Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - North Mississippi - (Page 50)

“Keep a calendar; maintain a sense of control over your day. Realize you simply cannot do everything.” Compassion Fatigue Signs and Symptoms: treatments. The unknown gives us insecurity and vulnerability, which can lead to depression and anxiety. If you know what you are dealing with, it’s much easier to face.” Learning to manage your time is another key step in caregiving. “When you become a caregiver, it throws another life into your 24-hour day,” she says. “Keep a calendar; maintain a sense of control over your day. Realize you simply cannot do everything. Prioritize what absolutely has to be done today and focus on that. Put your yoga class on your calendar, and keep it like you would any other appointment.” keep doing everything you were doing before, but in most cases they will completely understand if you just tell them that you are overwhelmed and have to say no.” Before making any decisions, take a step back from the situation and do a self-check. “Ask yourself: ‘Am I caring for myself in this situation?’ You have to realize this is bigger than you, and you have to set priorities for yourself and the person you are caring for. Things that are not in that priority list may have to fall to the wayside for a while.” FigHting Fatigue Compassion fatigue is a term describing a situation when caregivers are expending great amounts of emotional and physical energy to the point that it starts negatively affecting their daily life. “It is the physical, spiritual and emotional fatigue or exhaustion that occurs and causes a decline in one’s ability to experience joy or to feel and care for others,” says Sandra Holmes, Ph.D., Employee Assistance Program coordinator at the NMMC Behavioral Health Center. “It is caused by sharing the ongoing struggles of those you care for.” • exhaustion and emotional numbness • anger • depression • loss of concentration • irritability/impatience • decreased confidence • Headaches • gastrointestinal problems • less ability to feel joy • guilt • negative attitude • Sense of isolation • Sadness • Frustration Setting BoundarieS “Others in your life will have no idea the kind of stress that caregiving can put on you,” Johnson says. “It’s up to you to set boundaries. People may expect you to online “Nine times out of 10 there is a support group, either face-to-face or online, that is specific to what you are going through,” says Joy Johnson of the NMMC Behavioral Health Center. “There are people to connect with so that you don’t have to feel alone. A support group can help encourage you and help you learn new ways to cope.” For a listing of support groups provided by NMMC, visit www.nmhs.net/support_groups.php. Get Help When You Need It 50 Vim & Vigor • W I N TER 2 011 http://www.nmhs.net/support_groups.php

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Getting Back to Life
ACT Now!
Lingering Memories
Accumulating Accolades
Back in Action
Supplementary Knowledge
Keys to Survival
Clearing the Air
Mark Harmon of NCIS fame makes 60 look good
This One’s for the Girls
Life After a Loss
Do Your Diabetes Homework
Healthy Returns
Care for the Caregiver
Gaining Control
Moving Forward
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - North Mississippi