Dealing with stress
About stress
Experts say that short periods of stress in our daily lives are actually good for us. Continual stress, however, can cause health problems, which may not always appear to be stress related and can not only affect you, but also those closest to you, not least the one you're caring for. As a carer you are in a situation that can be a constant cause of stress – there are many additional responsibilities and frustrations for you to cope with, so feelings of anger and hopelessness are not uncommon.You should try to be aware of and identify any symptoms of stress you may experience. It may be unusual behaviour such as overreacting to situations, a short temper, shouting at people or a constant feeling of being unable to cope. Lack of appetite, poor sleeping patterns and headaches are other typical reactions to stress. For carers in particular, stress is usually mental or emotional rather than physical and the effect is that the body is constantly 'keyed up', sometimes without any physical activity as a release (see our exercise section for help relieving stress).
Stress is not only harmful to your health and wellbeing – it can also harm relationships – so it is vital to identify the causes of stress and address them as soon as possible. The problem is often that the cause of stress may not always be the most obvious, and there is often more than one. You could be worried about money, the future, read more
