5 Signs You Were Raised by A Parent with Anxiety

Being raised by an anxious parent is hard. Growing up, you may not have even realized that your parent’s decisions, actions, or words were due to them having anxiety. Now, as an adult, you may look back at your childhood and wonder if they had anxiety. You may be searching for answers because of your own struggles with mental health now that you are an adult.

There are many ways that would indicate your parent had anxiety. Here are the top five signs that an anxious parent raised you.

They Were Overprotective

You may recall that your parent always seemed to be overprotective of you. As a small child, their anxiety may have manifested itself by them constantly following you around. Thus, ensuring that you were never out of their sight for fear you may get hurt.

As you got older and more independent, they may have come up with reasons why you couldn’t go someplace. For example, they didn’t know your friend’s parents or didn’t know a certain friend. Maybe they didn’t let you play sports for fear of serious injury. Things like this may have left you feeling smothered or controlled.

They had your best interest at heart, but their own fears and anxieties more than likely prevented you from having a normal childhood. While every parent is protective over their kids, anxious parents seem to take it to another level. Now, as an adult, you likely struggle with participating in anything new for fear of what could happen to you.

They Were Controlling

There isn’t a teenager out there who doesn’t feel as if their parents aren’t controlling in some manner. However, parents who have anxiety seem to be overbearing with this.

While they may have prevented you from playing in certain sports, alternatively, they may have also dictated safe activities for you to do. Or maybe they micro-managed your homework, projects, or who you hung out with. You might have even been forbidden from dating.

For the parent with anxiety, they didn’t do these things to be mean. Instead, their own anxieties over situations that can come up likely made them feel as if they needed to keep a tighter leash on you. In adulthood, this may manifest itself by being dependent on others or unable to make your own decisions.

They Always Seemed Tired

There may have been countless times where you remember your parent was super fatigued. Likely, your developing brain blamed it on keeping up with work, raising you and your siblings, and the upkeep of the house. Or maybe you didn’t think much of it. On the other hand, they may have constantly complained about how tired or worn out they were.

Being constantly tired is a classic symptom of anxiety. People who experience anxiety are constantly in fight or flight mode. Since they were constantly on high alert, their bodies and minds likely lacked the energy reserves they needed to keep up with everyday life.

They Were Easily Irritable

Every parent is likely to explode or get snippy with their spouses or children from time to time. For adults suffering from anxiety, they are easily irritated. You may remember it not taking much for your parent to get an attitude with either you, a sibling, or their partner. Being irritated, their behaviors may have been unpredictable. Or their irritability may have presented itself through jittery movements or not being able to sit still.

They Showed Their Anxiety in Their Own Way

Whether or not they realized it, they may have been telling you all along that they were stressed or anxious. They may have used words like worry, stress, concern, or other negative words. And while that may not have seemed significant, looking back, you can see how your conversations with them were indicative of a mental health disorder.

You may have had a great childhood despite having an anxious parent. However, if you are struggling with anxiety in your adulthood and believe the way you were raised was to blame, please reach out to me to help you work through these issues.