Nå, it’s the last day of my ten day series of posts about hæklet sundhed. I’ve talked a lot about how crochet can help people with many different health conditions including both physical and mental health issues. I don’t want to end this series without mentioning that crochet can also be a really important part of self-care for caregivers who are taking care of those who are ill.
Caregiver Stress
If you have ever had to take care of someone who is ill, especially someone with a chronic illness, then you know that it can be terrifically stressful for everyone in the family. There are several components to this stress:
- You are understandably worried about your loved one’s health.
- You may be involved in decision-making around care, which can be especially stressful.
- The ill person may behave in ways that aren’t always kind. They are experiencing their own stress and may lash out as a result.
- You may feel like you can’t vent about your own problems because the ill person’s take precendence in your home.
- You may be physically stressed as you take on extra responsibilities in the home.
- There may be financial stress in the home because of the illness.
How Crochet Helps
Caregivers may find that taking some time out to crochet each day is beneficial to reducing their own stress levels during this trying time. Here are some of the ways crochet helps:
- It provides a mental health break. You may even use crochet for mindfulness relaxation.
- It is something you can do just for yourself.
- It boosts self-esteem. Being unable to heal the people you love can erode self-esteem so it’s important to restore it in other ways.
- The repetition is calming. It can help alleviate anxiety surrounding illness.
- It restores a sense of control over something. You can’t control illness but you can make decisions about your project and that’s something.
Stress breaks down your own immune system. You don’t want to get sick when you’re a caregiver for someone else so make sure that you take adequate care of yourself during this tough time!
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