Take Care Of Yourself To Take Care Of Others

It is not easy to take care of another person. Taking care of someone is not an easy task and takes time, dedication, effort and responsibility. When someone’s well-being depends on you, the energy invested and time spent can be exhausting. 

Very often, and without realizing it, those who take care of another person leave their life and health aside to dedicate themselves totally to this new task. When taking care of someone, we often forget the most important thing: taking care of yourself.

Anyone who devotes part of their time to caring for others should have adequate support and take care of their health. Taking time for yourself is essential.  

Accept the inevitable

Just as a person does not become independent overnight, neither does he become a “keeper” overnight. When a family member begins to have problems, there is an adaptation process by which the person who will care for them in the future adapts to their new role.    

He usually goes through several phases of adaptation to this new situation. During the first stage, the person in question does not accept that a family member needs help with daily activities. There comes a time, however, when the difficulties are so evident that we cannot continue to deny the reality.

Once the person has accepted that a loved one needs assistance, they will start looking for information: what disease they suffer from, what it entails, what care they need, etc. Usually during this phase there are feelings that are difficult to bear, such as sadness, guilt, anger or frustration.

Little by little, new responsibilities are assumed  and time and resources are organized according to the person in need of care. Those who take care of a loved one begin to adapt, more or less, to this new phase of life.   

Adapt to change

When someone takes care of a loved one, they see their life change.  The new situation may involve changes in family, work, personal relationships and even physical and mental health.

It is likely that you will feel guilty and experience an immense feeling of loneliness. Often you distance yourself from others, which accentuates negative feelings.

When exhaustion consumes

By caring for another person, you end up neglecting yourself and as a result the first symptoms appear that indicate that something is going wrong. It is important to pay attention to the warning signs in order to remedy the situation. 

Some of the symptoms that indicate that you have reached your limit are as follows:

• Feeling sleepy or tired continuously:
• Feeling alone and abandoned;
• Excessive medication intake;
• Frequent mood changes and increased irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Problems at work.

To take care of someone, you must first take care of yourself

It is essential to take care of yourself if you want to best assist another person. These are just some of the habits that will help you maintain physical and mental balance:

• Rearrange your time

  – Prioritize your tasks and your activities. Give yourself time to rest, because it is essential that you also dedicate time to yourself.

• Take care of your rest

  : Get enough sleep and try to do some relaxing activities before going to sleep. Look for moments during the day when you can take a break and rest.

• Lead a healthy life

  : Moderate exercise and balanced nutrition will help you feel good about yourself, conserve energy and release emotional tensions.

• Express your feelings

  : it is essential to express what you feel, both positively and negatively. Positive feelings bring us closer to others and create a comforting environment. On the other hand, the negative ones help us to prevent them from accumulating and causing us suffering.

• Maintain your social relationships

  : friends and family are fundamental pillars for personal well-being. Ask for help if you feel the need, call these people to tell them how you are and avoid isolating yourself, as well as the feeling of feeling trapped.

When someone has been taking care of another person for a long time, they can reach a state of exhaustion from which it is difficult to escape. If your pace of life overwhelms you, ask for help. Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others without ruining your life.