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Re:The biology of dads by Mmrnmhrm on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @01:36PM (#25127698)
If you have any resources on how to manage anxiety please bring them on. My old son has a mild development impairment, I am the sole bread earner, and we have no family support (we live abroad).

Anxiety is crippling me to the point of rupture.

Re:The biology of dads by softwaredoug on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @02:05PM (#25128143)
Honestly, one of the biggest tools I think is in-person school. Which lets the kids get their own space and cultivate their own lives away from parents in a supportive place. Sadly that's been taken from us until Covid is resolved. It multiplies the anxiety quite a bit for everyone: kids & parents. It's hard for us not to be overbearing to our 9 year old about virtual school. It's hard on him, and he's frustrated. It's hard on us because it's time consuming...

Other than that, I strongly believe in paying well for good childcare and babysitting so you can take breaks.

I also believe in sharing your passions with your kids, and focusing on quality time rather than quantity or things that don't interest either of you. This can be surprising. My kids love camping, which surprised me. I love camping - my wife doesn't. My kids are meh on coding, they do it, but it doesn't grab them like it grabs me...

Focus your career choices carefully as your time on them is limited. I have found having kids, due to time crunch, has caused me to really focus more on what I really care about from work. Don't let others take advantage of you to do BS work, focus on what you want to do on a day-to-day basis that's fulfilling for you if you're able. I think sometimes parents fall into the trap of only focusing on $$ when really it's a good idea to focus on how much value you yourself are getting out of your more limited time investment

Re:The biology of dads by aantix on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @03:46PM (#25129586)
* A dose of magnesium l-threonate in the morning and before bed

* A dose of magnesium glycinate in the morning and before bed

* A dose of black seed oil in the morning and at night

If you did a hair mineral analysis test, I assure you, you would most likely be magnesium deficient. The body needs magnesium in order to deal with stress. Anxiety is stress.

The deficiency wreaks havoc on the nervous system. Take a HMAT from Analytical Research Labs if you want to be 100%. You'll have to find a practitioner.

I've done years of therapy. But getting my basic nutrients in order, made an immediate impact and has had a much bigger difference in treating my anxiety.

Re:The biology of dads by kilroy123 on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @05:11PM (#25130619)
+1 about magnesium and nutrition. I saw a huge improvement once I started getting enough.

Also don't forget about getting enough sleep every night.

Re:The biology of dads by aantix on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @09:30PM (#25132529)
Check out @Grimhood on Twitter.
Re:The biology of dads by deberon on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @02:14PM (#25128269)
Talk to somebody. A licensed professional would be best, but a significant other or trusted friend will work too. You have to get your thoughts out into the real world so you can process them. Journaling helps with this. Also, focus on your well-being. Make sure you're getting enough exercise, take up yoga, find a productive hobby, etc. If you have a significant other, make sure you stay communicative. As a parent it's easy to sacrifice your well-being for the sake of the family, but the family will work best if you're healthy.
Re:The biology of dads by dbrueck on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @04:32PM (#25130160)
Hang in there! It's absolutely worth all the effort, and things will likely turn out far better than you may think.

I strongly encourage you to talk to a therapist or counselor of some sort - even after just a few chats they can arm you with some really great tools.

For managing the anxiety of life generally and parenting specifically, religion has been very helpful for me. If you're not into that, maybe find something that strengthens the big picture & long term view of things.

Re:The biology of dads by Mmrnmhrm on Tuesday November 17, 2020 @05:27PM (#25130764)
I appreciate the answers. Thanks!

I'm tying (unsuccessfully) to get sleep, and I'll try magnesium supplements too. I already spoke about this but never got solutions, and at this point it feels almost even worse every time.