Blog > October Is Emotional Wellness Month: What Is Emotional Wellness?

October Is Emotional Wellness Month: What Is Emotional Wellness?

What do you know about emotional wellness? It’s very likely that you know physical wellness and even mental wellness, but emotional wellness is often overlooked. It’s just as important. Family caregivers can have a hard time with emotional wellness. There’s a need to hide what you’re feeling from the others in your family. Home care providers can offer respite care to give you time to improve your emotional wellness.

The National Center for Emotional Wellness defines emotional wellness as: “an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of our feelings, and our ability to effectively manage through challenges and change.” When faced with a new obstacle, how do you react? If you shut down, you’ve likely given up hope and that’s an indicator of poor emotional wellness.

How Do You Improve Your Emotional Wellness?

What steps can you take to improve your emotional wellness? Here are some of the things you need to stop and do as a family caregiver.

Identify the emotions you’re feeling and accept them as valid. Recognize that it’s okay to not feel happy or comfortable when things aren’t going as planned.
Identify what caused the emotions and come up with a plan to resolve it, whether it’s asking for help or finding solutions that are clearly laid out.
Take breaks when you need them and remember it’s okay to take care of yourself first.
Surround yourself with others who understand what you’re going through. If they don’t know exactly what you’re going through, they need to be supportive. If they can’t do that, they’re not worth your energy.
Create goals that provide the steps you need to remain focused and on-task.

For example, you’re caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s. You’re sad as you watch your mom’s memories decline. Plus, her anger and delusions keep increasing, which leaves you feeling drained and depressed. You tell your best friend this and the response is, “Well, I have it so much worse than you because my mom calls every day during dinner. At least your mom can’t call you!”

Your feelings aren’t validated, and it makes you want to shut down more. You certainly haven’t found the support you felt a best friend should offer. It’s time to find a better support person and focus on your emotional well-being.

Take a Close Look at the Benefits of Home Care

Home Care Belle Meade TN – October Is Emotional Wellness Month: What Is Emotional Wellness?

October is Emotional Wellness Month. It’s a good time to step back and look at your role as a family caregiver. If you’re finding yourself shutting down and struggling to make necessary decisions, it’s time to look closely at respite care.

Talk to a home care advisor about respite care. Have caregivers come to your dad’s home and help him out while you take care of yourself. Join a support group, go on vacation, or spend time with friends. Use home care services to have the opportunity to take care of yourself.