Since coming off my ads I am so angry

[elsmommy]

When I'm having a bad day or don't feel well I just snap at every litle thing dd does.

I find myself screaming at her over silly little things. Shes only 2

What can I do?

How long have you been off the ads? I was like this when I came off mine, apparently it's one of the side effects of withdrawal. It lasted about six weeks, but it did go away in the end. I just had to ride out the storm by biting my lip and walking away from dd (and dh!) when it started. I also told my dd that I wasn't feeling very well so I might seem unhappy for a while - she's 4 though, so was more able to understand. If you do scream at her, try and apologise and give her a hug afterwards so she knows it's not her fault.

Been off them for about a month. Doctor wanted me to come off gradually but I decided I could just stop, wish I hadn't now!!

Well you realise you are doing it and it is an over-reaction, so that is the first step. Would you react that way if a friend or stranger was watching you? Probably not. You would put on an act. Can you try to do that?

I speak from experience BTW.

The other trick that I've found helpful is to imagine that dd is someone else's child ... and that their mother is just in the next room.

I'll try. She just seems to keep winding me up today!

She's two years old ... it's her job to wind you up

And shes very good at it

Seriously though ... do keep in mind that she is two years old; she's still a baby. Your frustration and irritation is understandable, and I know that it's worse because of withdrawing from the ads, but you're still the adult and she's still only a baby. That sounds a bit patronising but it's not meant to be - it's all to easy to forget that she's not an adult, and doesn't understand the reasons why you're screaming at her.

I came of AD's very, very gradually and I was still very irritable for the first two months after coming off. You need to try and raise your seratonin levels a bit. Eat some carbs: pasta, bread, potato etc.
Also, try and break out of the routine with your dd: take her out, get all the soft toys out, anything really but just try and change the atmosphere. Put some music you like on & dance around the kitchen with her. Once you start laughing, you'll relax & feel less irritable.
Good luck

totally agree with the music thing, I have to remeber to do this when I'm feeling at my worst, it lifts me just enough to start doing something positive and usually turn the day around. Put it on loud, scoop her up and dance and sing along