For caregivers, depression and caregiving are deeply linked. A family caregiver, sometimes called an informal caregiver, is an unpaid individual who assists another individual with carrying out their daily activities and/or medical tasks and treatments. The stress and demands placed on these informal caregivers often increases their risk for alcohol or drug addiction. The resulting physical and emotional burdens may prompt some to turn to substance abuse that’s harmful for both the caregiver and the people who need their care.
The Relationship Between Depression and Caregiving
Taking care of a loved one often entails hard work and responsibility. Research shows that on average, the average duration of a caregiver’s service is four years, and only 30% of caregivers provide care for less than a year. On average, informal caregivers provide 24 hours of care per week, but 1 in 4 caregivers spend more than 40 hours per week providing care. Thus, the act of providing care for a loved one often turns into a multi-year full-time unpaid job.
Because these caregivers are not paid, providing care often results in financial stress. One study found that 20% of all female workers in the United States are also acting in some capacity as informal caregivers for a family member or loved one. As the hours add up and finances suffer, many caregivers feel overwhelmed, isolated and exhausted, prompting some to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. This can build the relationship between depression and caregiving.
One study found that women caring for an ill or disabled spouse were almost six times as likely to suffer depressive or anxious symptoms as were those without caregiving responsibilities, and women caring for ill parents were twice as likely to have such symptoms.
Reaching for Relief May Lead to Addiction
Studies show that caregivers who turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with sadness, loneliness, and stress have a greater chance of becoming addicted. In fact, women who need major depression treatment are over four times more likely to develop a dependence on alcohol.
For caregivers with anxiety, doctors often prescribe a benzodiazepine medication, more commonly known as Xanax or Ativan. While effective in providing temporary relief, these drugs are highly addictive, and according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, they lose their therapeutic effect after four to six months.
The FDA warns that benzodiazepines can also worsen pre‐existing depression, and people trying to get off them sometimes experience worsening anxiety that makes withdrawal difficult.
Even when caregivers don’t go so far as being neglectful, they can still cause problems if they’re not sober; caregivers often drive people under their care to a variety of medical appointments or errands, and in a recent government survey, alcohol-related driving fatalities account for 31% of all traffic deaths.
Caregiver Impairment Can Cause Accidents
Caregivers who abuse substances can pose a danger to their patients in several ways. Studies have shown that alcohol decreases attention and reaction time and increases errors. Researchers have found that if an elderly person has an impaired caregiver, their risk of death can rise as much as 300%.
Even when caregivers don’t go so far as being neglectful, they can still cause problems if they’re not sober; caregivers often drive people under their care to a variety of medical appointments or errands, and in a recent government survey, alcohol-related driving fatalities account for 31% of all traffic deaths.
In addition to automobile accidents, caregivers using drugs or alcohol can also increase hazards at home. The National Fire Protection Association reported that a possible drug or alcohol impairment factored into 14% of all home fire deaths in one recent four-year period.
Are You or a Loved One in Need of Treatment?
Beginning the road to recovery after dealing with depression and caregiving can be emotional and overwhelming. Morningside Recovery offers a wide variety of traditional and innovative dual diagnosis treatment programs. Your first step toward a better life is just a phone call away. To set out on your journey toward sustainable recovery, call us at 855-631-2135. Our helpline is open 24/7 and our specialists will work with you to help find the treatment option that works for you.
Sources
https://www.caregiver.org/print/240
https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/97/4/237/1525431/Depression-and-alcoholism
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/anxiety-medication.htm
https://www.caregiver.org/print/23216
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2000.tb01972.x/abstract;jsessionid=7C07B76199C43191260E0F629D9F28EA.f04t01
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