Lots of women dream of being able to stay home and care for their children. Yet, when an opportunity finally presents itself, it turns out to be more than they bargained for. Sure, they’ve given up the fight of having to choose between a paycheck and the needs of their children. However, they trade in that for other issues like the guilt of not being able to provide financially, the pressure of having to tackle everything and the sadness that can come from loneliness and losing oneself. If you’re not careful, these emotional challenges can lead to anxiety and depression.
Am I Already Suffering?
Is it possible you’re already dealing with depression or anxiety? If you are, this is nothing to feel bad about. As stated above, becoming a stay at home mom is an adjustment that requires finding a new kind of balance. If you go through long periods of sadness, feel tired all the time, lack the will to care for yourself or your family, start to feel hopeless, or often turn to vices like painkillers and potentially have an opioid addiction, chances are you’re dealing with depression.
If you’re dealing with anxiety, you might feel overly worried or anxious all the time. Your heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, you might feel tired and in pain, and you’ve been pacifying your angst with drugs or alcohol. You too need to get treatment in LA or in whichever city is closest to you for detox and therapy.
How Did I Get Here?
If you’re stressed or anxious as a stay at home mom, you should know you’re not alone. There are lots of factors that can contribute to your overwhelming emotions and mental health problems, but here are some of the most common along with solutions to fixing it.
Too Much To Do
You’d think that taking a job out of the equation would make things better, but, most women find that staying at home leaves more to do. Younger children need constant attention, everyone’s home so the house needs cleaning more often, and you still have to prep the meals, do the laundry, run around and get kids from school, and find time for your spouse. It’s a lot and you may feel like you never truly tackle anything.
Resolution: Waking up early and having a general routine can help you tackle more around the house. The extra time in the morning gives you uninterrupted time to handle some household chores, and your routine helps you to stay on target. If it’s really too much, ask your spouse for help.
Lack of Accomplishment
When you’re in the office and you’re tackling a project, once it’s complete you get this overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. Your diligence in the office can lead to acknowledgments and promotions which made you feel great. When you’re at home and the family gets used to it, the everyday things you do don’t get the recognition you’d like. Not to mention, incomplete tasks due to an overwhelming amount of things to do can start to suck the life out of you.
Resolution: Find purpose outside of the home. Read books to elementary students, help an elderly neighbor with something around their house, take up a hobby like painting or sculpting, just do something that will give you the satisfaction and recognition you crave.
Loneliness and Boredom
When you’re home with the little ones all day your brain seems to turn to mush. You can babble and coo away with your baby, but after a while, being at home all the time gets lonely. It can lead to extreme periods of depression.
Resolution: Make time for yourself. Join stay at home mom support group meet up with friends and family, plan a monthly outing, or link with other moms for playdates, just be sure you’re staying connected and social to fill that void.
Feeling depressed or anxious as a result of being a stay at home mom is common and isn’t something you should be ashamed of. Find ways to beat anxiety and depression by learning how to balance what you give to your loved ones and what you give to yourself. If you stay organized, develop a routine, ask for help when you need it, and make a point to get out and socialize, you’ll find that parenting your little ones and being a supportive spouse is a lot easier.
