Everywhere I turn it seems that mamas are struggling to hold it all together. I mean, let’s face it, we are under so much pressure to take care of so many people. We’ve got husbands or significant others, kids, family members, and friends to look after and help. Oh, and ourselves. Yeah, as mamas, we typically rank last on the priority list. It’s no surprise that more mamas than ever before are suffering from anxiety. The pressure to be everything to be everyone is just too much to bear.
Even when a mama learns to say “no” to unhealthy demands from others, there’s no denying that a huge chunk of our role as mamas is to take care of our families. And it can sometimes be downright exhausting. High needs from others combined with a mama’s short amount of time and low energy levels can create the perfect storm for making postpartum anxiety spiral out of control. So what’s a mama to do when anxiety attacks?
When Anxiety Attacks: Postpartum Anxiety
I’m no stranger to anxiety. I had my first panic attack in my late teens and my anxiety shot through the roof soon after. Social situations became unbearable. Pushing a cart through the grocery store could trigger a panic attack at any moment. And worry and fear consumed me to the point that I always had this looming sense of impending doom. What made me feel crazy about my anxiety was that my life was really good. There was no glaring issue that could be the culprit for my ongoing feelings of worry and fear. I mean, what the heck?
And, of course, being a Christian with anxiety is no picnic. I rarely shared my struggle with anxiety because every time I did I felt judgment from other believers. I was told that I should just “pray away” my anxiety. With desperation, I tried to “cast my cares on the Lord.” So why was anxiety still overwhelming me? Was I a bad Christian, or was I really a Christian at all? I was emotionally spent because I felt weak in my faith and didn’t know what to do about it.
What To Do When Anxiety Attacks
Spoiler alert: the good news is I finally cracked the anxiety code. Long story short, through numerous holistic doctor visits, hundreds of hours of research, and a whole lot of trial and error I discovered how to overcome my anxiety naturally. And the awesome thing was that I felt like myself again. I slowly started to enjoy social situations. The grocery store no longer felt like a place for a panic attack, but just a place to pick up some almond milk. And I was able to be present with my family. Life was good.
Fast forward to when I became a mama. The heaviness of overcoming childbirth, trying with every fiber of my being to breastfeed, and consoling a baby who never slept sent me over the edge. All of the anxiety-fighting strategies that I had learned in previous years were pushed aside in favor of my breast pump and any carb I could find. Get in my belly, doughnut. Before long, my toxic old friend anxiety had come for a visit. And he brought with him enough luggage to stay for a while. Except for this time he had a new name: postpartum anxiety. I knew that I had to make a change.
When Anxiety Attacks: The Big Shift
I was ready to pivot and I knew what I had to do. So I dusted off every strategy and tip that I had ever learned about what to do when anxiety attacks. These strategies that had worked wonders for me in previous years, but would they still work for me as a new mama? I immediately put my plan into action and hoped for the best. It wasn’t long before I slowly started to feel better. Things didn’t seem quite so overwhelming and irrational fears were replaced with normal new mom worries. After a couple of months, I felt like my old self again, minus the stretch marks and saggy boobs. I couldn’t believe it—my strategies for overcoming anxiety had worked—twice!
Seriously, I was over the moon. My strategies didn’t change the high demands of my baby, but they did change the way I was able to cope with them. Even though I was still tired from my new mom gig, I was more focused and a lot less irritable. And my husband said, “Amen!” The best part was that I could actually enjoy being a mom and that I felt like I could finally be the calm mama that my baby girl deserved. I finally felt hopeful.
Related Post: Mom Struggling With Anxiety: Hope For Christians With Mom Anxiety
Take That, Postpartum Anxiety!
When I first set out to overcome my anxiety before I became a mama, every doctor I visited prescribed “solutions” with dangerous and expensive side effects. I know that these conventional approaches to “fixing” anxiety work for some, and that’s great, but I know deep down in my heart that they are not the right fit for me. If you want to read more about that time that I wanted to throat punch my doctor, click HERE.
I am so grateful that I didn’t give up hope for the solutions I was looking for when doctor after doctor gave me the same answer. One of the most important lessons that I learned along my journey to overcoming postpartum anxiety is that you have to be your own health advocate. You have to fight for what you need and for what you want. And remember this: as a mama fighting for her health, you’re also fighting for your family. Because when you are healthy and whole your family will be healthy and whole too.
My Top Strategies For Calming Postpartum Anxiety
Okay, let’s get down to it. Here are my top three strategies to help you feel calmer and more in control when anxiety attacks:
1. Take a Deep Breath
I know this sounds a little trite, but it works. When you feel like you are about to lose your mind, stop and take some deep breaths. If you can, get away from the anxiety trigger and breathe in and breathe out. You’ll feel better after “coming down” from your anxiety.
2. Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency can lead to problems with anxiety. I’m not saying that popping a magnesium supplement will calm your anxiety on the spot. What I am saying is that taking a magnesium supplement every day can help to prevent anxiety from creeping up on you. Follow the dosage on the bottle or work with your holistic healthcare provider.
3. Just Say “No”
This one is easier said than done, but it is imperative if you want to calm your anxious mind. Say “no” to the things that drain you. You know, the things that you already dread when you agree to them? Those things have a way of making your anxiety worse. Say “yes” to the best things. The things that really matter and bring you joy. Your mental health with thank you.
Are you so over feelings of panic and anxiety robbing you of your peace and joy? Me too.
