Dear Tiredmumma
Hello and welcome to Beyond Blue. It's good that you found your way here because this is a good place to talk about your life and frustrations. You will also make friends here, people who are interested in you and your family and want to help in any way they can.
Yes I know about having children and raising them. I had four and it's not pretty. I now have eight grandchildren but thankfully I am not their carer however much I love them. It sounds as though you are a little depressed and need some TLC. We are very good at self sabotage. By this I mean we put on a smile and appear confident and happy with our lives so no wonder everyone takes us for granted. If your family are making unkind remarks it may be because, as Quirky had said, they think you are coping and wonder why you do whatever it is they comment on.
Can you tell us a little more about yourself? Do you have a partner or close friend to talk to? Talking is an important part of managing sad thoughts and feelings of depression. Just a chat on the phone can help your day feel better. The Beyond Blue helpline is available 24/7. Phone 1300 22 4636 and talk about how you are feeling.
Disliking yourself for not keeping up the standard you think you should is very common. Lots of self-blame which does not help. I know, I've been there. Tiredness caused by the physical demands of caring for your family is only to be expected. When it spills over to your emotional life it needs attention.
Would you take the K10 checklist please? This is a very simple set of questions about how you feel. It's a very broad indicator of possible depression. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Depression under The Facts then click on depression checklist. It's not a definitive tool but will give an indication of your mood. If it comes up a bit high I suggest you take it to your GP and have a chat. Book a long appointment.
Keep on talking here.
Mary
