Caring for Everyone But Yourself? Mental Health for Caregivers

If you're the one everyone turns to—the fixer, the emotional anchor, the reliable one—you might also be the one most at risk for burnout. November is National Family Caregivers Month, and at Sprout Therapy PDX, we want to recognize the often invisible labor of caregiving. Whether you’re supporting a child, partner, parent, or chosen family member, your mental health matters too.

Who Counts as a Caregiver? Caregiving isn’t just about elder care or medical support. You might be a caregiver if you:

• Are raising kids (especially as a single parent or default parent)

• Provide emotional support for a partner, roommate, or friend

• Help manage someone else’s appointments, medications, or daily routines

• Show up for family in ways that go beyond what anyone sees

Caregivers are often unpaid, unrecognized, and expected to "just handle it."

Why Caregivers Are at Risk for Burnout Because you’re so focused on other people, it can be easy to:

• Ignore your own needs

• Normalize chronic stress or overwhelm

• Feel resentment and guilt at the same time

• Think rest or help is something "other people" get to have

But caregiving is emotional labor — and emotional labor takes a toll.

Signs You Might Be Burned Out (Even If You’re Still Functioning)

• Emotional numbness or detachment

• Trouble sleeping or feeling rested

• Chronic irritability or low-level sadness

• Feeling like you have nothing left to give

• Pulling away from friends, hobbies, or joy

If you recognize yourself here, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you need support.

What Mental Health Support Can Look Like for Caregivers

• Therapy that centers your needs, not just your role

• Naming resentment, grief, or anger without shame

• Rebuilding boundaries in a way that honors your capacity

• Carving out moments of rest, even when time is limited

You Don’t Have to Earn Support by Breaking Down You don’t need to be at a crisis point to deserve therapy. You don’t have to prove your exhaustion to access care. Caregivers need care too—ongoing, proactive, identity-affirming care.

Final Thoughts You are doing sacred, difficult, loving work. But it shouldn’t cost you your own mental health. Therapy can be a place to feel seen, supported, and reminded that you matter too.

If you’re a caregiver feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or just unseen—Sprout Therapy PDX is here for you. We offer inclusive, compassionate care for people who care for others. Reach out today to get matched with a therapist who gets it.