our parenting styles. An estimated 20% of caregivers experience depression, and in certain subsets the percentage is much higher.
In the next few posts, we’ll look at specific consequences of chronic stress as well as strategies to overcome it. Stay tuned!
Want to talk? Reach out at Meredith@MeredithMDangel.com or 919-442-8546.
Not local and need a counselor? Try Psychology Today or Therapy Den to find your perfect match. If you need immediate help, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or text CONNECT to 741741.