Empathy

Empathy: Identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives.
Source: Dictionary.com

Because you care, you have the ability to feel for your care recipient; you are empathetic to your care recipient’s pain, mourning, frustration and fear. You feel your care recipient’s longing for a life without an illness or disability, the longing for a life that’s full of trips in the car, outings with friends, visits with family members.

Your empathy allows you to provide loving care. But, it also can lead to greater depression, more anxiety and intense anxiety. Feeling for two can be downright awful.

When you tell your story, include the story of your care recipient’s feelings and how those feelings affect you. Talk about your care recipient’s heartbreaks, longings, fears. And, talk about your sadness and depression. Share this story with an empathetic support system so that these feelings comfort, rather than haunt, you and your care recipient. Suppressing the emotions increases their intensity and their hold over you and your care recipient. Sharing them brings the tears that heal.

Related articles

• Can You Be Successful in Your Caregiving Role? (caregiving.com)

Tags: bad days, depression, losses, self-care