It is hard not to root for women with an anxiety disorder who do not allow their condition to stop them from creating a family of their own. They get married; they have kids. Some even choose to become stay-at-home mothers to take care of their children 24/7.
Nevertheless, being a full-time mom naturally comes with various problems that may trigger the anxiety. For instance, you have to clean up one mess after another, especially when your children are still young. The more babies you produce, the more laundry and dishes you need to wash. Then, if your husband’s salary is barely enough to pay the bills, you should budget your money well.
Quitting at this point is out of the question. As what the experts of BetterHelp usually say, you should fight your anxiety for the sake of your family. To know how, keep on reading below.
- Look After Your Well-Being
No matter how jam-packed your timetable is, you have to eat healthy foods on time. The nutrition you will get from those meals can energize your body and keep your brain from coming up with strange ideas. Because of that, you may not experience the symptoms of anxiety often.
- Get Some Fresh Air
Cherish every chore that you need to do outside of your home. Buy the groceries on your own, for instance, or tend to your garden. Inhaling the fresh air, basking in the sun, and seeing other people besides your family members can do good for your well-being. According to Craig Anderson, Ph.D. of the Greater Good Science Center, “Our findings suggest that you don’t have to do extravagant, extraordinary experiences in nature to feel awe or to get benefits,” says Anderson. “By taking a few minutes to enjoy flowers that are blooming or a sunset in your day-to-day life, you also improve your well-being.”
- Accept Turns Of Events
When you are a full-time mother, we understand your desire to have control over your domain. The house needs to be clean all the time. Your children or husband should be at home at a specific hour. However, in cases when you cannot have either, you need to be considerate and realize that unexpected circumstances can occur every day.
- Exercise
Doing different fitness routines is not merely good at toning your muscles. It also allows you to release some of the tension that motherhood brings. “Go for a walk or run. [Engaging] in some physical activity [releases] serotonin to help you calm down and feel better,” explains Scott Dehorty, LCSW-C, of Delphi Behavioral Health. That is the kind of activity you need to do often, primarily when you are fighting anxiety, a mental illness that feeds off stress, among other things.
- Try Meditation
In securing your mental health, have you ever thought of meditating? Many parents swear by its helpfulness when it comes to calming the mind and reducing your stress levels. Those are a couple of things that an anxious person like yourself needs to function correctly. “Mindfulness meditation also teaches people how to purposefully respond to stressful situations, not simply react to them.“Instead of spiraling downward into increasing anxiety and depression, we’re able to stop that spiral and respond in a more appropriate fashion,” explains Michele Hauser, MD, Director, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Austin, Texas.
- Welcome Help From Loved Ones
Finally, you have to let your spouse and family members take on some of your responsibilities from time to time. You are a mom, not a robot. When your body screams for you to take a break, you should listen to it. Otherwise, the anxiety might flare up and cause more significant problems in the end.
To Sum It All Up
The unbridled truth is that you might not be able to eliminate anxiety from your life. Well, not instantly or permanently. It is an incurable mental disorder, and scientists are nowhere near discovering a long-term solution for it. But once you try the tips above, you may get to manage its symptoms and stay as the best mom your children will ever want.