In my web wanderings I came across a blog post about couples dealing with illness. This part was especially poignant:
They have been each others' salvation for so long that they do not know how to take care of themselves as separate individuals. When the stress of illness is so severe and prolonged, it is critical that each partner put in place a support platform for him or herself. When being together pulls each partner down into a vortex of fear, depression, and uncertainty, each person needs to create a separate safety zone that can provide some nourishment. That zone can include friends, work, activities, therapy, meditation, time in the woods or by a river.
Sometimes, in desperate circumstances, partners have to stand alone in order to hold each other up.
Wow. That is some great insight right there. Follow the link above to read the entire post.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Couples and Illness
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3 comments:
Wow - great insight. And I don't think it just applies to couples (i.e. spouses). It can be equally true for parent-child or siblng relationships, especially in care-giving circumstances.
Thanks for the reflection.
You're absolutely right Suzanne. One of the most important things caregivers have to remember is to care for themselves first in order to be strong and well enough to care for others.
If you can't take care of yourself, you can't take of anyone else. To learn some tips to help yourself read http://www.newrinkles.com/index.php/archive/the-yellow-brick-road-for-the-stressed-out-under-stress-and-just-plain-stressed/
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