How can I balance the stress of financial problems and being a new parent?

Good morning Bee! Thanks so much for asking your question! 

It sounds like you are going through a particularly difficult time with interpersonal relationship stress, financial stressors, and difficulties in your day to day life which I can imagine is increasing the anxiety and stress symptoms you are mentioning.

It can be difficult when it feels like all the pieces of our world are actively falling apart all at once, and easy to isolate, withdraw, and struggle to be present because of these challenges. The good news is, you do not have to do this alone and BetterHelp has a number of services that can be incredibly beneficial in helping you combat these anxiety and stress symptoms.

Stress and anxiety affect the body in multiple ways and can encourage difficulties with physical health, difficulties feeling happiness day to day, difficulties with managing an appropriate self-care regimen, and more. When stress builds up in our body it makes it tough to be able to keep up with regular tasks and responsibilities, and you may notice symptoms like lack of motivation, burnout, lack of proper sleep or eating patterns, difficulties with focus, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, functioning at work, school, home, and more.

It sounds like you are already beginning to notice some of the impacts of the stressors already, which is probably why you are reaching out and asking this question in the first place! Although I know that therapy is a financial commitment, and you are struggling financially right now, an investment in your mental health is going to be an investment not only in you but your ability to be present and available for your family and support you in tackling the circumstances at hand.

I don't know if you have ever heard the saying "You cannot pour from an empty cup" but it is very relevant when it comes to stress, anxiety, and burnout symptoms like you are mentioning. When things get chaotic in life, a lot of the times we begin to be the last thing that falls to the end of our to-do list so the things that bring us joy, the things that matter like regular exercise routines or hobbies tend to fall away first which actually is very important not to let go of during stressful times more so than ever!

Think about it this way: Say you go to the doctor and you have a broken ankle. The doctor assesses and prescribes a specific medication that is required to be taken daily with specific instructions. You begin taking the medication and go back for a follow up appointment and tell the doctor "Well I am feeling better so I stopped taking the medication altogether". The doctor may look at you like you have three heads and misunderstand the intention here and you might be confused as well while reading this!

This is an exact analogy of what we do when it comes to our mental health. Think about it, we begin a new healthy habit. Maybe you decide to try and focus on drinking more water, or adding in exercise into your day, maybe you try a new meditation or mindfulness habit, whatever it is you begin doing it, seeing progress and feeling results, and then because you are feeling better you let this habit fall to the wayside when in fact it was the habit itself that was bringing the positive benefits you were noticing! Don't stop taking your "medication" where in this instance is self-care and taking time to prioritize your mental health, when life gets chaotic!

Working with a therapist on BetterHelp can be effective for a number of reasons. First and foremost, you cannot heal in isolation and asking for help is an important and vital step in the recovery process. BetterHelp makes it easy to access your counselor at the touch of the button. This way, you are not having to coordinate transportation to a physical office location, childcare, or other circumstances to get your mental health needs met! All you need is a private space and an opportunity to be present with yourself to get your therapy started.

BetterHelp is also much more financially affordable than what you would pay in a traditional office setting. Many in person therapists are moving away from accepting insurance, and charge private pay fees a few hundred dollars per session. BetterHelp does everything possible to work with clients in difficult financial circumstances, and provides a lot of assistance if needed if you are communicating your circumstances as well.

Another perk you will get signing up for BetterHelp that you would not have in a traditional counseling setting is the option to message your counselor anytime anywhere from the touch of a button on your smart phone. In a traditional office setting, you may go a full week or even longer without speaking with your therapist or checking in on your mental health progress and goals.

Much of the work you are going to be doing in treatment is implementing these healthy habits and strategies that we are talking about here! It is easy to be able to check in and discuss barriers to change, growth and progress you are seeing, or any a-ha lightbulb moments that come up in between sessions (these are very common).

My experience being a provider on the platform has shown me how valuable it is to have that in between session communication with clients. Some have told me this has been pivotal in their ability to see therapy actually working for them, when they have tried multiple times in the past without success which is an amazing feedback!

The investment in your mental health is going to be a decision I promise you will not regret if you choose to begin with BetterHelp today! You took a big step asking this question, so don't let your hard work stop here! Make the step to keep up your progress and begin your healing journey!  You can do this!