BOSTON: The first-ever study into the phenomenon has found high levels of distress among carers, with some actively contemplating killing the very person to whom they are dedicating their life.
The study leader said carers were under incredible pressure and often had no one to speak to about their feelings.
The study found that almost 20 per cent of the carers interviewed had verbally or physically abused the person they were caring for, while the same number had wished their family member dead. Another two of the group’s 21 participants had actively thought about how they might kill their loved one.