Hi
I have 2 children - DS1 (4) and DS2 (4 months). After having DS1 I suffered very severely with anxiety and depression. Had a lot of good treatment and have mostly been fine for a number of years now. I have the occasional return of anxiety but very rare. We knew we were taking a risk of it returning by having another child but decided that it was right for our family and went ahead. I'm not nearly as bad as I was last time but I am finding myself becoming increasingly dependent on the routine that I have with DS2 to keep the anxiety at bay.
He's being fed every 4 hours, so 4 feeds in the day and for the past 5 nights he's slept right through the night. I know that I should be happy and relaxed and enjoying him but I can't stop thinking about the need to keep him on this routine or 'something' bad will happen. I'm not sure what I think this is, perhaps it's just fear of the anxiety returning, but I'm getting very inflexible and tense. Today, DH suggested we go to a local museum that DS1 likes and feed DS2 there. I felt sick with worry about doing this, thinking that he's get too distracted to feed and then we'd be thrown out of the routine for the rest of the day.
I was like this with DS1 as well when he as a baby: the routine was completely immovable and became my crutch in getting through. I find looking after a baby very hard: it gets a lot better for me after the first year.
Sorry, I'm not sure if I'm looking for advice or support or what here. I've started a CBT course but only had one introductory session so far. I really hope it works and that I can get better from this. I've lived with it for such a long time I don't know what else there is any more or what other way there is to be. Is anyone else out there going through or gone through similar?
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Mental health
Anxiety and Routine Obsession
6 replies
fabulosa · 16/01/2010 12:33
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