Caring for a loved one with Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) can have a significant impact on your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
As a Keeper, we may often put others needs before our own and may neglect our mental wellbeing. Depression, anxiety and stress are common experiences in families with SCD and developing useful coping strategies can help to mitigate the impact of SCD and bridge gaps in access to counselling and psychotherapy. After all, in order to look after others, we also need to look.
'Seeing a loved one in pain or unwell may lead to feelings of sadness and even hopelessness'.
Seeing a loved one in pain or unwell may lead to feelings of sadness and even hopelessness. Depression also has far-reaching effects on our energy levels, appetite and ability to function daily. If you notice these symptoms frequently for more than two weeks you may be experiencing depression and could benefit from support.
It's not easy
As a Keeper your daily activities may often consist of hospital and doctor visits, supporting loved ones in pain and caring for children all whilst juggling other work and family responsibilities. What we do on a daily basis has an impact on how we feel. Focusing on our behaviours is a useful place to start to improve our mood. A useful strategy we can use is to monitor what we do on a day-to-day basis and to notice times where we may not have had time to relax, to do things we enjoy or to do the things we need to.
Something to try
These are tools created to help you understand what you might be feeling. Exercises you can try to help feel better.
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