Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
Parenting is hard. It’s been described in an infinite number of ways, but one popular saying compares parenting to watching your heart walk around outside of your body. The love between a
parent and a child is so hard to describe, and it makes sense that you might have some powerful fears about something happening to your child. Some parents experience so much fear and worry about their kids that it interferes with their day-to-day lives, including their ability to parent effectively. How can you tell when what you’re feeling is a normal parental concern or something more serious, like an anxiety disorder? You may have heard that today’s parents are more anxious than previous generations were.
That may be true, or parents today just might have more resources to voice their anxieties in places like social media. Parents, since the beginning of time, have worried about their little ones, and parents today are no different. One big difference between parents of long ago and parents now is that we have the entire internet at our fingertips, full of scary stories and warnings. There are a lot of things to be afraid of in this world, and sometimes it’s hard not to get carried away worrying about worst-case scenarios.
Anxiety doesn’t have to be so bad that it stops you from functioning completely. The tell-tale sign that you may need extra support for your anxiety is if it’s interfering with your day-to-day life. Anxiety can get in the way of feeling close to your kids or even make you feel like you’re not a good parent. Just because something is a sign of anxiety doesn’t mean it’s a done deal. Context matters, and so just because you do some of the following things doesn’t necessarily mean you have anxiety. If you find yourself doing everything on this list, or if you feel like your day-to-day life has been impacted, anxiety might be the cause. Bringing in a professional may help you understand your inner fears that are causing anxiety.
It’s not fair to you to deal with everything on your own, especially when you’re dealing with something as complicated as anxiety. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it, whether that’s from
your social circle or by bringing in a professional. Working with a counselor can give you concrete ways to deal with your anxiety and even start to get to the root of where the anxiety is coming from so it doesn’t continue to cause distress for you in the future. In therapy, you can even use something called exposure therapy to help face what you’re afraid of and feel less fear. Working with a counselor gives you another support person in your corner to help you deal with parental anxiety.
Are you struggling with parenting with anxiety? NuWell Counseling Services team of online professional counselors can help. Get in touch with their office today to get started. Let’s discuss what’s
happening to you right now and how therapy can help you create a life you love living with your family. People who often feel fearful may find that therapy can help them transform any maladaptive behaviors into positive thoughts and actions. A counselor may also be able to teach those affected by fear how to recognize triggers for fear as well as the skills needed for effective fear management. NuWell Counseling Services is a faith-based agency; we care about you and desire to help you THRIVE!
