Does caregiving lead to drug abuse among caregivers?

At the end of the day (moms gone to bed ) I do have me a cold glass of wine and sit on the balcony of our apt and watch the world go by people out having fun ect. I see nothing wrong with it. I do it in moderation and check on her while she is sleeping . After a while I go to bed myself and get ready for another day of being a caregiver. Have a good night all.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish my doc would give me something to help me to relax because I get so frustrated with the illogical things said, although I love Gran and i seem to be the only one she really trusts and thinks understands her, she is getting worse suddenly about thinking very weirdly. I've been drinking vodka or saki almost every night lately! helps calm the nerves before crazy ex husband gets home from work and I have to deal with him.

Your question: Does caregiving lead to drug abuse among caregivers?
I wouldn't call what most of us do as abuse. Is it an escape from from seems like an unescapeable situation. When we start using our methods of relaxation to excess and it becomes harmful to us or others, then it's abuse. From what I've read here. Most of us have learned the art of relaxing in an impossibly tension-shot situation. I'm enjoying some Wild Irish Rose right now, as I'm still unwinding from the tension of caregiving and placing my Mother in rehab. It's my chance to relax and get unwired. It's my respite before whatever may come next. She may come home; she may not. I'm just got to relax and regroup and get ready for the next assault of whatever--is going to hit the fan--maybe, who knows. Usually, I use cycling as my tension reliever and also a means of keeping in shape and healthy, but this last month, I can't cycle as I'm healing from a surgery. So, the alternative to cycling is----Wild Irish Rose. Hey! Put me in a corner and I'll still (like everyone else here) find a way to take care of myself. Sometimes I get "the moose" out when I need to get really silly. "The moose" is an animated stuffed animal that sings "C'mon, give me your best shot!" and dances. I bought it for my Mother when she was in the hospital, one of numerous times. It gave her a giggle and encouragement, and I find it good, encouraging reminder too. Whatever you need to do to relieve stress, do it!

Boni - mil once hallucinated that her daughter had come up to visit her and then went missing, and she nearly called 911. Thank God she decided to called us first! If she HAD called the cops and they'd come knocking on the door and found either (or both) of us....ahem..."mentally compromised"? Talk about buzz kill!!!

White sage - some might say consuming alcohol before noon is inappropriate, but IMO if it was at the end of a long night after dealing with hallucinations and/or delusional rants and/or intermittent bouts of explosive diarrhea.....or anything in between...then it falls into the category of medicinal/ therapeutic, and therefore a necessity. If it was mixed with coffee...well that's just gross, and a waste of a good Cabernet.....which is a sin. IMO

OMG Boni. I nearly pee'd myself reading that!! thank you n yaya!!! oh good greif if i had a brownie i wudda pee'd lol!!!

Whitesage, long as it wasn't sitting out all nite....I have been known to gulp down a leftover splash and ewwww, not that great!

It is true Yaya...a little here and there to relax, but OUR luck is, we would get a real buzz going.....and someone would FALL, Knock over a porta potty, hit the life alert by mistake, poop Their pants......you know..BUZZ KILL!

I've filled my coffee mug with cabernet in the morning from time to time. ...does that count?

Oooo, another great topic! I think the job absolutely lends itself to potential substance abuse. I'm all for a glass of wine or two or a cold beer now and then but I get too paranoid over the possibility that something might happen (like a fall) and I'm gonna need to be on my game, so to speak. So I never allow myself to really "let go." I'm so damn responsible...
Chips and chocolate are good too. And ice cream, right Boni? Heehee. An occasional toke would be nice too, or a special brownie. Dh and I made a batch of brownies once that had me seeing technicolor cartoons...on the backs of my eyelids. Those were the days.....

I sometimes wish I could tolerate moms PK's the way things hurt sometimes...but I did try one once just to see what she is taking and what I could do. I turned green and the room spun, I spent a good 3 hrs laying on the couch with a pan at the ready...not worth it...I don't know how she tolerates em she is half my weight but I guess a broken hip is more painful than my mild arthritis! My doc does give me the Xanax and a half of one of those is nice on a bad day/nite. Sure calms the raw nerves!

Chocolate and potato chips are my drugs of choice. :) I couldn't care less about booze or dope. I would attribute 20 of my extra pounds to my caregiving for both my parents (for 8 years) and now my mom (12 years).

PS. I DO love a FAT doobie, now and then...Wink.

Mom's Dr. prescribes her a lot more valium then is really necessary. I take it when absolutely needed, to be able to care for her without rolling my eyes at her 8th(same) question or God Forbid, losing my temper and snapping at her. I think her Dr. gives the extra "Vitamin V" knowing my stress level and that I gave up working and health ins to take care of Mom. He has been her Dr. for over 20 years. I think HE takes it, when he knows she's coming! (j/k) I am VERY aware and VERY careful not to over do. I have a healthy fear of addiction.

Chardonnay is good, lol, or a nice frosty blender drink are my vice of choice, but after mom's hip/back injury I am too tired most times to even think about it.....bought a half rack of corona light for the fourth and still have 7. But ya I can see the tendencies are there, if one is not mindful, it is a lonesome stressful road!

I agree with captain. Caregiving is so very stressful, that you have to "escape" the doom and gloom even if every once in a while. The doctors really don't understand how all this affects the caregivers - and usually don't have any sympathy either. I hope caregivers don't become "hooked" on their escapes (causing further problems for them), but I don't blame any of them for needing an outlet.

i believe self medicating / substance abuse is a little higher in the caregiving population. ive seen stats on the subject but they vary widely and probably are lower than the reality. even when things are sailing along just fine, the dread, guilt, and anticipation still looms heavily. then theres sadness, helplessness to fix the situation, empathy, heartache, well, you see my point. the emotions run high and sometimes conflict with each other. my va phsyc docs neither one have any awareness of carer burden and stress and wouldnt give me so much as an aspirin to keep me settled down. bout once a week i pour down a half pint of everclear. ya haveta do something to unwind your head imo.