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Caregiving is filled with many emotions. Rayna Neises, ACC, your host, talks with Laura Beth DeHority, a Licences Marriage and Family Therapist, who specializes in supporting caregivers. Emotions are a big part of caregiving but often a silent part. Laura Beth shares about the many emotions experienced by caregivers and what anticipatory grief looks like.
Primary Emotions:
- Fear- of present, past, and future
- Anger- the most passionate of the caregiver emotions
- Guilt- caused by thoughts that you haven't done enough for your loved one
- Doubt and Confusion- irrational thoughts that are the outgrowth of fear, powerlessness, overwhelm, and guilt.
- Bargaining- a tool used to move past the guilt
- Isolation and Abandonment- feeling all alone, though you aren't
- Overwhelm- exhausted and lost the ability to ask for or receive help
- Despair- sudden waves of pain, fear, and overwhelm
- Crisis of Identity-feeling confused as to your purpose, your passion and who you are as a person
- Resentment-a feeling of unfairness or irritation at the situation
- Denial- avoiding the pain and disappointments involved in caregiving
Anticipatory Grief
- The loss of hope due to the ramification
- The stages are the same as other grief
Components of healthy grieving
- Spiritual time
- Physical activity
- Focused/ productive time
- Active playtime
- Inactive downtime
- Connection with supportive people
