Module 04

Giving Caregiver Guilt the Boot

Sample Video:
“Stop Feeling Guilty When You Haven’t Done Anything Wrong”

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Topics Covered in This Module:

  • How to recognize the behavior of guilt-trippers.
  • The difference between Earned Guilt and Unearned Guilt.
  • How changing your emotional vocabulary can change your relationship with guilt.
  • How to release your need to manage other people’s feelings and stop feeling guilty when you haven’t done anything wrong.

Caregivers who participate in this module will:

  • Become Aware that guilt is a cruel and controlling emotion that is experienced way too often by most caregivers.
  • that guilt is an appropriate emotional response if they intentionally inflict physical or emotional pain on another person, and it is NOT an appropriate response if someone is using anger and guilt to manipulate them.
  • Take Action to:
    • Name the types of situations that cause them to feel guilty.
    •  Recognize the typical behavior of guilt-trippers.
    • Identify if their guilt is self-imposed or if it is being imposed on them by someone else.
    • Change their emotional vocabulary.
    • Stand in their own shoes

“Madelyn Leaves Quentin Home Alone”

“Who’s Your Guilt Tripper”

“Stop Feeling Guilty When You Haven’t Done Anything Wrong”

“Stand in Your Own Shoes”

Bonus Video:

“Learn Something New”

“Redefine Fun”

Caregiver Speaker, Elaine K Sanchez, incorporates real-life caregiving stories with practical, applicable strategies for managing the emotional stress of caregiving into her caregiving videos and support group program.

 In the following article, she provides three steps for managing caregiver guilt. 

Three Steps to Overcoming Caregiver Guilt 

People who provide care for stroke survivors or individuals who have Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other long-term progressive and degenerative diseases often experience feelings of guilt that are not appropriate to the situation. Many caregivers have unrealistic expectations of themselves. They want to do the right thing. They always try to put their care receiver’s needs before their own, and then they berate themselves when they’re not as loving, patient, and kind as they think they should be.

You should feel guilty if you intentionally inflict physical or emotional pain on another person. That’s an appropriate emotional response. But if you are caring for someone who is aging, disabled, or living with a progressive and degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, you may be experiencing feelings of guilt that are not appropriate to the situation.

Sometimes caregiver guilt is self-inflicted. Sometimes it is imposed upon caregivers by other people. Regardless of the source, it is essential to remember that guilt can be a cruel and controlling emotion that often leads to feelings of anger, resentment, and depression.

Why Do We Feel Guilty When We Haven’t Done Anything Wrong?

It is puzzling how people giving so much time and effort to care for someone who is aging, chronically ill, or living with a cognitive disorder are so often willing to ignore their own physical, mental, and emotional needs and still experience crippling feelings of guilt. If this sounds familiar, maybe it’s time to consider that guilt may not be an appropriate emotional response.

Without over-thinking your answers, take this quick self-assessment test to get a measure of your feelings of guilt:

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because I sometimes lose my temper with my care receiver.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because I don’t have enough time or energy to care for everyone who needs my help and attention.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because my care receiver is so unhappy, and I can’t make things better for him/her.

Yes ___  No ___I feel guilty because I resent the amount of money his/her care costs.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because I don’t enjoy spending time with my care receiver.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because our relationship has changed.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because I promised I would never put him/her in a facility, and now I think there may come a time when I won’t have a choice.

Yes ___  No ___ I feel guilty because there are days I wish he/she would die and get it over with.

If you checked “Yes” to three or more of the statements, I’d like for you to consider the possibility that you are either guilt-tripping yourself or you are being manipulated and controlled by a “Guilt-Tripper” who knows how to get what he or she wants by making you feel guilty.

How Do You Recognize a Guilt Tripper?

A guilt-tripper is someone who is very skilled at making you feel like you are responsible for their happiness and well-being. If you don’t do what they want, they will not be shy about telling you how you have let them down. Their tools, to name a few, include anger, disapproval, criticism, shaming, and sadness. If they can make you feel bad about yourself, their chances of getting you to do what they want increase exponentially.

You will never be able to give enough, do enough, or be enough to please a guilt-tripper. They will always demand more, and they will not change.

So if you want to stop feeling guilty when you haven’t done anything wrong, you will have to be the one who changes.

You may wonder why you need to change if someone else uses anger and guilt to manipulate you. Shouldn’t they change? Of course, they should––but they won’t. They will never say, “You need to care for yourself.” Or, “Let’s figure out how you can get a little more time to yourself.”

Three Steps to Overcoming Feelings of Guilt

  1. Identify your Guilt-Trippers. Is your guilt internal or external? In other words, are you guilt-tripping yourself, or do you allow others to use anger and guilt to manipulate you into doing what they want? Once you know who your guilt-trippers are and identify how they have used guilt to control you in the past, you will be in a better situation to change how you respond to them, and you can stop feeling guilty when you haven’t done anything wrong.  
  2. Get in your own shoes and stay in them. This is a practice of managing your feelings and allowing others to manage theirs. It requires you to release your need to make everything okay for someone else. It may feel unnatural initially, but it becomes incredibly freeing with practice.
  3. Change Your Emotional Vocabulary. Unless you intentionally inflict physical or emotional pain on another person, I’d like you to consider adjusting your emotional vocabulary and changing the word “Guilt” to “Regret.” 

The dictionary defines guilt as a sense of having done something wrong or having failed in an obligation. When you internalize this emotion, you feel ashamed. You beat yourself up for being selfish and feel like you are a terrible person.

“Regret” is a sense of sadness or wishing that things could be different. It doesn’t imply a personal failure.

The next time you feel guilty about something, start your self-talk sentence with this set of words, “I regret . . .” You might be amazed at how that small change of perspective can significantly affect your emotional well-being.

***

People of all ages and stages of life become caregivers. Most of them are not prepared to manage the emotional stress of caring for individuals who are aging, disabled, or living with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and other progressive and degenerative diseases. 

When caregivers have access to the CaregiverHelp Support Group Program, they will recognize that they are not alone. 

The CaregiverHelp Support Group Program can be offered at live, in-person events. It can also be led on Zoom, as a hybrid model, or as a self-paced program. 

Organizations that provide employee support through their Caregiver ERG programs love being able to offer CaregiverHelp Support Group as a self-paced program. 

Also, as baby boomers age, most HR managers are becoming aware that many of their employees are caring for spouses and aging parents. These employees don’t know what to do or where to turn when they are faced with taking over the healthcare and finances of loved ones who can no longer care for themselves. When offered through an Employee Assistance Program, such as a Caregiver EAP, companies may see reduced stress, fewer absences, and a decreased turnover.  

CaregiverHelp Support Group Program will never make caregiving easy. Still, it does provide people with the tools and support they need to make sound decisions, manage their stress, and care for themselves as they try to balance family responsibilities, work, and caregiving.  

Want to know more? Contact Us.