Coping Skills for Mom Anxiety

In our last blog post, we talked about the signs and symptoms of mom anxiety. Constantly feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed can have short and long-term effects on your physical and mental health. While it might feel like a tall ask to try and get these feelings under control, there are some easy things you can do to help ease those feelings. By utilizing the following coping skills, you’ll likely feel more relaxed and be able to better manage the anxious feelings. 

Reframe Your Negative Thinking

We all have negative thoughts throughout the day, but the way we manage them is what counts the most. First, recognize and acknowledge the thought you are having. Try not to push it out of your mind or ignore it. Then, without judgment, ask yourself if the thought you are having is helpful or true. Then, replace the negative thoughts with a positive thought to reframe the experience. Here’s an example: 

1. You are thinking you’re a bad mom because you forgot to put the clothes that were in the washer into the dryer. Think about this feeling and let it be a part of your conscious mind.

2. You ask yourself: “Is this a helpful thought?” No. Having this feeling is not helping you get the task done or raising your confidence. “Is this thought true?” Also no. Your ability to do laundry has nothing to do with how good of a mom you are. The two things are not connected to each other. 

3. You reframe the thought by thinking, “Oh well, at least the laundry is clean! Now all I have to do is dry and fold it.” For an added bonus you can think something like, “All of my kids are happy and healthy. I’m doing the very best I can for them as a mom.”

Relax and Be Mindful 

In these high stress or overly anxious moments, it can be hard to relax. This is especially true when we are forward thinking about our problems or thinking about situations that could arise, but haven’t yet. In these situations, take note of what’s happening in the moment and be very mindful. Think about your immediate surroundings and the events that are currently happening. Practice staying calm in that moment, especially if your stress has nothing to do with the things presently going on. Taking your mind off of the future or made up scenarios can help reduce your anxiety. 

Try a Grounding Exercise

Grounding exercises are techniques that can bring you back to the present moment when you’re having negative or unwanted thoughts. By utilizing and practicing some or all of these exercises, you will have a robust set of tools to use the next time you are experiencing anxiety, stress, or overwhelm. 

• Progressive Relaxation: start at the top of your head all the way down to the bottom of your feet. Squeeze the muscles as tight as you can in one area and then relax them. 

• Breathing Techniques: Breathe in through your nose for a 4 count and then out through your mouth for an 8 count. Make your breaths deep and slow.

• Five Senses Exercise: Identify five things you can see, four things you can physically feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. 

• Color Shades: Pick a color and identify all of the things you can see where you are in that color. 

As always, if trying these coping strategies does not work for you, do not be afraid to seek out the professional help of your physician or a mental health provider. They are there to help you through anything you're experiencing and provide you with more tools to reduce your anxiety.