What about mom? (or dad) Question about OUR health

[lovemykidsusa]

So with a difficult teen we're dealing with, I'm finding I'm dealing with a lot of emotional stress and anxiety. Guilt over contributing to his behavior/place in life, frustration over not being able to talk to his dad about some of this (because I don't want him getting overly angry at our son, which doesn't help), sadness over seeing this precious boy/man of ours stumbling through life after experiencing the best growing up years (easiest baby/toddler/kid ever), and frustration.... just everything is hitting me. When I look for resources for ME, I find virtually nothing. Except maybe "have a spa day" or "get good sleep and eat well."  Those are nice ideas... but not enough. Are there any resources anywhere to help us parents who are worn out and down?

[TOM-RO]

Hey @lovemykidsusa 

Firstly, welcome to the forums, and thanks for sharing what's going on for you - it's not an easy thing to do. 

Also, you raise a great question/topic, and bring up many great points. Parenting can be a lot of work, and it's a huge responsibility, which can be hard to deal with. It's important that parents take care of themselves as well as their children.

I noticed that you're from the USA, and we are an Australian-based service, so I have limited knowledge about the services in your country. However, in Australia, we have a helpline called "Parentline," where parents can call for support around themselves and parenting. I'm wondering if there is something similar in your area. It might be worth googling "parent helpline" and seeing what comes up. It might also be worth seeing your doctor and getting a referral to a psychologist or mental health practitioner to assist with some of the anxiety and guilt you're experiencing.

How do these ideas sound?