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When you are facing end of life, suffering can be more than physical pain. Recognising that you are going to die can cause serious distress. It might feel like there are many tasks to finish and lots of appointments to make, all while you are feeling unwell, it is normal to feel overwhelmed at this time. If you are overwhelmed with anxiety and distress, help is available.
If you are struggling to manage your illness and daily living , or you feel that your stress is severe , contact your doctor, palliative care nurse or social worker. They can provide you with support, information and referrals if needed.
What you are going through is difficult. You will experience many emotions including uncertainty and fear about what will happen. You may be worried about what will happen to your family and children. This is natural and can be eased by talking with your family and friends about your fears and your worries.
You may be overwhelmed by the thought of dying and no longer being alive. Approaching end of life can also lead to a crisis of meaning and questioning of your life’s importance. Distress can also arise if you feel that you are not being treated with respect or that you are a burden to others. It is can be helpful to talk about these feelings with your family and your friends.
Sometimes your feelings may be more distressing, and you may find it helpful to talk to your doctor of the palliative care nurse. They may also suggest the support of someone experienced in counselling people who are experiencing emotional distress.
Webpages talking about feelings and emotions and how to manage.
You may find caring for someone at the end of their life demanding and distressing. Many carers experience stress. Care demands, lack of support and feeling isolated can add to your feelings of stress. You may also worry about how you will cope with emergencies and with expectations of what you need to do. You may also feel overwhelming sadness that the person you are caring for is so ill and will die. You may be grieving for the loss of the life you once had or grieving for the loss of the future you had planned. You may be concerned about what will happen to you after the death.
Self-care is an important part of caring. If you do not look after yourself, you may not be able to continue caring. Taking time to get out of the house or organising a time to visit friends is not selfish. It can help you recharge. Talking about your feelings can help you feel better able to cope.
If you are struggling to manage your illness and daily living, or you feel that your stress is severe, contact your doctor, palliative care nurse or social worker. They can provide you with support, strategies, information and referrals if needed. There are also resources on coping with different emotions on beyondblue and on the CarerHelp website.
Webpage talking about stress, anxiety, grief and depression.
Call 1-800-725-548 (PALLI8), Monday to Friday from 08:30 am to 04:00 pm. You can request a call back by filling out our call back form.
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