“3: I feel exhausted from worrying so much about my loved one. How can I take better care of myself and still be supportive?” Mental Health: Help for Parents and Families (2019)

“I Feel Exhausted from Worrying,” Mental Health: Help for Parents and Families

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woman leaning on table

I feel exhausted from worrying so much about my loved one. How can I take better care of myself and still be supportive?

You may feel that you are answering the Savior’s call to “bear one another’s burdens” and “comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:8–9), but He has also taught that it is not necessary for us to “run faster than [we have] strength” (Mosiah 4:27). Find a balance between meaningful connections with other people and appropriate boundaries in your own life. There needs to be a time and place to address the concerns of a loved one, but allowing those concerns to dominate your thoughts and efforts is not healthy. Consider trying one or more of these suggestions to start creating balance in your life today.

Counsel with others. Make every effort to counsel together with your family, your bishop, or a mental health professional. As you counsel with others, be sensitive about with whom you share vulnerable information. There are wonderful avenues to seek support that are helpful and healing. Thoughtfully implement helpful recommendations.
Maintain your health. Establish healthy routines for sleep, nutrition, exercise, and personal worship.
Practice self-care. Consider making a change in your daily routine or establishing a deliberate habit. Seek pleasure in small and simple things by noticing the texture of a flower, the flavor of a favorite food, or the beauty of a birdsong. Practice mindfulness or another relaxation technique. Allow your thoughts to turn to God as you give your mind and body time to rejuvenate.
Ask for help. There will be times when you can’t do everything you wish you could to help your loved one. Heavenly Father does not expect you to do everything. He has taught that “to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Learn to ask for and accept support from your family, your friends, your Church community, and Heavenly Father.