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Being the caregiver of a family member who is seriously ill or disabled can be both rewarding and stressful. Few people who have not done this know how true this is.

On one hand, caring for a loved one gives you a sense of purpose, a feeling of being needed. There is time to share memories, ideas, plans, and get to know each other better. Many relationships that were broken over the years have been repaired. Parents and children have become closer, siblings have abandoned the rivalry they once had, and spouses, even divorced spouses, have renewed the closeness that they let slip away.

On the other hand, stress can rear its ugly head and turn the whole experience into a nightmare. A caregiver who is trying to raise a family, or has a demanding job, will miss a lot of the rewarding part if stress becomes the master.

There is the stress of being confined with the sick person a good amount of the time, often missing out on normal social activities. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can become overwhelming. A common complaint of caregivers is not having enough time to themselves, especially when there is little or no help from others. Financial strain caused from missing a lot of work, loss of the sick person's income, or having to quit an outside job causes worry over how to pay the bills. Medical services that insurance won't cover also add to the strain.

Worry about the patient's condition is another cause for stress. If the condition is continually changing, it may be hard to keep up with new medicines or treatments. If the patient is hard to please, or is demanding, this can also be a big cause of stress. Arguments can break out over almost nothing.

When the caregiver gets stressed, the patient will feel the tension. This can cause a strained relationship between the two. The patient may become depressed because of the hardship he/she is putting the caregiver through.

Stress causes a lot of mental and physical problems for the caregiver. Lack of rest, improper diet, and constant worry are detrimental to the caregiver's health. If the caregivers don't take precautions to guard their health, they may end up needing caregivers of their own.

Learn more about this author, Rebecca Foster.
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