It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Are you in touch with your own mental health needs as a caregiver?
Being a family caregiver can cause you to lose sight of your own needs, leading to the possibility of needing mental health treatment for the first time or needing intensification of existing mental health treatment. A 2020 report by the National Alliance for Caregiving using a nationally representative sample (N = 1,392) of caregivers ages 18 and older showed that 36% reported high levels of emotional stress. If over a third of family caregivers are reporting poor emotional health, it may be a good idea to check in with yourself about your mental health status.
If you’d seek medical attention for your body, why wouldn’t you seek it for your mind?
Due to mental health stigma and lack of mental health awareness, we don’t regard mental health needs with the same level of urgency as a physical health condition. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are seen as character flaws rather than what they are: treatable illnesses.
If you are concerned about your mental health as a caregiver, the time to seek out a mental health provider is yesterday.
To be clear, not all caregivers need mental health treatment; however, the best time to shop for a mental health provider is before you hit crisis mode. It can take time to find a provider who fits your schedule, takes your insurance (if you are lucky enough to have it), and is a good match for you and your unique needs.
Web-based self-monitoring tools exist for mental health conditions.
Just like you can monitor your heart rate using a smart watch, there are web-based tools you can utilize to monitor your mental health from the comfort of your home or wherever you have internet access, including on your smart phone.
I recommend the mental health screening questionnaires offered by Mental Health America, a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide community-based mental health prevention for all. These mental health questionnaires are anonymous and scientifically validated; the questionnaires assess for presence and frequency of specific mental health symptoms. The more honest your responses are, the better a mental health professional can provide you the help you need.
In addition to mental health symptom-specific questions, the questionnaires also ask about life circumstances that may impact your mental health, such as being a caregiver – be sure to check that option if it applies to you.
Keep a record of your mental health questionnaires so you can advocate for yourself.
The website gives you the option of having your questionnaire results emailed to you; I recommend bringing these with you to your mental health provider or doctor so they can better service your specific needs.
PLEASE NOTE: These recommended mental health screening questionnaires and this blog post are not a substitute for medical advice or mental health treatment. Only a mental health professional can diagnose and treat a mental health disorder. These online screening tools are exactly that: tools to help you ask for the help you may need.
If you need immediate support or are feeling suicidal, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988; you can also use the chat box at 988lifeline.org/chat.