January 06, 2009

Manage an Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Depression (1)

Depression is very frequent among caregivers. This is because being a caregiver is a largely thankless job, and it is very hard emotionally. Many different feelings come up while you’re caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s, from stress and annoyance, to guilt and anguish. Unluckily, all of those emotions lead down the same road, and that is a road to depression.

To help keep depression at bay, you must first recognize the different signs of it. If you have four or more of the following symptoms, you should visit a doctor. The first trait general among those that are entering depression is irritability. For example, little things that didn’t use to bug you are starting to. Next, the caregiver may start to feel useless; being that besides helping people, there is very little reward in caring for someone. The caregiver may also start to feel really guilty, believing that they’re not doing enough for the patient. The caregiver’s thoughts may become decidedly darker, delving into things such as suicide. Simple motor skills will become more difficult, and sleep will not come. Sleeplessness is present in a few of those who are depressed. A general stupor may come over the caregiver. Activities that previously were very pleasurable for the caregiver, such as sports, will lose all their charm. The caregiver may have difficulty either thinking or concentrating. Finally, as far as exterior changes go, the caregiver’s need to eat may change dramatically, causing their weight to change.

If the caregiver has depression, they should immediately visit the doctor to work out just what is causing the depression – it may not even be related to the Alzheimer’s patient. But then again, the depression could very well be linked. You have to know what you’re dealing with before you can fight it. Once you know what’s causing it, there are a diversity of ways to treat it, which your doctor will know more about.

Nevertheless, there are some things that you can do before depression strikes. These things you can do to keep yourself happy, and keep depression at bay. We’ll talk about it in the next part of the article.

1 comment:

Carol D. O'Dell said...

I liked how you posted the title to this blog--Manage is the key word. I'm not sure that caregivers can avoid some some mild depression. It goes with the territory--lack of sleep, worry, guilt, long hours, dealing with disease and eventually the dying process.

I experienced all of these emotions when caring for my mom who had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's--and you're right, what part was related to caregiving, and what part was just my living?

It does come down to management. Being aware and not letting it go on too long. There's lots of preventative care such as alternative/holistic medicines such as SamE or St. Johns Wort as well as walking, getting outside to absorb those Vitamin D-rays from the sun, prayer, meditation--and friendship are all ways to avoid falling into the deep dark hole of melancholy.

And sometimes, yes, you need to go to your doctor and ask for help.

Your blog post offers great advice!

~Carol O'Dell
author, Motheirng Mother: A Daughter's Humorous and Heartbreaking memoir,
available on Amazon
www.mothering-mother.com