Anxiety is making me a bad dad

1w ago·1 min read

I've been dealing with pretty bad anxiety for the past year or so. Constantly worried about money, my kids getting hurt, health stuff. It's affecting how I interact with my family. I'm snapping at my wife and kids over nothing and then feeling guilty about it. I know I should get help but I'm terrified of therapy and don't even know where to start. Anyone been through this? How do you manage anxiety while still being present for your family?

4 comments110 views

Comments(4)

JJoey M.New Dad1w ago

Have you talked to your doctor about this? There are options that can help take the edge off while you figure out other solutions. No shame in it. I was anxious about everything with my first kid and it got better once I had some tools.

RRobertNew Dad1w ago

Your kids don't need a perfect dad. They need their dad. Even if you're stressed and worried they still just want you around. That's what they'll remember.

BBrianRegular6d ago

Anxiety is a real thing and it doesn't make you a bad dad. It just means you care a lot, sometimes too much. The fact that you're worried about being a bad dad means you're actually trying which is what matters.

KKevin M.New Dad1w ago

The money worry spiral is real. I do it too. One thing that helped was actually sitting down and making a budget so I could see that things weren't as bad as my brain was telling me. Sometimes anxiety feeds on uncertainty.