title: Are you caring or caretaking?
abstract: People in helping roles often confuse caretaking with being a caring professional. This confusion leads to burnout, self-neglect, and perpetuates destructive relating habits. This article describes the signs of caretaking, exposes some of the common family roles/dynamics that encourage caretaking, and points out ways to change.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Portnoy
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012380:Role; D012648:Self Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*