Recognizing the Signs of Caregiver Stress

A report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that 63 million Americans are taking care of others with disabilities and medical conditions. These commitments have become longer-term and generally require an average of 27 hours weekly. Nearly two-thirds of these caregivers reported suffering from moderate to high emotional stress, revealing a need for mental health support.

Counselors understand that caregivers are juggling multiple emotions, including guilt, anger and exhaustion. Strained healthcare systems also mean that caregivers are taking on more medical responsibilities such as managing catheters, administering injections and overseeing at-home dialysis.

Mental Health Dilemmas

Stress from caregiving can look similar to depression with feelings of isolation, sadness or anxiety. Caregivers can also experience sleep disruption, irritability and gastrointestinal problems. Here are some symptoms that caregivers are at risk of experiencing:

Anticipatory Grief: Grieving an oncoming loss while still caring for a person.
Ambiguous Loss: Caring for someone who is physically present but no longer the same.
Role Captivity: Those who didn’t choose to be caregivers but had to out of necessity.
Compassion Fatigue: Diminishing compassion by a caregiver that can cause a lack of empathy or neglect.
Loss of Place: Caregiving that requires relocation and adds a sense of geographic grief.
Political Grief: Changes in laws and support systems leaving the caregiver feeling isolated and hopeless.
Existential Struggles: Spiritual or philosophical beliefs that weigh on caregivers.
Moral Distress or Injury: Caregivers may be forced to choose actions that go against their moral values or the wishes of the person being cared for.

Finding Help for Caregivers

The is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization that works to improve the quality of life for those caring for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities and disease. They provide news and resources on finding support, information on conditions and diseases, and caring for someone with specific illnesses. Developing a relationship with a counselor who specializes in , can help you talk through specific hardships and devise a plan of action.

Special thanks to Jonathan Anderson, LPC-S, LCMHC; Pauline Botchway, PhD, LPC-S, LMHC; K.D. Holmes, LPC; Andrew Koch, LPC; Michael Mason, MED, LPC, NCC and Morgan Whittaker, LCSW, from Counseling the Modern Caregiver, published in the July 2026 issue of Counseling Today.

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