Intellectual Disabilities (or PWID)

STRESS! How do we handle it?

Research has shown that people with a disability have more stress, but the levels of stress have more variables than just the person with the disability.

Coping: In relationships with stress the coping skills are brought down to 2 main areas.

Problem focused and emotion focused

1. Problem focus is aimed at reducing the effect of the event or completely changing the event by both cognitive and behavioral strategies.

2. Emotion focus is aimed at the feelings and how to maintain emotional balance.

Even though both skill sets are important, as families we hone in at the problem focus to cope and lower the stress levels. We have the limitations of focusing on the dysfunction rather than the adaptation of how we function with the high demands and the use of resources. Identifying the family stress cannot give total picture of the effect of the disability on the family, but researchers have found that the caretakers have found there are benefits and rewards with the pwid. The sense of rewards does not mean that there are no stressors and there is evidence of the rewards. They are:

· Joy and Happiness

· A sense of purpose

· An increase of personal and social networks

· An increase of spirituality

· A closeness of the family unit

· Increased tolerance and understanding

· Personal growth

· And a positive impact on the community and others

Keep in mind that being a caretaker, whether a family member or not, is very difficult. Siblings can join advocacy groups or develop new social support networks. Families of people with intellectual disabilities usually make accommodations in order to maintain the family routine. This has important implications and sacrifices that the whole family needs to make.

As the child grows into adulthood there seem to be two complementary themes

1. A stable routine develops with consistency and the older siblings leave home and become independent

2. The caretaker gets older and the care may evaporate by failing health and the siblings often share with the support given to the sibling with the disabilities.

In conclusion, caretakers and family members of the person with Intellectual disabilities must do their research and realize that stressors are the way of life with your pwid. The researchers have gone all around this and what it looks like to me is; be kind to yourself, realize who you are dealing with and be generous to the people involved.