7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

1/12

Taking Care of Yourself

While Caring for Others

FAMILIES

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

2/12

How Can I Stay Emotionallyand Physically Healthy?

An injury can lead to changes in a person. As you

come to terms with these changes in your family

member, you may move through a series of stages.

In the rst couple of months, for example, you may

be feeling happy that your service member/veteran

is alive and hopeful that he or she will recover fully

and quickly. You might think that a full recovery would

happen faster, if only he or she would work harder

at it. As recovery progresses, you may nd yourself

feeling discouraged and depressed, or even guilty. You

just dont know how to help your family member getbetter or why progress isnt happening more quickly.

Knowing what other families go through as they

adjust to life after TBI* may help you know that your

feelings are normal; however, there can be harmful

eects if you focus all your attention on your service

member/veteran.

If you do nd yourself feeling discouraged or

worn out, here is what you can do:

Find a friend or family member to talk to about your

feelings or join a support group with other families

aected by TBI. Talking with someone can relievestress and reduce anxiety because you will learn

that you are not alone.

* Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

3/12

If stress, sadness or anxiety begins to feel out of

control, seek professional help from a counselor,

therapist, religious/spiritual leader or social worker.

Seek counseling help for military/veteran familymembers.

I went and saw my psychologist and that was probably

one of the best things I did. It was for two days a week, an

hour each session, and she was just . . . a neutral person.

I could come in and say all this stuff was going on, and

she would actually help me make decisions as to whereto go next or what things to do for Pat. She could stand

back, look at everything, and help me make sense of it.

That was a huge help for me.

- Patty H.

Em

otionalHealth

If youre looking for more information or resources,trained health professionals are available 24/7 at theDCoE* Outreach Center by live chat, email or phone.

Live chat: www.dcoe.health.mil/24-7help.aspx Email: resources@dcoeoutreach.org Phone: 866-966-1020

* Defense Centers of Excellence forPsychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

To learn more online, watch video interviews and

take part in social networking, visit BrainLine.org

and BrainLineMilitary.org

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

4/12

Challenge Symptoms How to Cope

StressStress is the mentaland physical reactionto events that upsetour balance in life.

Chronic stress thatdoesnt go away canlead to serious healthproblems over time.

AnxietyAnxiety is excessiveworry about life. It is areaction to stress andcan lead todepression.

Headaches Neck and shoulders

tighten Fatigue Trouble sleeping Weight change Stomach upsets Increased use of

alcohol, drugs,tobacco

Fear and worry Mood swings Crying spells Irritability Depression Forgetfulness

Poor concentration Low productivity Negative attitude Confusion Weariness Boredom Feelings of isolation High blood pressure

Ongoing worry andtension

Viewing problemsas overwhelming

Restlessness or afeeling of being edgy

Bad temper Muscle tension Headaches Sweating Diculty concentrating Nausea Needing to go to

the bathroom often Being tired Trouble falling or

staying asleep Trembling

Being easily startled

Practice deepbreathing and otherrelaxation methods.

Exercise. Improve time

management. Meditate. Accept help from

friends and family.

Keep a sense of humor. Keep some things

from your previouslife that areimportant to you.

Reward yourself. Stay in touch with

friends. Set limits. Join a support

group. Contact a therapist. Read a book. Listen to music

that lightens yourmood.

Seek counsel from achaplain or provider.

Talk to a friendor family member.

Exercise. Eat a balanced diet. Avoid caeine. Write in yourjournal.

Counseling and/or medications cantreat anxiety.

Seek counsel from achaplain or provider.

If symptoms persist,seek professionalhelp.

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

5/12

CopingWithCh

allenges

Challenge Symptoms How to Cope

Sadness andDepressionSadness andgrieving are normalresponses to theloss of life as youonce knew it.Sadness andgrieving can lead

to depression.

Symptoms ofdepression are acombination ofsymptoms thatinterfere with apersons ability towork, sleep, study,

eat and enjoy oncepleasurable activities.

Major depression isdisabling and preventsa person from livingnormally.

Feeling blue Withdrawing Irritability Constant sad,

anxious, orempty feelings

Feelings ofhopelessness

Feelings of guilt,being worthlessand/or helpless

Bad temper, restless Loss of interest in

activities, hobbies orsex

Tiredness anddecreased energy Trouble concentrating Trouble remem-

bering details andmaking decisions

Cant sleep,earlymorningwakefulness or

too much sleeping Overeating orappetite loss

Having thoughtsof suicide

Suicide attempts Constant aches or

pains, headaches,cramps or stomach

problems that donot ease, even withtreatment

Talk over yourfeelings withothers, e.g., in asupport group.

Keep a journal to ex-plore your feelings.Give yourself a break

by asking for help incaregiving. Try to rest both your

body and your mind. Find someone who

can listen withoutgiving advice ormaking comments.

Focus on positiverelationships in your

life family, friendsand pets. Seek counsel from a

chaplain or provider. If symptoms persist,

seek professionalhelp. Counselingand/or medicationshave proveneective in treating

depression. Seek help

immediately frommedical care staif you have thoughtsof suicide. Seekcounseling and/ormedications from aprovider.

If you are thinking of

suicide, call theNational SuicidePrevention Lifeline at1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

6/12

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Notes

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

7/12

How Can I Take Care of Myself?Healthy behaviors can keep you well. They can helpyou cope with the stress of life after TBI. This sectioncontains some healthy lifestyle tips. The more youtake care of yourself, the better you will feel.

Stress Busters

Practice deep breathing. Take a deep breath, holdit for a few seconds, and then let it out. Continue tobreathe deeply until you feel yourself calm down.

Relax your muscles. Lying down, begin by tensingyour toes, then relaxing them. Then tense yourankles and relax. Continue up your body to your

forehead, tensing and relaxing each set of muscles.Then lie quietly for a few minutes, letting your bodymelt into the oor.

Try meditation. Select a quiet spot in the house anda time when you can be quiet for 15 minutes. Sitdown and rest your hands in your lap. Close youreyes. Clear your mind. Breathe in deeply, then letyour breath out while you say a word such as one.Repeat continuously. Try to clear all thoughts fromyour mind as you do thisit takes practice, butyoull nd yourself able to do so for longer andlonger periods of time.

Manage your time eectively. Plan ahead so that

you have enough time to arrive at appointments ontime. Plan your day or week sensibly, so that you arenot trying to get too much done in too little time.

Self-C

areStrategies

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

8/12

Exercise

Exercise can relieve stress, reduce depression, make

you feel better about yourself and help you maintainyour weight and strength.

Try these tips to begin an exercise routine.

Make your plan t your life: It doesnt have tobe strenuous; even brief exercise reduces stress.A 30-minute walk on most days is usually enough.

You can break the 30 minutes into shorter 10-minutesegments, if thats all the time you have.

Be consistent: If you already have an exerciseroutine in place, try to stick with it. Doing things thatwere important to you before your family membersTBI can help you cope.

Use the buddy system: Find a friend or relativewhom you like and trust, and exercise together.Use this as an opportunity to enjoy one anotherscompany and as an outlet to deal with stress.

Nutrition

The food you eat can have an impact on yourhealth, energy levels and ability to deal withstressful situations in an eective way. Followthese healthy eating tips:

Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. A healthy dietis one that is low in fat; high in ber from wholegrains, fruits, and vegetables; and includes lean cutsof meat, poultry, eggs and other protein sources.

Drink plenty of water. The intake of water isessential to the reduction of toxins within ourbodies and protects the body from infection.

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

9/12

Eat moderate portions. Try to eat six small meals

a day, or three regular meals and two snacks. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to

out-of-control hunger, stress and a weakenedimmune system.

Eat healthy snacks. Snacking between meals canhelp curb hunger, so choose healthy options such

as raw carrots or a piece of fruit.Sleep

If you dont get enough sleep, you are likely to betired and irritable during the day. You also may nd ithard to concentrate. Most adults need seven to eighthours of sleep per night.

Try these tips for getting a comfortable nights sleep: Establish a routine for when you go to bed and

when you get up every day. This can reinforce yourbodys sleep-wake cycle.

Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath,read a book, or nd another activity that helps youshift from your busy daytime life to restful sleep.

Go to bed when youre tired and turn out the lights.If you cant fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up anddo something else until youre tired.

Do not rely on sleeping pills. Check with yourdoctor before taking any sleep medications, asthey can interact with other medications or a

medical condition. You may have an underlyingsleep disorder that requires treatment.

PhysicalHealth

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

10/12

Dont exercise within three hours of bedtime. It maymake it harder to fall asleep.

Limit caeine to one to two caeinated beveragesa day. Avoid caeine three hours before bedtime.

Limit alcohol to two drinks a week, and refrain fromdrinking before bedtime. Too much alcohol usuallyreduces the quality of sleep.

If you have sleep problems...Create a sleep diary to keep track of any issues youare having and any medications you are taking. Makenote of the types of sleep problems you are having,including inability to fall or stay asleep, or excessivesleepiness during the daytime. If problems continue,discuss the sleep diary with your doctor. There may

be an underlying cause, and you will want to beproperly diagnosed.

Tobacco Use

If you dont use tobacco products, dont start. Find otherways to cope with stress.

If you do use tobacco products, stress may increase youruse. It may be dicult to quit, especially when you arelearning to care for someone with TBI.

Your goal right now may be to not increase thenumber of tobacco products you use each day.

Later, you may want to start cutting down on thenumber of tobacco products and then quit altogether.

The nicotine in tobacco is addictive. Most smokers nd ittakes several attempts to quit before they are successful.Ask your doctor about medications or programs that canhelp you quit.

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

11/12

Alcohol and Other Drugs

When life is stressful, some people turn to alcohol orother drugs to help them relax. Alcohol tends to makeproblems worse.

Using alcohol or drugs to make you feel better in theshort term can be dangerous. You can become depen-dent on these substances. This will interfere with yourresponsibilities to your family.

If you drink, do so in moderation. Find other ways torelieve stress and to reward yourself.

Routine Medical Care

Getting routine medical and dental care, such aspreventive screenings (mammograms, blood

pressure checks), helps keep you strong and healthy.Its okay to have your family member with TBI sit in thewaiting room while you see the doctor, dentist, or otherprovider if he or she is able. Otherwise, make plans forsomeone to care for him or her while you are at yourappointment.

If you become sick, worn down or burned out, you willnot be able to provide good care to your family member.The more you take care of yourself, the better youll feel.

7/28/2019 2012 Taking Care

12/12