It goes without saying that caregiving is not easy: The physical, mental, emotional, and financial toll can be significant, particularly for those in long-term caregiving situations. The psychological impact can be wide-ranging and severe, but one of these impacts is somewhat underreported: caregiving’s tendency to bring about anxiety about one’s own health. In my book, Understanding and Coping With Illness Anxiety, I explain it this way: “Those who care for sick family members may be more prone to illness-related anxiety based upon the sheer proximity to illness and the personalized nature of caring for a closely related individual.” I go on to compare it to being a first responder, and it stands to reason that those who are, on a daily basis, around triggering, upsetting, and difficult stimuli are more susceptible to experiencing trauma, anxiety, and other psychological challenges based upon their frequent exposure to catastrophic situations.

I am a living example of this concept: I was caregiver for my mother as she went through terminal cancer, but the evidence of this phenomenon goes well beyond my personal experience. Numerous studies suggest a direct correlation between caregiving and incidences of caregiver stress and anxiety. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2016 report,........

© Psychology Today