Fear of my son having anxiety

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Pchez516
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:01 am
Location: Wisconsin

Fear of my son having anxiety

Post by Pchez516 » Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:16 am

I have been struggling with anxiety for over 10 years. My most recent obsessive thought that sends me into panic mode is that my son who is 6 will develop this condition. The thought of him suffering through this and not enjoying his life gets me incredibly scared, because I feel like I won't be able to help him. He doesn't seem to be anxious, but it's almost as if I project my own anxieties onto him. For example, we took him to Disneyland on an airplane and I got so sick worrying about how he would feel and if he would hate flying as much as I do or if he would be scared, I had IBS twice on the plane and could not relax. The flight didn't really seem to bother him. How do I get the focus back on me? It seems worse now that I started session 2. Please help!!!

miamifan
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:21 am

Re: Fear of my son having anxiety

Post by miamifan » Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:35 am

i also have a six year old son who does not live with me. i pick him up a couple times a week from his mother a few towns over. i find my anxiety rises more when my son is around because i'm always worried about him. i worry about how my anxiety is going to affect him. will i be too hard on him, will he become anxious too. i get so anxious about my son i have someone else pick him up. that ride has become so fearful for me. i know i have these feelings because my son means the world to me, but not being completely over my own fears doesn't help. you have to continue loving your son the best way you know how. your son is still very young, so take this opportunity to instill the proper confidence level in him. do not focus on passing on the wrong things as much as passing on the right things. it's a journey, but one of the biggest tricks anxiety plays is making us believing we don't have time. especially for raising kids properly. well we do. you do. just persist in what you believe good parenting is and your son should be grateful. i understand. hang in there.

Pchez516
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:01 am
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Fear of my son having anxiety

Post by Pchez516 » Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:04 am

Thank you miamifan. I am working on it. I see things in him that remind me of me, and sometimes when he does things I automatically assume that its because he may be feeling anxious. I read way too much into his behaviors. I am trying to remember that he is a totally different person than me, and he is on his own journey, just like I am on mine. I hope at some point you will be able to pick up your son on your own. Sometimes when I am scared of doing something, like socializing or going to one of my son's baseball games I tell myself I am doing it for my son, that he wants me to be there to cheer him on, or meet his friends, or just be with himto share an experience. Focusing on the reward of him being happy helps me give that extra push that I need sometimes to get out there. It sounds like you are a great dad, and I bet your son loves getting to spend that time with you. Even the car ride could be a fun time for the two of you, playing eye spy games, or listening to your favorite music. You will get there, our kids can give us strength :)

soccermom2
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:12 pm

Re: Fear of my son having anxiety

Post by soccermom2 » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:17 pm

I have this exact same fear and panic about my children getting my anxiety! Like it's the stomach flu. My mom has anxiety and both my brother and I have it as well (high level) but she didn't know that's what her problem, or ours, was until we were adults and I started to think that this is no way to live. I worry constantly about my children becoming like me but I can give myself the positive self talk by saying IF that happens I will be able to help them, I have tools to deal with this issue, I can relate to them and I know where help is in my community. They will not spend the first 25 years of their lives avoiding life because I am there with them!

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