Some thoughts about parenting with depression
by Charlie Brooks posted in Parenting
I'm not an expert when it comes to the clinical side of depression. I'm just one of the millions who have to deal with it on a fairly regular basis. Because I focus so much on my kids' wellbeing, I sometimes forget to take time out for myself. That's when depression catches up.
The value of family
Family is a funny thing in this regard. A spouse and children are invaluable for emotional support, but certain parts of parenthood create more stress, not less. An increased financial burden, lack of sleep, and more can all conspire to make things feel harder sometimes.
I used to handle depression in one of two ways: either shutting down or breaking down. Shutting down meant that I spent days or sometimes weeks becoming a lump. It wasn?t a terribly healthy way of handling depression, but it was better than breaking down, which involved actively doing things that were harmful to myself. Neither of those things were good options before I became a parent, and they?re especially bad choices now that I have kids. Both choices mean neglecting the people for whom I am responsible. So, while being a parent doesn?t make my depression disappear, it does get me thinking about better ways to handle it.
Exercise tends to help
As much as I hate to admit it, exercise does a good job of alleviating depression. I hate to admit it because the act of actually getting on a treadmill and running to nowhere makes me feel like a hamster in a wheel. But it also r...
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