It's the last day of Disability Pride Month, which is appropriate considering that we at Caffeinated Caregivers have been avoiding talking about this topic all month. To be honest, Disability Pride has got us up in our feels a little bit, because as disabled adults who are also caregivers to disabled kids, it brings up a lot of conflicting and confusing emotions as we try to figure out our place in all this.

And as far as we can tell, we're not alone in feeling a little confused about how we're supposed to engage with Disability Pride. So today, we're digging into some history behind Disability Pride, what we're actually celebrating during Disability Pride (spoiler: it's not actually the pain or suffering that we or our kids endure), why it's valuable and important to celebrate (but why it's not more important than protecting your own energy), AND how caregivers fit into all of this.

If you've been confused about what Disability Pride means for caregivers, this episode is for you. Let's get into it.

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:35] Erica and Alyssa discuss the merits present (or not) in grapefruit
[00:04:16] Why Erica and Alyssa have been avoiding this conversation topic
[00:10:57]Alyssa's big and complicated feelings around Disability Pride (and why being a caregiver has changed how she would otherwise interact with Disability Pride)
[00:16:19] A quick history of Disability Pride Month
[00:22:53] What allyship looks like and how caregivers fit into Disability Pride
[00:30:10] Why some caregivers don't feel like they relate to Disability Pride
[00:30:38] The life and death ramifications of untreated mental health struggles (and it's not just about ideation around unaliving yourself)
[00:35:37] Ways that caregivers can join in the celebration and why they can let go of guilt if they don't
[00:41:18] What we're actually celebrating (and what we aren't) during Disability Pride

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep11
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.
Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!
Thanks friends! Talk soon!

This week, we're not bringing you stats or data or research... we're just bringing ourselves and our friend Karley. Because the truth is, data can only tell you so much, but for the three of us, some of the most impactful information we've ever received about navigating this caregiving life is through other's individual experiences.
So today, we're getting a little vulnerable in sharing the moments that convinced each of us that we needed mental health support, the fear and shame that kept us from accessing support earlier, and why we ALL deserve mental health support at any point on this journey, not just when we can't function anymore.
Let's get into it.

In this episode:
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:35] Erica, Alyssa, and Karley discuss what's fueling them, both existentially and caffeinated
[00:06:54] Why caregiver mental health affects entire communities and why caregivers often put off addressing their mental health for so long
[00:13:35] Our current mental health state, as of the time of this recording
[00:20:32] The physical symptoms that spurred Karley into getting support for her mental health
[00:21:55] Erica's mental health turning point
[00:26:03] The dark side of dissociating and delayed processing that exacerbated Alyssa's mental health symptoms
[00:30:38] The life and death ramifications of untreated mental health struggles (and it's not just about ideation around unaliving yourself)
[00:33:06] How to overcome the fear many caregivers have around getting mental health support
[00:41:18] Why you don't have to be completely "nonfunctional" before getting mental health support (don't let it get that bad, friends!!)
[00:45:03] The type of therapy that helped Karley (it's not EMDR) and other solutions that Erica and Alyssa have found to be helpful
[00:56:20] Why asking for mental health support is a sign of strength, not weakness

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep10
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.

Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!

Thanks friends! Talk soon!

Hey caregiver. How are you doing? No, we mean, how are you *really* doing?
Because according to the research (both our informal research and the many published academic studies), mental health for caregivers isn't great. The "why" probably isn't surprising: lack of support, stress, poor health for our children, lack of time, and a ton of other barriers that keep us from accessing the mental health support that we need. But what can help to improve our mental health might surprise you a little bit.
In this episode, we're sharing lots of published research (because we seem to need that validation) and data collected from our caregiver community that shed light on the state of mental health for caregivers. We're sharing what impacts caregivers' mental health, what keeps caregivers from discussing mental health issues, and the barriers caregivers have to accessing mental health support.
We're also sharing the best advice caregivers have received from mental health professionals and what both our community (and the published research!) say can have the biggest positive impact on caregiver mental health (spoiler alert: it's us! All of us together, supporting each other!)
Let's dive in!

In this episode:
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:00] Erica & Alyssa discuss the eclipse (they both live in the path of totality!)
[00:06:48] The activities fueling our mental health this week
[00:11:02] Why caregiver mental health matters and why we need to talk about it
[00:14:57] What stops caregivers from discussing their mental health
[00:23:03] The published data that we found discussing caregiver mental health (shocker: we have higher rates of anxiety and depression)
[00:27:01] The questions we asked our caregiver community about the state of their mental health and the somewhat surprising responses
[00:34:00] Why caregivers are struggling with their mental health so much
[00:43:00] The barriers that caregivers say prevent them from getting mental health support
[00:46:43] The best advice caregivers have received from a mental health professional and why we have to prioritize our mental health eventually
[00:53:01] A short discussion about the way medication can be a tool for caregivers to support their mental health
[00:58:44] The ways professional therapy can support your mental health, and the considerations you may want to keep in mind as you look for a therapist
[01:01:16] What our community (and the research!) says has the biggest positive effect on our mental health

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep9
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.

Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!

Thanks friends! Talk soon!