I
f you're helping a loved one get through cancer treatments, or live day-to-day with dementia, as examples, you are a “caregiver.” You may not think of yourself as a caregiver. You
may see what you’re doing as something natural—taking care of someone you love. There are different types of caregivers. Some are family
members, while others are friends. Every situation is different. So there are different ways to give care, and there is vast informa- tion available to help with that But the purpose of this article is
Transpersonal Hypnosis for Mind, Body, Spirit
Smoking Cessation, Weight Management,
Sleep Improvement, Sports Improvement, Situational Stress, Gain Self-Control, Memory Enhancement, Fears, Apprehensions, Past Life Regression, Spiritual Awareness, Set Goals
Robert M. Merlin, BA, BCH,CI, LBLT, PLRT, MHT
• Consulting Hypnotist • Board Certified Master Hypnotist
• Board Certified NGH Instructor • Board Certified in Past Life Regression
Merlin Centre for Hypnosis & Enlightenment Inc. 1403 Sunset Dr., Suite B • Greensboro
336-275-0702
www.merlincentre.com 22
rmmerlin@merlincentre.com NaturalTriad.com
to focus on you and your needs. Caregiving can mean helping with day-to-day activities such
as doctor visits or preparing food. But it can also be long-distance, coordinating care and services for your loved one by phone or email. Caregiving can also mean giving emotional and spiritual support. You may be helping your loved one cope and work through the many feelings that come up at this time. Talking, listening, and just being there are some of the most important things you can do. Giving care and support during this challenging time isn’t
always easy. The natural response of most caregivers is to put their own feelings and needs aside. They try to focus on the person with cancer and the many tasks of caregiving. This may be fine for a short time. But it can be hard to keep up for a long time. And it’s not good for your health. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of others. It’s important for everyone that you give care to you.
Coping with Your Feelings You’ve probably felt a range of feelings as you care for your
loved one. They can be quite strong and may come and go as you go through treatment with the patient. Many caregivers describe it as being “like a rollercoaster.” You may feel sad, afraid, angry, and worried. There is no right or wrong way to feel or react. These feelings are all normal. You may relate to all of the feelings listed below, or just a
few. You may feel them at different times, with some days being better than others. It may help to know that other caregivers have felt the same way that you do. One of the first steps in coping with feelings is torecognize that they exist and that having them is normal. Try to give yourself time to understand and work through your range of emotions.
Anger. Many caregivers say they often feel angry with them-
selves, their family members, or the patient. Sometimes anger comes from feelings that are hard to show, such as fear, panic, or worry. Or it may come from resentment of all that you’re going
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