Dealing with anxiety as a dad who's supposed to have it all together

1w ago1 min read

I've been struggling with anxiety for the past year and I just got diagnosed. My biggest fear was that my kids would see me as weak or that I couldn't be the strong figure they need. Started therapy last month and my therapist helped me understand that showing my kids I struggle and work through it is actually stronger than pretending everything is fine. I've been more honest with them about my feelings lately and it's helped me feel less alone. Anyone else deal with this? It's harder to open up about than I thought it would be.

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Comments(3)

IIan P.Regular1w ago

Four kids in and I can tell you the mess is the real deal, but so is admitting when things are hard. Your kids are learning resilience and honesty from watching you tackle this head on. That's strength.

RReggie T.Regular1w ago

Man, getting diagnosed was actually the strongest thing I could do for my kids. Showing them that you get help when you need it is way more powerful than pretending everything's fine all the time. Your anxiety doesn't define you as a dad.

DDavid M.New Dad1w ago

I've been there with the anxiety spiral, especially when you're juggling everything. But honestly, my kids respect me more knowing I'm dealing with real stuff instead of just grinding through it silently. You've got this.