Worry.
A word that is small in number of letters but huge in impact on life. Worry has always filled my mind and body ever since I was a little girl. I worry about everything no matter how small or big. Most people that know me, knows that I can go to extremes and see more into things. Since I have became a mom, I feel the five letter word has took over my body even more. My heart will race, I get this weird feeling all over and just want to cry. The feeling is so bad at times that I feel like I want to run to see if I can leave the feeling behind.
Unfortunately, that five letter word has entered my beautiful M’s body.
It saddens me to know the depth it has took over her body. I didn’t realize the depth until we were in the doctor’s office today. As she was talking about her feeling with her heart and breathing, I looked to the doctor and said, she is having anxiety attacks isn’t she? She looked at me and said “I was just going to say the same thing.” I was in denial these past few months, but it all makes sense now. I went through the same episodes growing up.
M has a fear that she is going to lose her mommy. Since I have to fly more now for business, it has really effected her so much. Hubby let her watch from the observation deck last Thursday night to see me land and the worry just was too much for her to handle that she went into an attack. She was so scared she was going to see her mommy crash right in front of her eyes. It brings me to tears just thinking of it. She takes everything to heart and for literally.
For example, we were watching a medical show on TV last week about lip gloss causing lip cancer and high heels causing spider veins. She would not stop asking questions about lip cancer and spider veins. She went through all her lip gloss and tossed everything that didn’t say SPF on it and went through her high heel shoes and put to aside to giveaway. Anytime she hears of a kid having cancer, she goes in full question mode and very anxious about the whole scenario :(.
I was the exact same way growing up. Moving forward, we are not going to let her engage in informational shows about medical issues and just let her greet mommy at the baggage claim area of the airport with her big smiles like she has always done before. These are just little ways that I can help my daughter to try and overcome this worry fear that lives inside her body. The fear that something bad is going to happen to her and the fear that something will happen to her mommy. Gone, goodbye fear, stay away!
We are going to be discussing bible verses and incorporating prayer when worry begins to take over. I so do not want to see my little precious girl grow up and worry all the time like I did and still do. Any other tips you could share how you have overcome worry in your life or your child’s life?
Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Jen, bless her heart! Scripture will help with anything! We will pray for sweet M. And just knowing has to be a relief and you can help her walk through it ! Hugs to you all!
Oh Jen…. this makes me want to cry. (((HUGS)))
God will guide you into helping her, I will be praying for you all. Love ya!
Oh, the poor thing! I was officially diagnosed with anxiety disorder when I had just turned 15 years old, but I had been afflicted with panic attacks for years and years prior. So many of the things you talked about here were the exact things I worried about as a child. I remember there was an earthquake in California when I was in 4th grade… and I was convinced that my parents were going to get stuck in an earthquake on their way home from work… even though we lived in Rhode Island. I also vividly remember watching a video on flash floods when I was in 7th grade and having a near anxiety attack right there in school, again thinking my parents would get stuck in one on their way home from work. These are just two examples… I have been a worrier my entire life, and I know how debilitating it is. I feel so, so sorry for your little M because anxiety attacks are scary at ANY age, but at least as adults we can (hopefully) rationalize a little better and get through them knowing that usually our fears are unfounded. Please let me know if you ever need to talk about this with someone else who has been there!! XXOO
Oh Jen… I’m so sorry for you and for M. I can’t even imagine having to watch your child go through something you’ve struggled with for so long. Abby has anxiety issues, but so far mostly centered on storms, and she’s never had panic or anxiety attacks – I hope that you can help M get through this because she’s such an amazing and beautiful person. As her mother is too. I’ll be keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers, and sending lots of hugs your way…