Momma's got Depression

[soul13]

I don't know how old your kids are but maybe talk to them and try to explain on their level that you're just feeling a bit overwhelmed and sad at the moment. You'd be surprised at how preceptive kids can be, even if they're not seeing you cry they'll be picking up on something. I don't think for one minute that it hurts a child, seeing a parent upset, as long as they understand it's not because of them. If they've seen you and they don't know why they can easily jump to conclusions.
I think it's good for kids to see that their parents don't cope with everything all the time, that's not natural, human beings aren't like that. We get angry and upset and depressed and sometimes we lose our temper, they go through that too and we need to teach them how to deal with all these emotions. Showing emtion isn't about being weak, it's being a human being.
I'd say to you to give yourself a break, don't listen to anyone who tells you you're not being strong, that's rubbish.
Talk to someone, get the help you need and know that it will get better. The fact that you're even starting this thread shows that you're on your way to sorting this out.
Good luck x

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by soul13

I don't think for one minute that it hurts a child, seeing a parent upset

Disagree

...as long as they understand it's not because of them. If they've seen you and they don't know why they can easily jump to conclusions.

Ding-ding-ding! Now agree completely.

I have always blamed myself for every bad feeling my mother has.
Possibly by being told so many times as a child that I caused all the rows in the house and they would get a divorce and it would all be my fault.

Children can deal with so much as long as they know they are loved and not responsible for the bad things. I've met teens who were taken into care who had closer bonds with their mother than I ever did. They did not feel alienated or abandoned, or suffer teen angst "Nobody understands me!" as those of us with "normal" families did. They just wanted their mum to get better/ recover/ get help.

Keep breathing. It helps.