Any Advice

Well if I had all that going on in my life, I would have anxiety too! Good grief woman! Are you taking care of yourself? Probably not. These feelings are natural to us all, your are exaggerated by fatigue, mental fatigue and you just burn out. To help yourself, take a walk everyday around the hood. Load up the kids if you must or just take the older ones. This can be your exhale. Don't talk about inflammatory things on your walk. Go to the grocery store by yourself. You need some time to enable you to hear yourself think. SLow down, things will get done. You don't want to stress yourself into a breakdown (sitting in the closet, crying uncontrollably.) It is very uncool. Godo luck to you. I would visit a counselor to talk, get tips on how to deal with your circus of a life. I feel for you. You are not alone. Keep your chin up.

S.,

I think that your feelings are a reasonable response to all the (major) STRESS that you are experiencing in your life. Six children, working, all the worry...!!!

You have received some great advice about taking care of yourself. Try to start with the basics, first...getting enough sleep, eating properly and exercise can work wonders for your mental sense of well- being.

Some of this might even be hormonal. Enjoy your renewed relationship, your children, count your blessings.

If you still feel so anxious, please seek help. You can start with a therapist..if you go to a psychiatrist you will likely be prescribed meds. Fine if you need them, but you might be able to work this out w/o them.

You are NORMAL for feeling this stressed out...you have a lot of responsibilities.

Hang in there,
D.

Have you have a blood test to rule out other things? Sometime when your hormone level (i.e. thyroid) are off you can feel this way?

Hang in there! You can do it!

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! You might be surprised at the number of people who suffer through anxiety. It can be overwhelming and discouraging. I know when I am stressed out and spread thin I have no time to decompress. With six kids and a job, you are no doubt spread thinner than many!

I found that when it all seemed to get to be too much, exercise helped me out more than you could imagine. It burned off some of the nervous energy, let me sleep a little better and therefor felt better the next day, and my body started to act more efficiently. If you can find time great, if you can't then MAKE it. It can be something as simple as walking briskly for 20 minutes at lunch time (I'd do it before I ate) and stretching when you first get up in the morning. What ever you can work in and however you do it, I found that it helps. That is just the beginning. It sounds like you have some great advice and if you need to go see someone to help you then please do it. I saw some suggestions from others that may help.

Be sure that you get help at home, too. It shouldn't all fall on you. Unless you had six kids at once, at least a few of them should be old enough to help you keep up the house. I love it when my eight year old step son is here because he does the dishes every night (and he is just awesome in every way), and tomorrow he is vacuuming for the first time. Little steps to get some things off of your plate really help.

If your anxiety is worse in the car, then try to allow yourself extra travel time when possible and look for alternate routes that give you a little more green than concrete. When we lived in Houston it took me between 45 minutes to two hours to get to and from work and it was just six miles away. That's crazy! I found that when I went on the smaller streets it took me about as much time but was much more pleasant. The stop and go there is absolutely teeth-grating!

If you need to blow off some steam or cry to a stranger-friend or anything, do not hesitate to contact me. I'm happy to talk to anyone who needs to talk to someone.

Take care and know that you are not alone. All us mamas are rooting for you!

S.

Hi S.,

I just wanted to let you know that you are NOT alone. A wonderful friend of mine whom I respect soooo much has severe bouts of anxiety which keep her home at times. It doesn't make her any less wonderful.

I do not know what she does about it because she does not like to talk about it. I wish she felt OK talking about it because we just want to love her through it. It is nothing to feel embarrassed about.

I went through a few years of depression (luckliy it was past before I became a mom) and I learned that we can't be anything but who we are at the moment. And who we are is always perfect in the eyes of God.

I'm happy for you that you and your husband are back together. It does sound like you have more on your plate than I could handle with the kids, relationship, mom, house, work... is there anything you can get help with? When I am overwhelmed I call a woman to clean my house for $50. I don't do it often, but it saves my sanity. I hope mom is helping with the kids an house if she is able.

Good luck.

When I feel like I am getting overwhelmed I take Calcium Magnesium. It seems to help.

Hi S.-- Well I know exactly what you are talking about-Panic Attacks-I have had them off and on most of my life. I have taken different meds for it- You can try Klonopin-it is an anti-anxiety med. Some Dr's don't like to prescribe it because it is additing. That's the only med that has worked for me. I am currently taking Attarax- its "Old School for nervousness, and does help-I take it at night so I can rest and get some sleep. Ambien helps me sleep but I can't get that either. My Dr back in Houston would prescribe that for me, but here in Austin they are not so willing to help me. My family dr gives me the attarax. I have seen Psy's before and mostly they will give you medication, but that's pretty much it. I hope this helps....
I have 3 little ones and am a SAHM.

K.

Hi I am a married mother of two living in Northwest area of Houston.Your comments drew me to respond.
The root of aniexity is some form of fear. God did not give us the spirit of fear but Power and sound mind. So cast down every imagination, and every high thing that would exalt itselt against the knowledge of God and take it into captivity. I believe this problem is more spiritual and mental than natural or emotional.Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus.
The mind can be a battlefield and the spiritual man is warring against the natural man constantly.
Committ yourself to prayer daily and as consistently as possible with 6 kids.
Your breakthrough will come by way of your knees-in prayer.
God will meet you there and he is a faithful rescuer , and a very present help in times of trouble.
May the peace of God and the sweet comunion of his holy spirit rest, rule, and abide with you forever.

College Counselor, pastors wife, and womens fellowship host.

Fonda

I too have anxiety, it was very hard for me to admit it before. I thought I was one who dealt with stress very well and that there was no way I have anxiety! But, I do. After an MRI I finally decided to go to a psychiatrist. He explained to me that it's not my fault and that it is a chemical imbalance that causes it. I'm been taking Lexapro and it is working great. It helps me survive through each day. One day I have the hopes of not needing it. God bless you and your journey!

I get weird every now and then. Espically if I have gained weight. I dont like going to new places. I will repeatly go to the same exact gas station because I really feel out of place at a new or different store. The best thing that helps me is to actually avoid the same places. This usually helps me with all situations to just face my fears. Also I am some times scared of spiders and heights. I knoticed that when I am stressed out or over tired this is much stronger. Sometimes I can pick up a spider on a paper ( let him crawl on it) and gentley put him back outside. Other stressful times I freak out and smash the sucker. If your anxiety is taking over then you should get some medication to balance your chemicals out again. Your not alone. We all have our little quirks. When The quirks take over its time to get some help. Good luck.

My gosh, your platter is full. Glad your Mom is there to help with your kiddos and your are back with your baby's Dad. Have you tried eliminating caffeine from your diet? Do you drive with a cup of coffee in your hand, like many do? You might try having a cup of decaf coffee or decaf hot tea. It might help. I can't have caffeine at all, so there goes cokes, coffee, ice tea and hot chocolate/chocolate of any kind. I do better on a caffeine free diet anyway.

Take good care of your health - diet wise- so you will be there for your family and get a good night's sleep. Remember to eat right and "not fast". Eat a good breakfast and drink plenty of water. Keep a granola bar in your purse or take a baggy of sliced fruit to snack on during your drive to work. Take a few bags of herbal decaf hot teas to work with you. They are great during the day. I love the lemon ones. Turn on your favorite radio tunes on your drive to work to refocus your anxiety to something more relaxing or pop in your favorite CD or tape. Take a few deep breaths and enjoy your ride. Everything will work out fine, just hang in there and hug those babies waiting for you when you get home. They can't wait to see your smile.

Also remember to find time for YOU, by yourself, during the day. You need a few minutes to unwind and relax even if it is a hot bath or a cup of hot tea. Good luck!

S.,

You do have an incredibly difficult job of raising your children AND working - it would be difficult to not be anxious. I am a therapist and several questions came to mind - for example, whether the anxiety was on-going, free floating or happens in specific situations etc. You did not mention if you have any health insurance with your new job. If you do, a few sessions with an experienced therapist might be very helpful - they can help you figure out what might work best. It may seem like you cannot find the time but I usually find that the extra 30 minutes a day or so you spend managing your anxiety end up saving you time as you spend less time dealing with the negative effects of it. I am glad to look at who is on your insurance if that would be helpful. If you do not have insurance, the YWCA in Austin offers low-cost counseling for women.

Here are some things I work on with my clients. Please keep in mind that anything is better than nothing so don't worry if you can't do it "right" or how others think you should. Half Price Books often has copies of anxiety workbooks that are very good.

1. Regular aerobic exercise. This can be as simple as a 15 minute walk every other day with some of your kids.

2. Eat a healthy diet and you might consider a B complex supplement. Also the idea about herbal teas is good, especially chamomile or sweet dreams - you can make ice tea and sip it all day.

3. 10 or so minutes of deep breathing/meditation a day.

4. Keep a log of your anxiety so you can begin to understand your triggers better. Write what you were doing for several hours prior, what happened, what you did and how it worked.

Hi S.,
I see an ND, dr. of naturopathy in Houston. She is warm and friendly. Because everybody's issues are different, I hesitate to suggest what I take because there are other preparations that might suit you better. Since it is herbs/vits/mins it is not as simple as "take an aspirin". With all you have going on, she will help you address what is the underlying anxiety issue. The best part about seeing her is that you don't have to know what you need, she will tell you. <smile> Tracy Southwick,ND at www.heightsofhealth.com Her staff is great too--warm an genuine. HTH!

S., my advice for you will be, to look at the positives of everything that you are having anxiety about with the good things. FOr example the driving, the good thing I have to go to the store to feed my kids. THe job, I have to work to provide shelter, food and clothing. Try not to wear yourself too thin. Be sure to take time out for yourself. Close the door to your room, lay back and relax for 30 mins. Be the last to bath/shower(as moms we usually are) take a bath, light some candles turn the light offs, prop your head up and start on a book or just close your eyes. Be sure to start the kids on a project or something to occupy their time for 30 mins. or so. I have never had anxiety attacks, but I feel that it is all up to you to get over them. If you brought the ideas then you can get rid of them. With much support of course. The world is the world, God said that he put us here to be in the world but not of the world. Which means stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and don't get trapped in the hustle and bustle that people have created. Live YOUR life for God and your children to the fullest.

Good Luck!! Keep you in my prayers.