Living with an anxiety disorder and being a mother are not incompatible. Especially if you have the right tools to adjust and handle this major life change. Learning to accept the chaos and unpredictability that motherhood brings to most days is a key in maintaining peace.
You may simply wonder whether it is responsible to become pregnant if you have GAD. When successfully treated, there isn't any reason why a woman with GAD should not have children. Make a plan with your doctor on how to manage symptoms if they arise and be in contact on a regular basis to keep your anxiety in check.
In truth, some anxiety and stress are actually good for performance, pushing the person to achieve. What's different about those with Type A personality is that they've learned how to turn their stress and anxiety into a motivating factor that helps them succeed, rather than getting in their way.
Effects of parental anxiety
One study demonstrates the two-sided nature of anxious parenting. It suggests that the emotional effects of anxious parenting impact both the child and the parent-child relationship for life, and can even lead to depression and anxiety symptoms in the children.
Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders are more likely to be raised by non-authoritative parents (e.g. overprotective, authoritarian, and neglectful styles), who tend to employ exaggerated (e.g. preventing autonomy), harsh, or inconsistent control.
“Like many other mental health conditions, anxiety has an environmental as well as a genetic component. Studies show that kids whose parents struggle with anxiety are two to seven times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder themselves. But they do better when their parents' symptoms are under control.”
Most researchers conclude that anxiety is genetic but can also be influenced by environmental factors. In other words, it's possible to have anxiety without it running in your family. There is a lot about the link between genes and anxiety disorders that we don't understand, and more research is needed.
Babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, but they also show corresponding physiological changes, according to a UC San Francisco-led study.
Although less studied than depression, research suggests that anxiety may negatively affect both the mother and the fetus. Anxiety increases the risk for preterm birth, low birthweight, earlier gestational age, and a smaller head circumference (which is related to brain size).
People with anxiety disorders feel worry and fear constantly, and these feelings of distress can severely impact their daily lives. Living with an anxiety disorder can feel crippling, but with time and proper treatment, many people can manage their anxiety and live a fulfilling life.
The answer is it depends on the person. An anxiety disorder can last anywhere from a few months to many years. It will go away completely for some, and for others, it may be a lifelong condition to treat.
Managing life with anxiety can feel insurmountable at times. Fortunately, dealing with anxiety and living a happy, successful life is possible through a combination of professional help and self-help tips.
– Current research tells us that, in most cases, moms can absolutely have healthy pregnancies if they are suffering from mental illness, including bipolar. – Postpartum bipolar and psychosis are both temporary and treatable with adequate professional help.
If you have or had a mental health problem in the past and you're planning to have a baby, you should talk to your doctor before you become pregnant. Most women with mental health problems have healthy babies with the right treatment and care, but it is important to talk to your doctor or specialist early.
Panic attacks during pregnancy can be a cause for concern because they can impact the fetus. “Blood flow to the fetus is reduced when their mothers are experiencing high anxiety, which can lead to low birth weight and premature labor,” Hassan says.
During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having a premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces). Babies born too soon or too small are at increased risk for health problems.
1.Calm parents, calm child
Emotional problems in parents links emotional issues in their children. Almost all anxious children have anxious parents. Any time you're worried, the child will be worried. The best way to raise a calm child is calm parent.
Yes — when you're stressed, your baby senses it. The way you handle your stress determines how your baby will respond to it, too. Keeping a level head when you're feeling anxious and stressed will help keep your baby calm, which in turn, can help you feel less stressed.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available.
Prevalence of parent-reported anxiety
Forty nine percent of parents we surveyed reported they had experienced anxiety.
A 2014 study in The Journal of Child Development demonstrated that yelling produces results similar to physical punishment in children: increased levels of anxiety, stress and depression along with an increase in behavioral problems.
Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse.
But researchers don't know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role: Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.