I struggle with low mood and lethargy during the school holidays when the dc are home all the time. I’m hypervigilant when people are in the same house, and I really benefit from time completely by myself. At the moment I get that when the dc are at school. And I can also get into a flow state to get stuff done. The longer I go without this, the worse it gets.
It’s taken me a long time to understand this. And as well as not understanding the nd piece, the mum guilt was a huge barrier. I love my dc. I even love having them home, close and chilling. I just need alone time too. Not want, need.
Going out doesn’t help much because that also requires a lot of vigilance and self management. Staying up late while everyone sleeps helps a little. I can manage about a week before I start to feel exhausted and very low. Last August I was seriously contemplating signing myself into a psychiatric hospital, then September came, school opened and I felt like myself again.
I can’t just organise summer camps etc because ds is autistic and needs to de compress at home, drop all obligations and responsibilities and recover from the school term.
I can’t see a way to meet my needs across the summer. I can organise little pockets of time here and there but it’s not going to be enough. So I’m wondering if anti depressants would help at all. Or if a doctor would be likely to prescribe them?
I know this is a sensory overload issue. Not a depression issue per se. Has anyone found anti depressants helpful in dealing with that sort of overwhelm?