to wonder how many mums take "something" to help them through the day?

[snuffleton]

By "something" I mean either legal or illegal drugs, herbal supplements, alcohol, basically anything that makes life easier and more bareable.

I ask because a in the last few weeks I have had two seperate friends admit that they take things to help them "survive" as one elloquently put it. One is taking something called Kratom and another said she is taking a herbal supplement called Rhodiolea or something like that. It made me curious as to whether this is common/normal?

[SirBoobAlot]

That's good enough for me.

[Oblomov]

I never knew that.
If I had known that, I have been knecking brandy.

[Oblomov]

Pours herself another glass of wine .....

[DeathByTray]

I use rescue remedy when I feel on edge. I used to suffer from panic attacks and this is my crutch.

When I was a teenager ( '70s) my friend was always being sent to the doctors by her mum to pick up a prescription for Auntie Val.

I genuinely thought she had an auntie called Val and it wasn't until I was an adult that it dawned on me she was picking up repeat prescriptions for valium!

[Wishihadabs]

A 5k run three times a week, proper coffee brewed at home (have kicked the Costa habit with difficulty). A glass of champagne on a Friday night.....

[Wishihadabs]

Cheaper than drugs and more fun than anti Ds

[kelda]

Well I quite like a biscuit with my (de-caf) coffee in the morning. I can't do with it. Does that count?

[persimmon]

I took Rhodiola pre-kids when very tired and stressed as a newly-qualified teacher.

Occasional Rescue Remedy - it works brilliantly for me, but again, I took it pre-kids too.

Lots and lots of tea.

[Goldmandra]

I was involved in a similar conversation between a group of parents whose children have ASD recently.

The majority (including me) take prescription medication to help them deal with the stress.

Sadly the stress isn't mainly to do with managing the children but due to having to fight so hard and long to get the support that the children need.

I found that really sad and I have to wonder how much the system overall is costing itself by saving money on support for these children only to have increased NHS costs as a result.

[BastardDog]

I used to run to cope, but my knees packed up and I had to give it up.

I have an emergency stash of diazepam and sleeping tablets which the Dr prescribed last year when I was dealing with a hellish teenager, a very sick puppy and 3 recent family bereavements. I never took either, but it helped to know they were there.

HRT and wine are my daily crutches and lately because of the high pollen count I've been taking anti histamines of the drowsy kind as I quite like the feeling and I get a better nights sleep.

[miffybun73]

Tea and biscuits for me :)

[Patosshades]

I'm not surprised a lot of parents need something to get through the day. We're sold a crock that parenthood is fantastic and a walk through fields of summer flowers. When is fact its bloody hard.

Really the only time I've ever heard anyone admit this ,other than anonymous boards like mumsnet, is when young starlet celebs have their first child and reveal in an interview that all is not FAB and FANTASTIC as a parent.

At the moment I'm mainlining haribos and martini rosso once it hits 8pm.

[BastardDog]

Goldmandra Hear Hear to that. From a mum that's just spent half the day at CAMHS again.

[manicinsomniac]

screw it, I'll bite.

I was 19, living away from home as a full time university student and anorexic when I had my first child.

I took cocaine, ritalin and anything else I could get my hands in plus pro plus dissolved in diet coke to get through the first couple of years - lots of it all!

I don't now. Now it's just diet coke and black coffee.

[ARealDame]

Isn't there a song by the Rolling Stones, "Mother's Little Helper", which has rather downbeat lyrics but actually a rather dark but fun a feisty melody.

Here, for your delectation are those lyrics:

"What a drag it is getting old.

"Things are different today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of her mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day.

"Things are different today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag
So she buys an instant cake and she buys a frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of her mother's little helper
And to help her on her way, get her through her busy day.

Doctor, please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old.

"Men just aren't the same today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy. You can tranquilise your mind
So go running for the shelter of your mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimise your plight.

Doctor, please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old.

Life's just much too hard today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore
And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
They just helped you on your way through your busy dying day".

As for myself, I found working just as stressful tbh ...

[Solari]

Sorry to hear it manicinsomniac , wish I could say something useful but haven't had much luck defeating my own demons. One foot in front of the other I guess, but I do hope you find a way out.

[charleyturtle]

I am ashamed to admit it but I have a pack of fags hidden above the fridge at all times. Most days I will have one after baby is in bed and before dp gets home, getting that little 30 min slot to sit in the garden with a fag and magazine really calms me down and helps me feel like me again. Some days I don't have any but I like knowing they are there.

[TheArmadillo]

Yes, nothing illegal but not a great idea.

I also smoke weed at a friend's occasionally (without the kids obvs). I miss smoking (both kinds) terribly.

I rarely touch alcohol and the eating is pretty much under control. I do on average 2hours exercise a day minimum.

Mine is not related to having kids. In fact they and dh, plus dhs family are what keeps me wanting to carry on.

I am not depressed, though do have mental health problems. I have had counselling and CBT which helped a lot. Medication (anti anxiety and anti psychotics) made me depressed. I am happy.

My brain is wired wrongly as a result of abuse from birth. Possibly there is some genetic shit chucked in there as well. I don't process stuff of handle it as I should. I've done as much behaviour modification as I can and still work more. I can manage my issues and I do, but I just need some help.

I developed my 'crutch' pre-adulthood. It's the least harmful method in my opinion (and a lot less than others I went through), though not without risk.

[WildlingPrincess]

I take a variety of meds in the morning (legal), and plenty of wine in the evening.

[WildlingPrincess]

Also started smoking again.

[WildlingPrincess]

If I knew where to find drugs, probably them too.

[purrpurr]

I love Mumsnet for this. If I hadn't discovered Mumsnet, I would still believe the doctrine that men are allowed to loathe parenthood or elements thereof, or certainly find it really bloody difficult, but that if a mother admitted to those same feelings, she was simultaneously a failure as a woman and suffering from PND. Mumsnet makes it okay to be occasionally... Human.

As for me, I used to smoke like a chimney but gave up when I got pregnant. I still desperately want a smoke every day and my DD is nearly 2 months old. Every day, particularly when she's really suffering with colic, I am sooo close to going out for baccy and papers. So I drink wine. You can't have third hand wine like you can third hand smoke... Yet. Give them time.

[xylem8]

A big shot of MN!

[ArtemisKelda]

Coffee and cigs are my drug of choice, with an occasional cake.

[VitoCorleone]

Just loads of nicotine and coke (the drinking kind)