What Can You Do to Reduce Negative Thoughts as a Caregiver?
Negative thoughts can do a number on you as a caregiver. They can cause you to second-guess yourself constantly and to believe that you’re not the right person to be helping your aging adult.
Elder Care in Villa Hills KY: Reduce Negative Thoughts
Notice When the Thoughts Are Popping Up
If negative thoughts are only popping up in certain situations, you might find it easier to nip them in the bud. These types of negative thoughts might lie in just the skills involved in that situation. Improving those skills can sometimes eliminate the thoughts. If you’re getting negative thoughts all the time or in most situations, though, that’s a bigger issue.
Assess How You’re Feeling When Negative Thoughts Take Over
Some negative thoughts might be associated with specific emotions, such as frustration, anger, or even shame. If you can work out the emotions that you’re experiencing when you’re having these thoughts, you can start to get to the root of the issue more quickly. Try taking a quick timeout and just ask yourself how you’re feeling when it happens.
Immediately Halt the Thought
The benefit to stopping and asking yourself how you’re feeling right away is that you’re stopping that negative thought in its tracks and derailing it. If you already know how you feel, you might skip over that part, which might leave the thought room to grow. Should that happen, immediately distract yourself with something else.
Replace it with Something Positive
The best distraction that you can use is a positive spin on that topic. For instance, if you’re berating yourself because you’re not getting everything done, try to figure out why you’re feeling that way. Remind yourself that you’re one person and that it’s normal to need help for big tasks. Hiring elderly care providers can give you the space that you need to have the time and the energy to do more.
Stick with It
This is very definitely a process. There’s no timeframe for when you’re going to be completely free of negative thoughts. The more consistent you are with yourself, the easier it will be for you to break this habit, though. Take your time and remember to be gentle with yourself.
When you’re continually experiencing negative thoughts, you’re not putting your energy where it really needs to be. Part of being effective as a caregiver involves responding to situations quickly and appropriately. Allowing negative thoughts to take over definitely isn’t appropriate because it erodes your self-esteem.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Elder Care in Villa Hills, KY, please contact the caring staff at Queen City Elder Care today. Serving Cincinnati and Surrounding Communities. Call Us Today (513) 510-4410.
Michele Vollmer is a visionary leader who is perpetually searching for ways to improve, so to remain at the leading edge of the home care industry.She has served in the healthcare industry since 1989, including pharmaceutical and home health sales, as well as hospice sales and sales management.
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