I’d like to touch on the topic of anxiety. This is a mental health ‘issue’ that touches my family immensely. Between myself and one of my children, we have the market cornered on life with anxiety. It is a genetically inherit trait, along with depression, both running on my side of the family. Unfortunately, my two teenage children and I have depression as well.
My youngest also suffers with social anxiety. Influencing all facets of life, from the struggle to be at extended family events, making friends, ordering a meal or engaging with a cashier. As a teenager these are things most would consider fairly mundane parts of life and take for granite even, but this is not the case here. The anxieties at times can affect life for the whole family. Unannounced anxiety enduced nausea or panic attacks; these can interrupt family outings or keep us from even making it out the door. And, although my two teens are best friends and can engage each other with ease, I do worry what life as an adult for my child will look like. Cognitive therapy (CBT) is a useful tool that we do have, but anxiety will still always play a part in life.
My anxieties are a bit less apparent as I do not have trouble with interactions or engaging in public. My anxiety tends to be in the form of stressful situations. I can have panic attacks when my mind takes over a situation. Whether I begin to feel claustrophobic or I feel like I may be in a confrontational situation. These can send me, but not always, which is the disconcerting part. I find having a strong mind and being in control, keep me centered and away from the panic attacks. Relaxation, meditation and time to myself are great therapies for me, along with good support from my family.
Life with anxiety does not have to be all-consuming, but it can be. However, overall I believe our family has learned to cope with it and just go with the flow most of the time. Afterall this is really all we can do, as well as, being super supportive and understanding of one another. Strength as a family unit is certainly a key part of successful daily living with mental health struggles.© ~Mac
Southern By Design 
Thank you for sharing this – anxiety is rough. I have friends and family that have it and it is quite the struggle.
Truly! Thank you for reading xx
Thanks for sharing this, Mac… I know myself how it can affect so many things in our lives, but it’s a very uplifting picture that you paint.
I’m glad you found some positive in this. I feel that empathy is in itself encouraging. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Absolutely… to communicate and understand it better often mitigates the effects. 🙂
You’re most welcome… keep up the good posts! 🙂
Thank you 🙂
You nailed this. Family reunions, making friends, grocery shopping – it’s hard sometimes. Most of the friends I have made are online, because for some reason it’s easier for me to talk to people online. Slowly but surely, He is breaking me out of this prison though, and it feels great! 😊
Thanks for including the link about cognitive therapy; that was really interesting. 🙂
Thank you for reading. I think it’s good to know we are not alone in our challenges. And I’m pleased you found this helpful. 😊
And thank you for sharing this! ♥ It is good to know we’re not alone. 😊
I wish you all the best on your way to deal with the depression and the anxiety! The CBT was and still is for me a really good way to have a happier life today. But the most important thing for me was to discover the hidden path of self-love. So now the broken mirror has become a complete soul! Thank you for your honesty, your post spends courage!
I’m so glad to read your positive outcome. Thank you for the encouragement and for reading. 🙂
Wishing you and your family all the best xx
Greatly appreciated! ❤️
You’ve put into words what I feel – I have trouble getting out of the door because of my anxiety and depression and it’s not everyone who knows how I feel. Thank you for this post and all the best for you and your family
Thank you and glad to have resognated with you. Best to u also
Thank you for sharing your thoughts/experience with anxiety. I’ve developed an anxiety problem my self, I know how it can be. I do hope that you and your family will find a way to make life with anxiety livable. -Take care!
Thanks for reading and the comment!
Thank you for sharing your story. As someone who battles both anxiety and depression, it makes me feel less disconnected to know others have gone through the same thing and found a way to regain control in their lives.
You are welcome! I totally understand what you mean. I am glad you feel this from my piece. 😊
I developed anxiety years ago and it’s become quite a battle at times. I know some people that don’t suffer with it don’t really understand how hard it is. I try to write about it at times just to get it off my chest. I find sometimes I bring it on myself or make it worse because the stress of dealing with a particular situation makes me shut down. Generally I put it aside and if I’m home I just give up and go lay in bed for hours. At times I use a meditation app which helps a little. As of now I’m fighting it, trying to think of the big picture and what’s most important in my life. I have feelings of guilt a lot because sometimes I don’t feel like give my youngest daughter as much attention as I should. It can be so discouraging when I have this beautiful sweet girl who loves me and loves spending time with me and I allow depression and anxiety get in the way of some of those wonderful moments. So with that being said let me go fight this feeling and make this first day of spring break a nice one for us. Thank you so much for sharing your story and I wish you the best!
Thank you for sharing also and much appreciate you stopping by to read! Best wished! xx
Thank you for sharing,
Check out my blog for more blog posts about depression, and anxiety.
Madisonpaige
Thanks for addressing mental illness! I’m starting a series on my blog focused on anxiety and depression.
Thanks! I’ll have to take a peak 🙂
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Good for you for sharing. Xxx
Thanks and for reading 🙂
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Thank you for this post and you honestly. Your children are lucky to have a mother that seems to understand them so well 🙂
Thank you for reading and your kind comment
Dear Southern by Design,
I stumbled across your blog typing in the search word anxiety. I love that you’ve touched upon the topic of anxiety and children. Our family is going through an incredibly hard time with anxiety. I fractured my forehead about two months ago and somehow that made me realise that I needed to write (again). I’ve found writing about my experiences and incredible healing tool. I’ve set up a blog, pretty anonymously. I live in a very small place. Anyway, my blog has turned from the intention of writing about parenting, running, surfing etc to writing about anxiety, as that is what i’m faced with every day. My precious 7 year old girl is having the most challenging time ever.
I would love for you to read my blog and I would love your advice and/or to hear more about your experiences. It’s funny that I should ‘say’ that, as I was thinking today how I’d like my friend’s and family’s support, but not their opinions ;o)
/selkiesealgirl
I am so pleased that you found your way here and that you also found some encouragement that you are not alone. I will make my way over. And thank you for the follow and wonderful comment. xx
Here is another post with more links also included that you may find encouraging or helpful. https://sbdmb.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/helping-my-children/
Thank you. I did read that too x
Yes, I read that post too. Thank you. I do my best to add things A enjoys into her day. Reading, lego, climbing, sunshine, water. Today, I realised there’s not been enough free-swimming…so I’m gonna do that more with her. /selkiesealgirl
I believe I was genetically indisposed to anxiety too as I’ve seen my own parents display symptoms of anxiety and possibly depression. I’ve struggled from a very early age with anxiety and social anxiety but my battles with it have been largely private because in my family, it seems mental health is a thing that neither of my parents have ever faced head-on or acknowledged. I admit I have also hurt in past situations where they were ignorant of what I was actually dealing with and what I needed in order to move towards getting better. One incident still scares me to think about. My own father got very upset at me and basically told me to “get over” whatever I was avoiding (because I have social anxiety, but he, of course, doesn’t understand what social anxiety is). Another time I overheard my own mother telling an aunt of hers on the phone that I’m “afraid of people”. After that, I was just like, whatever, think what you want of me, I don’t care. This, in turn, has led me to think it’s not possible to ever open up a discussion to them. Currently, I am attending group therapy but no one in my family knows about it and I don’t wish for them to know.
Anxiety is found throughout my family as well. My cousin and I are identical in terms of anxiety because we have both found that the same situations bring an on set of anxiety. It is great that you and your family have found support within each other through difficult times because family is the strongest allies you have!
Thanks so much for your comment