Parental Anxiety

Oh I am pregnant. How will I manage things now? What if I am a terrible mother? What if my baby gets sick? What if she does not study? What if I don’t know the best way to prevent bullying. The moment I saw two lines on the pregnancy kit, I was hit my parental anxiety. These worries are getting intensified as my boy growing older.

Parental anxiety is a real and difficult issue that many parents are facing. It is quite natural for parents to worry but when this worry starts turning into anxiety, the real problem starts. The worry list gets longer day by day. Abduction, abuse, performance, friendship, bullying, pornography, diet and habits and the list goes on. But think of it as a deep ocean and you will find that parental anxiety paralyzes both parent ane child. It somehow limits children’s opportunity to indulge in healthy activities. Children get so terrified and fearful that they hesitate playing or walking without being under a parent’s eye. These restictions prevent children from exploring the outside world and interacting with their peers. So, if you feel that you are also trapped in this web, let’s see the symptoms to make it more clear.

Symptoms of Parental Anxiety

● You are always anxious knowing what your child is upto.
● You have fear of separation.
● You do not have your own life outside your kid’s problem.
● You are more into negative things and start imagining tragic events.
● You spend majority of your time searching and reading parental stuff.

Causes of Parental Anxiety

I often think, are we a generation really more anxious as parents than other generations? Or internet is the culprit? I guess a little bit of both. Things that contribute to parental anxiety are:

● A history of mental illness
● Shy behavior during childhood
● Stressful and negative life events
● Parental history of anxiety or mental illness
● Physical conditions that contribute to anxiety
● Overcomparison of your child with other children.

Effects of Parental Anxiety

The most common effect is that parental anxiety rubs off the lives of both parent and children. It also impacts the parent-children relationship for life and it may also lead to depression and anxiety symptoms in children. Just remember, if your child can inherit your physical attributes, she may also inherit your anxiety.

Many studies prove that anxiety is hereditary. It means that if you have anxiety, its possible that your child will have the same as well. But diagnosing the problem on time and finding relief may help you out.

Ways to Manage Parental Anxiety:

● Accept that you’re fearful: Acknowledge your fears and learn the real risks and facts. Be open about your fears to your partner and other parents. This will help to put your mind at ease. Facts often combat fear.

● Get Professional Help: Therapy is one of the best and effective methods for anxiety. It is even more effevtive than medication in many cases. Try for some counselling or therapy sessions. It will surely make you feel better.

● Get indulge regular exercises: Many studies have proved that regular exercise can lower stress and improve mood. Take out only 5 minutes to do some aerobic activity of jogging to kick off the anxiety effects.

● Breathe and Meditate: Parenting is tough.When you start feeling anxious about situations, stop and count to 10. Breathe deeply and say positive things to your child. Deep breathing and meditation will help you gain strength and positivity.

Parental anxiety is not a permanant state and it will pass on. Never be afraid to get help as there’s no shame in needing more support.

How To Battle Parental Anxiety

Oh god, we are pregnant. What will happen now? What if I am a bad mom/ dad? What if my child is not healthy? These are some of the thoughts that every parent faces after the euphoria of the news subsides. This affects the mental health of the soon-to-be-parents and quite naturally, there’s an effect on the health of the child as well. To know whether you need Mental Health Tips for Parents, let us know the symptoms first;

The signs of parental anxiety

• Always looking for negative things and inventing tragic situations.
• Always on the lookout for the child.
• Evident panic due to fear of separation.
• Losing personal life because of the worry.
• Obsessively reading on parental texts and info.

Reasons for parental anxiety

The thought that the internet and its all-pervading reach into unbridled information have made us more anxious than our previous generation. There are quite a few valid reasons for parental anxiety, which is addressed in the quality Mental Health Tips for Parents:

• A past psychological disorder
• Bodily disorders leading to anxiety
• Excessive comparison of your child with other children.
• Nervous manners during infancy
• Traumatic and adverse life events
• Genetic presence of anxiety

No shame in seeking help

Although the worries are genuine, it should not turn to anxiety. Believe me, if you start to worry too much, your child will be fearful to even step outside alone. If you suffer from these symptoms, accept your condition, and seek professional help. Exercise and meditation also help. Focus on being a friendly, cooperative, and comforting individual, as that’s the key to become a great parent as well!