Treading Water

[BirdieBro]

Hi there,

I am a mother of a teenager who suffers from GAD - Generalised Anxiety Disorder. He has come off his medication with the assistance of his psychiatrist earlier this year, however against the psychiatrists recommendation. I have been keeping a very close eye on him with out pressure. Just sitting with, listening too and chatting. Looking for body language signs etc. So far so good, until a few weeks ago. He lost a work book for school and the seemingly simple task of raising his hand to say, 'Ive misplaced my book." is so debilitatingly terrifying. His breathing was tight and his face red. It totally breaks my heart. Not supposed to rescue him, but watching him suffer is so incredibly painful. Ive contacted the school asking for them to provide a safe space for him to tell them, without him knowing i have rung and I've provided him with a new book in the mean time so he doesn't fall behind. Ive cuddled, sat with, listened to and even sat in silence.

Im wondering if any other parents find themselves becoming overwhelmed and sinking while trying to keep their children afloat?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you in advance for your support.

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi BirdieBro,

Great to see you reaching out on the forum. You are not alone in your feelings of being overwhelming with supporting a child who is struggling with maintaining wellness. Have a child with anxiety can be really difficult and takes a lot of patience. You are doing a fabulous job by being there from him, listening, observing. You are doing everything right. Be kind to yourself as being a parent is hard and is particularly difficult during times of illness. One of the best ways to keep on being strong for your son is assuring that you are getting some support for you. I wonder if you have a regular and reliable outlet of support through a friend or family member? Getting some support for you through counselling or another means could be an option you might like to explore.

Visiting your own GP and seeking advise on a counsellor who is available in your community. Another option could be to see if there are any parent support groups run through a local organisation. headspace centres often have good links to these types of services for parents. Your sons psychiatrist may also be able to point you in the right direction.

There are some online programs that help people with worry and low mood like a free online program called Mindspot. Mindspot teaches people about their symptoms and explores tools to manage them with the support of phone counsellors and an online sessions. You can read about Mindspot by going to the website on www.mindspot.org.au

There is also a developed by Beyond Blue program called NewAccess that is available in some parts of Australia. It supports people who experience low mood and worry The program is free and can be accessed by reviewing this webpage and seeing if it available in your area.

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess

You have already taken a great step by reaching out on the forum. If the support you are getting from the forum or from family and friends isn't quite enough, it might be time to consider other avenues. You son has you as his carer, and his mum, but having someone just for you is also important. Caring for a person with anxiety or depression or any illness, especially a family member, is tough. Self care for you is so important so you can sustain your caring role.

If you want to talk to someone don't hesitate to call the Beyond Blue support line anytime on 1300 22 4636,

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

[BirdieBro]

Thank you Nurse Jenn, that actually made me cry. It’s nice to have been heard. I’ve been wanting to talk to my GP and while I’ve never considered myself an anxious person, the thought of saying, “I’m struggling “ out loud fills me with dread. So thank you for the other options. I’ll try to pluck up the courage to let my self fall to pieces and reach out.

[BirdieBro]

I think my sons anxiety is getting worse. How can one tell if it’s normal teenage temperament? Getting uptight about seemingly small things almost daily.