Not Your Mother’s Anxiety

Parenting With Panic Disorder

Carrying the title of parent around is an anxiety-inducing privilege, even for the most level-headed and chemically balanced individuals. The fear that comes with being responsible for a small human being does not exclude anybody.

Parenthood is replete with doubts that you’re making the right decisions, worries that you’re not doing enough, and fears that the worst is going to happen. There is no darker thought than the one that something might harm your child, and yet it’s one that many parents unwillingly allow into their heads daily. It’s almost like the thought is an evolutionary destiny bestowed upon us.

When you are a parent with panic disorder, common fears and doubts are magnified to the extreme. A worry can turn itself into an absolute in mere moments, making you believe that the unrealistic hypotheticals you’ve created might actually happen.

A runny nose escalates to a five-day hospital stay before you can even grab a tissue. A little fall turns into a concussion. A fever becomes an infection — all within your head, all within seconds.

If you’re lucky, you can proactively take charge of your thoughts and prevent a panic attack. You can come back to the present moment and look at your child, happy and smiling and flipping through a book…