Anxiety for Caregivers

Anxiety Affects Everyone

As a healthcare worker, the stress and feelings of anxiety are often greater as you worry about the health and safety of those in your care. To manage this we have information and resources compiled just for you. 

A Normal Response

To start, it’s important to recognize that feeling stressed and anxious is a normal response to working in challenging environments with individuals who are going through difficult times in their lives.However, too much anxiety can contribute negatively to your health and well-being. Here to Help has information and actions you can take to manage your stress and anxiety.

You’re Not Alone

Everyone reacts to anxiety differently, so it is important to take time to recognize what you are going through and understand your own emotions. As difficult as it can be, remember to be kind to yourself. Remember, you are not alone with your feelings. Before you can take care of others, be sure to take care of yourself. Try this article from Psychology Today for practices to maintain your emotional health.

Unplug Sometimes

It can help to unplug from social media and the news. While it is important to stay up-to-date using reliable sources, the constant stream of bad news can be too much at times. Check out Here to Helps’ Staying Mentally Healthy with Technology.

Distract Yourself

It’s ok to distract yourself and think of something else. Try meditating or going for a walk (inside or outside) – something that will allow you to relax.

It’s Okay to Ask for Help

Even caregivers need the help of others. This can be difficult when we’re already overwhelmed, but social interaction is essential  Here are some helpful tips to connect with others. If you feel you can’t reach out to co-workers, friends or family, and need professional help, doctors and mental health professional care are also there to help you make it through.Remember, there is no best way to connect. Think about what works for you in your situation.

Phone Line for Healthcare Workers

The Mobile Response Team is available to support the mental well-being and psychological safety of frontline healthcare workers who are experiencing distress and mental health concerns. Call: 1-888-686-3022 or Email: MRT@phsa.ca

Additional resources:

Here to Help: Here to Help- Anxiety Facts and Information

CMHA-BC Division: anxiety disorders fact sheet

Anxiety Canada: www.anxietycanada.com

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services: BC Mental health and Substance Use Services

Looking For More?

Free resources to help with your anxiety available from your phone

Dr. Yuet Ting Ma, Pharm.D, RPh

“As a healthcare provider working in mental health and addictions, I believe Care to Speak is a great resource available to health care and social support workers to seek support from their peers. This pandemic has taken a massive toll on everyone’s mental health, especially for healthcare providers. I am truly honoured to participate in this program as a volunteer and provide support to others in their mental health journey.”

Wellness Program Coordinator

“I was able to reach out to help support myself when everything was so uncertain in the world. I appreciate what this service is doing in the community as it’s difficult to reach out when you work in a profession supporting others.”

Rehabilitation Specialist

“My experiences as a Care to Speak Peer Support Worker have been positive in that, I hope that it’s a resource that health care workers don’t need to access, but our reality is that this support is required. I’m grateful to be able to provide that opportunity to listen to my peers when they need it. I feel that a lot of the difficulties for healthcare workers are that sometimes friends and family members don’t quite understand the challenges they face, or they aren’t able to discuss their stressors due to privacy and confidentiality policies. Service users can reach out and know that the person on the other end is not going to judge them or try to give them advice. Regardless of why they’ve reached out, there’s a level of mutual understanding and respect and I think that’s what’s great about the Care to Speak Peer Support program.”