How Does Family Burden Affect Psychological Well-Being of ...

Family burden is a term that encompasses all of the challenges that may exist for an individual who lives with someone who has experienced a ... Home> < GoodTherapyBlog> HowDoesFamilyBurdenAffectPsychologicalWell-BeingofCaregivers? HowDoesFamilyBurdenAffectPsychologicalWell-BeingofCaregivers? April12,2013•ByAGoodTherapy.orgNewsSummary Familyburdenisatermthatencompassesallofthechallengesthatmayexistforanindividualwholiveswithsomeonewhohasexperiencedasignificantillness,particularlyalong-termillness.Eveniftheillnessdoesnotrequirethatthefamilymemberprovidecarefortheirlovedone,theemotionaltollthattheillnesscanhaveonthefamilyispartoftheoverallburden.Additionally,anycaregivingresponsibilitiesandfinancial,relational,andpersonaleffectsareconsideredpartoffamilyburden.Becausefamilycaregivingisbecomingincreasinglypopularandmoreindividualsarelivingforlongerperiodswithphysicalandmentalillnesses,itisimperativetounderstandhowfamilyburdenaffectsthecaregiversandevensignificantotherswhodonothavetoprovidecare.Therefore,EdelEnnisoftheSchoolofPsychologyattheUniversityofUlsterintheUKrecentlyconductedastudythatexploredtherelationshipbetweenfamilyhealth,familyburden,andparticipantpsychologicalwell-being. Ennisconsideredthetypeofillness,notingthatsomeillnessessuchasbipolar,dementia,andAlzheimer’sareparticularlyemotionallytaxingonfamilymembers,therelationshipbetweentheparticipantandillfamilymember,maritalstatus,income,andgender.Afterexaminingover3,000participants,Ennisfoundadirectanddistinctrelationshipbetweenfamilyburdenandindividualmentalhealth.Specifically,thehighertheperceivedfamilyburdenwas;theworsethepsychologicalwell-beingoftheparticipant.Forwomen,highfamilyburdenwasrelatedtoincreasedriskfordepression.Formenandwomen,lowincome,andsinglehoodwereriskfactorsforincreasedstressandpoormood.Ennisbelievesthatlimitedfinancesandlackofotherpeopleinthehometoprovidesupportcouldexplainthisfinding. Oneresultthatwasunexpectedwasthattheparticipant’srelationshiptotheillfamilymemberdidnotaffectoverallpsychologicalwell-being.Previousresearchhassuggestedthatcaringforaspouseisoftenmoreemotionallydepletingthancaringforaparentorchild.However,inthisstudy,thatwasnotthecase.But,Ennisdidfindthatyoungercaregiversweremorevulnerabletonegativepsychologicaloutcomes.Foralltheparticipants,higherfamilyburdenwasreportedforfamilymembermentalhealthproblemsversusphysicalhealthproblems.Inconclusion,thisstudyshowsthatindividualslivingwithanillfamilymember,eventhosewhodonotdirectlyprovidecare,areatriskforpsychologicalproblemsandshouldbetargetedforinterventions.Ennisadded,“Thisisessentialgiventheincreasingnumbersofindividualsrequiringadditionalsupport,andtheincreasingrelianceonthefamilytoprovidethissupport.” Reference: EnnisE.,Bunting,B.P.(2013).Familyburden,familyhealthandpersonalmentalhealth.BMCPublicHealth 13:255. Publishedonline2013March21. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-255 ©Copyright2013GoodTherapy.org.Allrightsreserved.Theprecedingarticlewassolelywrittenbytheauthornamedabove.AnyviewsandopinionsexpressedarenotnecessarilysharedbyGoodTherapy.org.Questionsorconcernsabouttheprecedingarticlecanbedirectedtotheauthororpostedasacommentbelow. Pleasefilloutallrequiredfieldstosubmityourmessage. InvalidEmailAddress. Pleaseconfirmthatyouarehuman. 9comments LeaveaComment helen April12th,2013at 11:53PM ujustcantescapeitcanu?whensome1aroundunespeciallyafamilymemberhasanyproblemitdoesbotheruntroubleu.iexperiencedthiswheniwaslivingwithmysisaftershemovedoutfromherhusbands.herproblemstroubledmenodoubtandonapsychologicallevelitwasbad.thingsdidntgetbetteruntilvbothspoketoacounselor.imgladiwenttoo. Reply Keh1016 September8th,2019at 6:39AM OMGwhenyoucareforsomeoneyouarerelatedtobiologicallyandhavehadabsolutelynotieswithbutyoudoittohelpfamilyandthentheyfinanciallyabuseyouwhiningaboutfinancialharrassingyou,agreetodisagreewithsituationofwhattheydid,notfilingfordisabilityand/orunemploymenttomakeiteasierformymomandhasbeendifficultandunkindforthepasttenyearsjustarguingnotsolvinganythingwaybeforetheywere1/2diagnosedwhileyouhavehadtogotocollege,workhardandthenhavejobsforthepast10yrsandnotmuchofasociallife.Ithinkaboutitintermsofeveryoneelsehere,Iknow“lifeisn’tfair”don’tthinkit’sfairtoanyoneelsehereaswell.ImeanImcloserwithmymothernowgratefulrealizingwesupporteachotherbutIamnotcutoutforthisand1/2ofmetoeasetheburdenandstress.Itsonethingwhenyoucareforsomeoneanditsanotherwhenyouhavehadtobethemanofthehouse,theprovider,theemployeeattheirfinancialbusiness,thecaregiverandafterawhileittakesitstoll.Thenshehastotakedaysoffworkjusttotakehimtodraptswhichmakeshergetpaidlessforthedrvisits,it’supsidedown.ImeanwiththatgoingonrightnowsometimestherearedayswhenImhappyandfeelthekindness,seetheopportunityformymother,we’remuchcloser,we’vehelpedeachotherandhappierforeasy/simpletimesahead-neverhadaeasy/simplelifebeforeandthenthereareotherdayswhen1/2ofitsnegativeprideandabitofjudgementtryingtogetthebetterofmethinkingweoughtnottoworkthishard,payforothersmistakeswhere’smymotherandmycut?Mymotherandmyemotionalandfinancialneedsmet?Whenisitoutturn?I’veonlybeengoingtoaptstohelpmymother.Ipersonallyamthinkingawillwillbemorehelpfulthanushavingstressingourautoimmune,rushingrunningaroundhavingtoputourhappylivesonholdforthepast10yrs.Wearebothexhausted,nothappyandImeanIdon’tmeantosoundlikeimcomplainingandnotgratefulbutthesituationhasnotbeeneasy.Blessanyoneelseherewhoisacaretaker!Myheartgoesouttoyou.YouarekindandyouarestrongandIDKhowyouguysdoit!Iaminmy20sforgoodnesssakesnotnoticablebutIactuallyfoundawhitehairlolandhavehadtogivetosomeonethatseemsalltheyhavedonehavetakenformymotherandIandyesitmakesmeupsetattimescan’tyoutell?lolAnyway,Ihopeeveryoneelse’ssituationaswellasminegetsbetterbecauselatelyhasstartedtotaketollonme.ItjustseemsmajorstressandofstressofsituationabitofjudgementandIdontwanttobethatkindofpersonthatjuststresses,works,rushesrunsaroundworryingaboutthebottomlineandhavenofun/joy.Itjustseemsstressfuland/ornegativeeverydayseemslikeonedifficultdecisionafterthenextputingallthatresponsibilityonourshoulders.ImeanImgratefulforfamilybecausetheyweregoingtoasimilardealandthenmymindjustgoesbacktothisitsverydifficultlatelybecauseallwe’vedoneisgiveandI’vehadallIcantake.Ihopeitgetsbetterforyouguysbecausenoonedeservesthiskindastressanddeservestolivelifeandlaugh.Imaysoundabitnegativeherebutjustmyopinionitsthecaretakersthatarefxmore-nomeansofsupportandwehavetogiveandgiveandputourlivesonholdandIjustcan’ttakeitanymore,enoughisenough.Myheartgoesouttoeverycaretaker,everystoryhereandIonlyhopeitgetsbetter.Thanksforlistening. Reply dahlia April13th,2013at 4:05AM Havingtheresponsibilityoftakingcareofasickfamilymemberisaverytoughjob.Ifyouhaveneverexperiencedthis,thenyoushouldthankthestarsbecauseIhaveneverdoneanythingquitethatdifficult. Youwantthispersontohaveagoodremainderoflife,butthentherearetimeswhenyoujustwanttocrawlawayandhidebecausetheresponsibilityfeelstoomuchtohandle. Reply Carolee April13th,2013at 1:05PM Butwouldn’tyousaythatalotofthe“burden”comesfromthewaythatthecaregiverviewsthejob? Imean,ifyouseethisasaburdenthenthatiswhatitwillfeelliketoyou. Butwhataboutseeingitasanopportunitytospendmoreoneononetimewithsomeonethatyoulove?Wouldn’tthatmakeitfeelalittlebetter? Iamnotsayingthatthiswouldnecessarilymakethejobanyeasier,butweallknowthatwhenyouthinkalittlemorepositivelyaboutsomethingthenthechancesthatyouwillviewitinamorepromisinglightarecertainythere. Reply staci April15th,2013at 3:48AM Hey,Ivisitedmygrandmainhernursinghomeyesterday. AftergoingthereIhavedecidedthatIwouldmuchratherhaveheratmyhouse24/7andtrytotakecareofhermyselfthantohaveherstaythereonemoreminute. IfitisaburdenthensobeitbutIdon’tthinkthatIwantherthereonemoreday. Reply nathank April15th,2013at 12:39PM caregiversshouldbeabletobringcheertotheillfamilymemberifanything.iftheyarelowanddownthemselvesthenthatwillhaveabadeffectontheillpersonto.soitisdoublethelossduetothecaregivernottakingcareofhimself/herself.iknowhowitbecomestoughtothinkofanythingotherthantheillfamilymemberbutyoucannotignoreacertainfewthingsbecausenotonlydotheyhelpgainpositivitybutalsobecausenotdoingthemmayencouragenegativity. Reply Art April16th,2013at 3:55AM Itissodifficulttobeacaregiverforsomeoneandthenstillbeexpectedtomaintainthesameroleinthehomewithyourfamily.Icannotimaginetheamountofstressthatthiswillcausesomeonetofeel,andtheamountofanxietythatwillnaturallythengoalongwiththat.Youhavetowanttodothebestwiththejobthatyouhavebeentaskedtodowhileatthesametimenotlettinganythingslipathomeeither.Itistoughforusalltobalanceworkandhome,andIwouldsuspectevenmoresowhenyouareinthispositionofhavingtotakecareofsomeonewhomayhaveoncetakencareofyou.Thereisthiswholerolereveraslthatgoeson,andthatisdifficultformanypeopletoevercometotermswithandaccept. Reply Hope December3rd,2013at 4:54AM Sometimes,ithinkwhythereisadivision.Whysomepeopledonothavanyandsomedohavenerything.Everybodyinmyhomeissick.Iamtheyougestoneandtryingtotakecareofeverybody.Iamscared.Whatwillhappenififail? Reply carolineb. February23rd,2015at 7:42AM IamtheinwelloneandIfeelahugeburdenontheonepersonIlovesomuchinthislifemysisterIfeelI’mstoppingherenjoyingherlifeandshedon’tdeservethisstuckinthemiddlethereshouldbeawayoutjustshortofsuicideherfamilyloyaltiesisoutstandingandcannotfaultinanyshapeorformbutitsahorriblefeelingbeingaburdenwhenondaysIcan’teventakethelidoffamilkbottlemysisterdeservessomuchmoreIdon’tfeelthatmyloveforherisenoughtopayherback. Reply LeaveaComment BycommentingyouacknowledgeacceptanceofGoodTherapy.org's TermsandConditionsofUse. Name:* Emailaddress:* Comment:* Currentye@r* Leavethisfieldempty   Notifymewhennewcommentsareadded.   SubscribemetotheGoodTherapy.orgpublicnewsletter. *Indicatesrequiredfield. 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