Tips for self-care

Below is a list with all kinds of tips from fellow sufferers that can help you feel better about yourself.

Take time for yourself

Take a step back from the person you care for every day. Even if only for a moment. After this interruption, you are better able to cope with the obligations of daily life.
 
Treat yourself to something nice every day so that you have something to look forward to: a chat with friends or family, listen to music, take a walk or go shopping.
 
Treat yourself regularly with a small gift, something tasty with your coffee, or a beautiful bunch of flowers.
 
Take time every day to take a bath or watch TV. That relaxes and you can handle everything better.
 
Find a hobby or take a course.
 
Plan (if possible) a weekend away or vacation. There are possibilities that someone can (temporarily) take over the care. This is called 'respite care'. In some cases this is partly reimbursed.
 
Go step by step. If you have been taking care of someone for a number of years, it becomes increasingly difficult to make time for yourself. It's normal to feel a little guilty or worried about leaving the care to someone else for a while. It may be easier to build up this free time step by step, so that you and the person you are taking care of can slowly get used to the new situation.
 

Stay in touch with others

Avoid ending up in isolation. If you are unable to visit others, ask if they would like to come by. Be honest about why it is difficult for you to visit them. Try not to care what others think of you, or the person you care for, or about your home. The important thing is that you have company. This is also in the interest of the person you care for. It makes his / her life pleasant as well as yours.
 

Take your feelings seriously

Don't hide your feelings. Caring for someone with psychological vulnerability is a difficult task. Feelings such as shame, jealousy and guilt are normal in this situation (although they are usually not justified!). Sometimes it is a relief to talk to others about these feelings. If this is too difficult for you, it can also help to write down your feelings in a journal.
 
Don't try to judge your feelings. Feelings are neither good nor bad. Everyone is different and experiences things differently. Something that makes one person angry doesn't even affect another.
 
Recognize that feelings of frustration, sadness, anger, and sadness are normal under these circumstances and try to find someone to talk to about them.
 
Look at what's beautiful. Caring for another doesn't just mean grief and worry. It is precisely caring for someone else that can make some people feel happy and content. Also try to see the positive aspects of the care and talk to others not only about the negative sides but also about the beautiful moments.
 
 

Ask for help

 
Ask for help. You don't fail when you ask for help. Often relatives and friends want to help, but they don't know how. Tell and show what others can do for you. Maybe you can ask them to help for an hour a week.
 
List the things you need and how others can help you. If someone offers help, you can let them choose from the list.
Take the time to organize help. Especially in the beginning, organizing help takes extra time and effort. Nevertheless, in the longer term it is worthwhile to avoid becoming socially isolated as much as possible.