Breaking the Silence: Understanding and Addressing Depression in Adult Caregivers

Many people suffer in silence when it comes to depression because of the unfair stigma surrounding mental health treatment. Adult caregivers – people who are responsible for caring for a parent or loved one with health issues, a disability, or dementia – are even more likely to experience symptoms of depression than the average person. Caregivers often sacrifice their own needs for the sake of their loved one and may feel increased guilt about experiencing depression – even though the process of providing care is incredibly stressful and can take a significant toll on their mental wellness.

What Is Caregiver Depression?

Caregiver depression is feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness, isolation, exhaustion, and even guilt associated with the hard work and commitment necessary when caring for an ailing loved one. Caregiver depression is often ignored and left untreated because the caregiver is too busy focusing on the well-being of their loved one rather than on their own. However, seeking treatment for caregiver depression is essential to effectively care for your loved one – as well as for your own mental health.

Why Caregivers Experience Depression

Stress and burnout: Stress is a major contributor to depression in caregivers – juggling all the work that goes into caring for someone who is ill can wear you out mentally and physically.Most adultshave a full schedule already – work, childcare, and household chores fill up the day quickly. When you add caring for a loved one to the workload, it’s easy to become burnt out, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

Emotional demands: Watching a loved one struggle with an illness or disability can be extremely difficult. Caregivers of older adults with dementia in particular may have a hard time dealing with their loved one’s loss of memory, behavioral issues, or outbursts.

Lack of sleep: The hard work involved in caregiving is often round the clock –many caregivers get very little sleep because the job never ends. A good night’s sleep is essential for good mental health, so lack of rest is certainly a huge cause of depression in caregivers.

Lack of privacy: Caring for a loved one who shares your home might mean a loss of autonomy and privacy. Taking time for yourself is important for mental wellness, which may feel impossible when spending so much time caring for someone.

Depression After Caregiving Ends

Because caregiving is so stressful, you may think you’ll be only relieved when your caregiving duties are over. However, experiencing depression after caregiving ends is also common. You may feel lost, without purpose, or empty. The caregiver role may have been such a large part of your identity that you’re not sure what to do with your life going forward.

If you’re no longer caregiving because your loved one passed away, you will also be dealing with your grief from the loss. It can take a long time to feel like yourself again.

Treating Caregiver Depression

If you’re dealing with caregiver depression, there are many ways to address your symptoms.

Counseling: Mental health counselingis a highly useful tool to treat an array of issues, including caregiver depression. Working with an expert therapist can help you process your feelings and learn effective coping methods to reduce your symptoms.

Medication: Following an evaluation, a psychiatrist may recommend medication to manage your symptoms of caregiver depression and help you on your healing journey. Depending on your symptoms, your psychiatrist may recommend a combination of medication and counseling to treat your depression.

Exercise: Regular exercise can effectively improve moods and boost mental wellness. Physical activity increases what are known as “happy hormones” – dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins – which are responsible for promoting good sleep and mental clarity, lowering stress levels, and helping you feel relaxed and content.

Prayer and meditation: Burnout and stress can weigh heavily on your mental state. Take time each day to yourself to breathe and find solace through meditating or praying. These simple spiritual rituals can go a long way in bringing you inner peace and restoring calm when you’re in an overly stressed state.

Support groups: Caregiver support groups provide a safe space for those dealing with caregiver depression to gather with others who can empathize, offer advice, and share their individual experiences. Knowing that you are not alone in your feelings can go a long way in coping with your depression.

Respite services: The demands of caring for someone else can strain even the most resilient person’s mental wellness. That’s why it’s so critical to have help and the ability to take a break. Respite services, such as in-home health care services or adult day care, can provide temporary relief to burnt-out caregivers so that they can rest and take time for self-care.

Treatment for Caregiver Depression at LiveWell Counseling

Professional mental health treatment may be necessary to recover from caregiver depression. At LiveWell Counseling, our therapeutic counseling center, you’ll receive personalized, compassionate care from your first appointment, customized to treat your individual symptoms of caregiver depression. Your treatment plan may include counseling to talk through your emotions and develop effective coping skills, medication to help alleviate your symptoms, or a combination of both. To learn more about how LiveWell Counseling can help you, please call (201) 848-5800 or visit ChristianHealthNJ.org/LiveWell-Counseling.