Left untended, anger finds its way into most caregivers. It builds, it flares up, it lets itself out at the wrong time on undeserving others, on your stomach, on your driving and on your outlook, among other areas. In it's worst manifestation it can lead to self-abuse or elder abuse. Understanding Guilt and Depression Caregiving is a set-up for guilt. It is typically associated with how we think, feel or act toward someone or something we have done.
Guilt is powerful, immobilizing and self-effacing.
Depression is probably the most noted and debilitating of the emotions that you may face. The incidence of depression in caregivers has been reported to be three times that in a similar population. Isolation, loss, fatigue, and frustration make the caregiver vulnerable to depression. Clinical depression can be debilitating and require professional intervention. Depression makes the caregiver vulnerable to a variety of unhealthy ways of coping.