Simply put, being a caregiver can be hard. Worrying about your child going off to daycare or school, fearing that a cough will soon be followed by an asthma flare-up, being exhausted from staying up at night caring for your child, or feeling helpless about how you can help your child feel better can add up and can take a toll.
The Many Roles of Caregivers
Caregiving is more than a single role. It can involve many types of roles, each with a different set of responsibilities and skills. If your child with asthma is older and you have been a caregiver for a while, you may recognize yourself in these “job titles.” If you are newer to caring for a child with asthma, you may find it useful to see the diversity of caregiving tasks so you can begin to consider your approach and get support where needed.
Signs of Caregiver Stress22
As a parent or caregiver, you may be so focused on your child’s health that you do not realize how their asthma is affecting your own health and well-being. Signs of caregiver stress include:
- Feeling burdened or worrying all the time.
- Feeling tired often.
- Sleeping too much or not enough.
- Gaining or losing weight.
- Becoming easily irked or angry.
- Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy.
- Feeling sad.
- Having frequent headaches or other pains or health problems.
- Misusing alcohol or drugs, including prescription medicines.
- Missing your own medical appointments.
Too much stress over time can harm your health. As a caregiver, you might feel depressed or anxious. You might not get enough sleep or physical activity. Or you might not eat a balanced diet. All of these increase your risk of health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Caring for Yourself
- Join a support group. People in support groups know what you’re dealing with. They can cheer you on and help you solve problems. A support group also can be a place to make new friends.
- Seek social support. Stay connected to family and friends who support you. Make time each week to visit with someone, even if it’s just a walk or a quick cup of coffee.
- Be kind to yourself.
Being kind to yourself builds the foundation for self-care. Self-compassion means giving yourself credit for the tough, complex work of caregiving, stepping away from the self-critical, harsh inner voice, and allowing yourself time — even if it’s just a few minutes a day — to take care of yourself. - Practice simple breath awareness for 10 minutes a day. One of the simplest deep relaxation techniques is breath awareness. Information about breath awareness, paced breathing, and other breath techniques is available in The Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga. Here is one you can try:
- Find a comfortable seated position on a chair or cushion.
- Close your eyes and begin to notice your breath.
- It is common to have distracting thoughts come and go, but just let them pass, and gently bring your attention back to your breath.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose for five counts, hold and pause for five counts,* and exhale for five counts.
- Continue for 10 minutes.
22Mayo Clinic. Caregiver stress: Tips for taking care of yourself. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784