What is Caregiver Burnout?: 7 Signs and Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout

• Caregiver burnout is the complete physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from caring for a loved one with an illness/​condition over a period of time.

• Caregiver burnout is common and can happen to anyone.

• There are tips, resources, and support groups available to help ease the burden of caregiver responsibilities. 

Caregiver burnout refers to a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion brought on by caring for a loved one. When a person takes on the role of a caregiver due to a loved one’s illness, the responsibility can be overwhelming and potentially have effects on a person’s well-being and mental health. This mental exhaustion caused by the caregiver burden is often due to the prolonged stress from caregiving duties or physical strain from helping a loved one.

Caregiving responsibilities require a great deal from the individuals or family members who take them on, and without proper support and resources, burnout is almost inevitable.

While many caregivers often take on the role out of genuine care and love for an individual, there are several reasons a person may experience burnout, including:

• Lack of support

• Neglecting physical, emotional, and mental health needs

• Not taking adequate breaks or sharing caregiver responsibilities with others

• Role confusion (when a person struggles to separate their role as a caregiver from other roles, such as spouse or child)

• Overwhelming demands, particularly from those who need plenty of hands-on caregiving

• Unrealistic expectations of what caregiving involves and its results

• Refusing help or denying they are experiencing caregiving stress

While burnout sometimes feels like it will happen overnight, it’s usually a gradual process. It may start with emotional numbness and care responsibilities may feel overwhelming. Other common signs include feeling hopeless, trouble sleeping, difficulty staying in touch with social connections, and feeling sad more often than usual. As it progresses, it can lead to physical symptoms, such as high blood pressure or frequent headaches. It may even severely impact the caregiver’s overall quality of life and their ability to provide quality care.

9 Signs and Symptoms of Caregiver Stress and Burnout

There are a few signs of caregiver burnout that a friend or family member may experience:

1. Feelings of depression
2. Feelings of anxiety
3. Avoiding/​pulling away from others
4. Feeling irritable/​resentful
5. Neglecting personal needs
6. Lack of energy
7. Neglecting physical health, mental health, or emotional health
8. Not having enough time to take care of your own health
9. Emotional exhaustion after performing caregiving tasks or attending a loved one’s medical appointments

Learning to cope with caregiver burnout can include:

• Self-awareness: admitting you have caregiver burnout is important, especially so you can receive the proper help and resources to deal with it.

• Asking for help: if you know you are experiencing caregiver burnout, asking for help is crucial. Whether this involves asking for other family members to help with responsibilities, contacting an assisted living facility, or asking for other resources, reaching out for help can alleviate the symptoms of caregiver burnout.

• Getting support: seeking out and joining other caregiver support groups (in person or online) can help you realize you aren’t alone in struggling with caregiver burnout, which can make the feelings easier to manage.

• Take care of yourself: while serving as a family caregiver can be demanding, you have to take care of yourself as well. Ensuring your physical, mental, and emotional needs are met will not only make caregiver burnout less likely but will allow you to be a better caregiver.

If you’re preparing for or have recently started caregiving, there are some tips to keep in mind that can help potentially prevent caregiver burnout.

Setting Realistic Expectations

When deciding to take on the role of caregiver, it can be easy to set unrealistic expectations of what the experience will be. Some realistic expectations include:

• Not always receiving gratitude from your loved one: while they may appreciate you stepping in to care for them, they may struggle to show it at times, especially if they require immense help from you due to their illness. They may struggle with a loss of autonomy which can cause irritability and depression, among other effects. You may not always feel appreciated for the effort and time you put in, which can be difficult.
• Being realistic about their condition/​illness: it makes sense to hope for the best regarding your loved one’s condition and hope for their progress. It’s also important to be fully aware of the statistics and expectations about the condition/​illness and be prepared to provide increased care if things get worse over time. Researching the condition and talking with your loved one’s primary care provider can give you a picture of how the condition may progress.

If they are able, having a conversation with your loved one about what they are expecting from you as a caregiver can help set better expectations. While you may need to negotiate and work out any disagreements you have about what your role is, making it a collaborative experience can make things easier for both of you.

Getting Adequate Support

Many underestimate how vital support can be as a caregiver. Some ways to ensure you have adequate support systems include:

• Seeking out support groups: Do some research to see if there are any caregiver support services or groups in your area (if not, see if there are any suitable caregiver support group options online). Having people who understand the struggles of caregiving responsibilities can help you feel less isolated in the experience.
• Seek support from family and friends: Additionally, it can be beneficial to have a support group of family and friends you can rely on to discuss caregiving issues, vent, or express your emotions in a safe setting.
• Seek out a therapist: If you feel comfortable and you don’t have one already, seeking out a therapist can be a great way to express your feelings, fears, and struggles with someone who can listen and support you.

Taking Care of Yourself

When taking on a caregiver role, it can be easy to set aside your needs to focus solely on your loved one. However, your needs are still important as well. Some ways you can practice self care and offset the emotional toll of being a family caregiver include:

• Staying active: continuing to get regular physical activity, even if it’s as simple as taking a jog on a regular basis, can help you feel better, decrease extreme stress, and keep yourself in good physical shape.
• Eat a healthy diet: eating a well-rounded diet can help you physically and mentally and can ensure you have the strength to care for your loved one.
• Take breaks: while it can be difficult to do so, taking breaks every now and then from caregiving can help ensure you don’t end up burning out. Whether you have another family member step in, hire private care aides, contact assisted living facilities in your area or respite care services for extended breaks, make sure you have options that don’t involve you being the only source of care.
• Take care of your mental health: having a therapist and/​or support group can help you deal with the mental load of caregiving. You can also make time for other activities that can help you relax. Common coping strategies include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, reading, or journaling.
• Know your capabilities: while you may want to do everything for your loved one, you are still one person who has limits. Be aware of what you are and aren’t capable of, and set expectations and find solutions accordingly.

There are helpful resources from local and national organizations that can be extremely helpful to caregivers, whether you are struggling to be an effective caregiver or need information to help in the process.

Family Caregiver Alliance

Family Caregiver Alliance is specifically aimed at helping caregivers. They provide resources and tools to help caregivers in a variety of ways, including tips, connections to support groups, and more.

Note: You can learn more about Family Caregiver Alliance by visiting their website here.

Caregiver Action Network

The Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is a nonprofit that seeks to provide resources and support for caregivers. They provide tips, stories, resources, support chats, and other tools to help caregivers.

Note: You can learn more about CAN by visiting their website here.

National Institute on Aging

The National Institute on Aging provides valuable information to caregivers. They have resources regarding long-term care planning, how to care for someone long-distance, how to care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and more.

Note: You can learn more caregiving tips from the National Institute on Aging on their website here.

Home Health Services

Home health services involve a wide variety of options that suit many household types and budgets from patient and caregiver education to home health aides. These services and community resources can provide several of the same health services that one would receive in a doctor/​hospital setting, making caregiving easier.

Note: To learn more about home health services, you can visit the official Medicare website’s page about it here.

Family Leave Benefits

Some employers offer family leave benefits to caregivers dealing with too much stress. Some state Medicaid programs also have a program where caregivers who feel overwhelmed financially can get paid for their role. Most caregivers who receive some financial aid report a reduction in severe stress, the ability to get enough sleep, and a better caregiving situation. Plus, more financial resources often mean better care for a loved one. 
 

If a primary caregiver, odds are you are already feeling overwhelmed. Taking a few hours to find a mental health professional or support group may only add to caregiver stress, even if it improves mental and physical health in the long run. Fortunately there are some resources for those who want to seek professional help:

• Good Therapy 
• The Recovery Village
• Talkspace

You can also tap into local resources, though this may require you to spend time doing so. Adult day care centers or nursing homes may advertise resources for caregiver mental health problems. And if doctor’s appointments for a loved one are part of your daily routine, ask at the office if they know of any resources.

While not professional help, you may want to look into other ways to reduce stress, such as a meal delivery service, easy ways to eat a balanced diet, and loves ones who can provide emotional support if you feel like a bad caregiver or can help with caregiver responsibilities.