Mental health
fromPsychology Today
3 days agoA Post-Caregiver's Bill of Rights
Former family caregivers face complex emotional, financial, and identity challenges after caregiving ends, often feeling isolated and uncertain about the next chapter.
"Don't underestimate the fact that your life has changed now forever. And yes, it's going to be better, if you play your cards right. The life you once had has gone forever now. It's OK to feel a sadness about that, but people then get caught in the spiral of beating themselves up over feeling sad about it. "It's a case of, 'Oh, hold on a second, I have no right to be sad', but you actually do, because there is a grieving process of the life you once had."
When couples arrive at the fork in the road of using an egg or sperm donor to complete their family, it is usually with a heavy dose of exhaustion, grief, relief, and curiosity. After a few moments of grace, it's often curiosity that breathes new life into the donor journey-giving couples a future to imagine and helping them move forward, rather than being held back by the uncertainty and anxiety of the past.