Dealing with anxiety as a parent? It's perfectly okay to be afraid of doing everything right. Experts reveal ways to manage the stress and anxiety of parenting.

Parenting can be a scary journey; Especially if it's a first-time parent or not, anxiety and stress are bound to kick in, “Will I be good enough?”, “Am I good enough to be a mother or a father?” These can be thoughts or questions that can cause so much anxiety that if one starts to believe them, they will not be able to enjoy the journey and the time.

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From the moment an independent woman sees those two lines on a pregnancy test, she begins to worry about the new baby entering her life instead of embracing herself at the moment she reaches the pinnacle of womanhood. The ability to give birth is a beautiful thing, and rather than celebrated, it deserves to be cherished.

Anxiety in parents

How does one know that what they are experiencing is really anxiety and not a declaration of who they are as a person? India.com caught up with Nisha Khurana, a psychologist at Lisun, who explained the concerns among parents.

“It is quite possible that subconsciously one may exhibit protective or avoidance behaviors; this may not be the best for you or your child in the long run. One may believe that they are protecting their children from harm. But, in the grand scheme of things, we encourage them to engage in new activities. We would be denying them the opportunity to engage and discover their true personalities,” said Khurana.

Individuals may also have a tendency to engage in anxious talk; Which can push them further down the scale of confidence and self-esteem that one carries. It happens unconsciously, but children have a way of picking up on their parents' feelings, fears and anxieties and internalizing them; Which can turn them into anxious individuals in future.

When anxiety sets in, our rational brain goes for a toss and we become consumed with negative thoughts and irrationality. So much so that one can spend hours researching children's stories and constantly feel that the possibility of something terrible and tragic is about to happen.

How to deal with anxiety?

• First of all, it is important to acknowledge that this anxiety is not unusual and does not mean that one is going to be a bad parent.
• When we embark on a new journey or welcome a new person into our lives, the stress of how to build these relationships and get everything right can increase. The most important thing then is to accept our limitations and shortcomings; Accepting them doesn't mean we're wrong, it just means we're willing to give ourselves the chance to be more sensitive and welcome this new person into our lives with open arms.
• Yes, there will be times when a person makes mistakes they don't want to make, but how can we expect ourselves to do something new without allowing some room for error? It's a sobering reminder that every parent out there needs to give themselves from time to time.
• Engage in networking (support groups or parenting groups/communities) with other expectant parents or first-time parents who may have experienced something similar, and try to take solace in the fact that you are not alone. While learning about other people's perspective on the situation and their experiences, it can provide a person with some confidence and a level playing field to move forward on this journey. Remember, facts fight fear.
• Talking to a therapist and getting professional help can be the best possible solution, when you need some non-judgmental level of support and understanding of your fears and anxieties, a therapist is the right person to provide that safety. place