They’re young and in love. But she’s sick, and he’s her caregiver, and that means nothing else comes easy.
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At this age, people typically explore new beliefs, relationships and friendships. It’s when you become the author of your own life story, as psychologist Dan McAdams puts it.
But when caregiving takes up all the bandwidth, school, work, social and other identities fade away. It’s hard for anyone, but because young people’s identities are still under development, they may be particularly prone to what psychologists call role engulfment: One facet of your life becomes the only thing you think about, the only self you recognize.