stress

Caring for an ill family member is emotionally taxing. Ever use food for comfort? Sure, we all do. Eating favorite foods is a pleasure! And eating sugary or fatty foods appears to actually calm stress centers in the brain. But it's fleeting comfort. Such "emotional eating" may in fact ultimately add to your stress by leaving you feeling guilty. And it can certainly leave you with a few extra pounds!

For most family caregivers, frustration and guilt are common, as is anxiety. These feelings are normal and reasonable under the circumstances. And it’s not realistic to eliminate negative emotions. Caring for an ailing family member IS emotionally taxing, especially in the case of memory loss. But you can avoid amplifying a downer mood. According to stress and coping research, you can reduce your distress by concentrating on the present moment, the here and now.