The lives of parents with special children can be extremely stressful due to the unique challenges they face on a daily basis. Raising and caring for a child with special needs takes a significant amount of physical, emotional and mental energy.
These parents often face constant concerns regarding their children's well-being and development. They can feel overwhelmed by dealing with complex medical issues, frequent therapies and treatments, special educational needs, and the constant search for appropriate resources and support.
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They often face stigma and social isolation as they may find it difficult to find people who understand and support their specific circumstances. The demands on time and energy involved in caring for their children can negatively affect parents' professional lives, personal relationships and their own health.
When analyzing this perspective, we are aware that it is an exhausting routine. With that, the expert unveiled five symptoms of silent depression that can affect these parents.
Symptoms of silent depression that can affect parents with special children
1. Fear of social rejection
Indeed, parents of children with special needs face an additional burden of responsibility compared to parents of children without special needs.
These tasks can include specialized feeding, mobility assistance, complex medical care, medication administration, regular therapies, communication assistance, and much more.
2. The effort is great to demonstrate happiness
Parents of children with special needs often feel pressure to be strong and positive, both for their children and for others around them.
They may feel the need to be an example of resilience and hope, which can lead to suppressing their own feelings of sadness, helplessness and exhaustion.
3. They don't recognize the symptoms, even if it seems obvious.
These parents may associate their emotional and mental symptoms with the stress and burden of daily care, rather than considering the possibility that they are dealing with silent depression.
They may focus on the constant and exhausting demands of caring for their children, and they may not realize that their own symptoms may be indicative of a more serious mental health problem deep.
4. Parents may interpret the symptoms of depression as a concern for their child's health condition.
Naturally, they feel sadness, anxiety and worry, and may associate these emotions with their children's illness or developmental delay. They also express concern about the stigma attached to their child's health condition and how this can lead to rejection.
Worry and anxiety often prevent them from realizing that they, too, may be experiencing feelings of discouragement and depression.
5. Parents tend to worry about their children's future in terms of social acceptance and ability to lead an autonomous life.
Often, they find themselves immersed in concerns about the future, despite having no control over certain aspects of their children's trajectory. They wonder how their children will face living with a chronic disease in the future.
Will they maintain an optimistic and resilient posture? Will they be able to stay happy and engaged with family and friends, or will they end up isolated? This type of preoccupation with uncontrollable factors can intensify symptoms of anxiety and often silent depression.
If the battle between personal life and caring for someone is difficult, don't hesitate to reach out to a group or professional for support. Gain knowledge from other experiences similar to yours.
Faced with difficulties in balancing life and caring for a loved one, the search for support is essential. There are other parents who understand and can help you on this journey.
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