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Para Kay Mommy: 10 Steps in Coping with Overstimulation As A Mom

Admin
August 21, 2022


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    Every now and then, there may be a point in your life where you felt you’ve had enough. And the next person that approaches, no matter how well-meaning that person be, you just wanted to scream or if you still have a little reign over your emotion, just give that person a dagger look. That could be overstimulation.

     

    Overstimulation happens when your five senses are roused with things or events that evoke a functional reaction that your brain is getting a hard time processing. It’s not that you are a bad mom or a bad person.

     

    Knowing and understanding what causes you to act that way will help you in your everyday life.

     

    What Causes Overstimulation in Moms

     

    Overstimulation or sensory overload may be more prevalent in individuals with conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or even autism or ADHD. The same is true for mommies who are highly sensitive.

     

    Don’t be alarmed. You need not have those conditions to lose it every now and then.

     

     

    Even if you are not suffering from any of those conditions, you can simply be overwhelmed with all the stimuli in your senses and is unable to cope. Remember that parenting is one of the most difficult jobs in the world and it is a 24/7 job, without a standard operating system or a manual.

     

    10 Steps in Coping with Overstimulation

     

    What matters is every mom is equipped with the right coping mechanisms to deal with overstimulation or simply prevent it from happening. Here are 10 ways:

     

    Stop Multi-tasking

     

    By the act itself, you are bombarding your brain with multiple things to do at the same time. Not only it is hampering productivity and it also divides your attention to several tasks at one and is therefore feeding your senses to do their job. Huwag ganyan, mas magiging effective kung isang bagay lang ang pagtutuunan ng pansin. Kailangan lang mag-prioritize.

     

    Streamline Decision-Making

     

    Importante sa isang nanay na may routine na sinusunod araw araw especially sa umaga. The mood and demeanor in the morning will most likely determine what would be the rest of the day be like. With routine, you don’t have to think about what to do first, or what to do next. The decision-making process is already streamlined by the routine. Now, you can put her energy and focus on more important parenting tasks, which never run out. 

     

    Accept Your Flaws and Temperament

     

     

    There are certain things that get us riled up. For some mommies, it is looking at dirty dishes piled up on the sink, the children messing up with their make beauty arsenal or the screaming of fighting kids. Accepting that these are things that make you mad makes you do something about it, such as doing the dishes before sleeping so you wake up to a clean kitchen or just accepting that kids do bicker and fight, will help you go through parenting easily. Just like you, your children as well have different temperaments. Dapat cool lang at hindi magpadala sa galit para hindi nagkakagulo. 

     

    Schedule Less on Your Everyday Duties

     

    If you know that your to-do list overwhelms you, then you have to delegate some of those. Make use of the support system that is available to you, such as carpooling or school service instead of driving your kids to school.  To help your family and be effective at that, you must help yourself first. You will also reap rewards in the end if, at an appropriate age, kids are taught to do certain tasks. Not only are you teaching your children to be independent, but you will also notice that your everyday duties become less as they grow.

     

    Recognize Your Triggers and Manage Them

     

    Knowing what ticks you off and what pushes your button will help you deal with what is thrown at you. When it presents itself before your very eyes, you can see it, or at least sense it, and you can easily say “I know what to do”. So next time Baby Girl comes to you with a red face, and you recognize right away that it is the color of the Bobbi Brown lipstick you bought yesterday, you would know how to react positively. It is easier said than done but is doable. Awareness is the key. 

     

    Curate a Playlist for Yourself 

     

    Music has a way of evoking emotions in us. Curating a playlist for yourself, to get you through the day and through life is one of the ways to live an inspired life. After all, these songs are created by artists who were inspired by their life experiences. Why not make use of them, too? Songs that evoke a can-do attitude are of help.

     

    Practice Pre-Emptive Self Care

     

    You cannot give what you don’t have. In the same breath, you cannot care for others unless you take care of yourself first. Sound selfish?  This is also the principle behind the instruction during an emergency on a flight. Put your mask first, before you help others put on their masks. You are more effective in caring for your family if you are taking care of yourself. If you are healthy physically and are in the right mindset of taking things that come your way, you are better at dealing with them.

     

    Allow Yourself to Breathe

     

     

    Just sit back and relax. Sound counterintuitive when you know that your to-do list is getting longer every day, huh? Doing nothing and just letting things allow you to see things from another perspective or provides clarity. Sometimes, the best solutions to things that have been bothering you come at a time when you are relaxed and not overthinking. If you want to take this further, a 10-minute meditation a day helps you calm down and in tune with yourself.

     

    Take Breaks 

     

    Take breaks on things that overwhelm you. If it is the screaming children in the living room, declare a mommy time for 10 minutes locked in your room or use a noise-canceling headset while doing your tasks. If that is so short for your situation, let your husband take over and schedule a girls’ night out. If you benefit more from having alone time or doing things that make you happy, then, by all means, do it. It will work wonders for you. You would come back refreshed and renewed and ready to tackle the next mommy task.

     

    Prioritize Your Sleep

     

    This is very important. Lack of sleep creates havoc not only on our well-being but more so on our mental health. Sleep restores and re-energizes the body. Waking up well rested allows you to face your family in a good mood.  If you wake up cranky and that sets the tone in the family every day, it will surely have a long-term effect on your family dynamics. Ayaw natin iyon. Gusto natin that we have a healthy family dynamic, especially with growing teenagers.

     

    Whether it’s prioritizing sleep or curating a playlist for yourself, the bottom line is to take care of yourself. Understandably being a mom means most of the time you have a lot on your plate. You’re taking care of the whole household. Pero hindi dapat kalimutan alagaan ang sarili. Lashing out on your kids or husband due to overstimulation is definitely not a good feeling so try to practice these tips to help cope with this.

     

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