single moms have to face

Being a single mom is not very easy at all. This is because there is a huge set of barriers that such a mom has to face, not just in society, but also in her career choices as well. If her marriage has broken down, then more often than not she is blamed for it.

Similarly, her employers may well view her as unreliable in terms of deadlines and workloads as well as late sittings. This is due to the fact that she has to take care of her little ones, as her first priority, rather than the work being assigned to her, by her pay masters.

All of these stresses and tensions can cause a wide range of mental health problems for the overworked and harried single mom. While it is certainly true that every hour of every day, just such single moms are able to rise to the occasion, not so much for themselves, but for their kids, and thereby do an absolutely amazing job of raising them. But unfortunately, many such single moms do not really like to ask for help and, as a matter of fact, do not even believe that they need any, in the first place.

However, for many such single moms, the multiple stress factors can easily pile up and thereby lead to a ‘full on’mental health crisis. And before they know it, they are caught up in a web of anxiety disorders, depression, and even PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) stemming from the horror of their break up with their erstwhile better halves.

Not knowing what to do and where to go, they generally end up self-medicating with over the counter medicinesand sometimes even alcohol and hard drugs. This is a vicious downward spiral that leads them to onwards towards inevitable disaster, not just for themselves, but also their kids too.

However, it does not always have to be this way at all. And in fact, by clearly identifying the few more common mental health challenges that are continuously facedby single moms, it is quite possible to isolate the problem and thereby inspire these great people to seek help. If not as a form of support then at least a modicum of solace. This holds even more true if they are really struggling to cope and are looking for allies, to help them deal with their day to day struggles, as such.

o Perennial Conflicts With Their Ex Husbands and Boy Friends

While it is true that both divorce or even simple separation are hard enough as it is. But any ongoing and continuing conflict with the child’s (or children’s) other parent can also be a contributing factor in eroding a single mom’s overall mental health. In this case manipulation, withholding child support, bullying, and violating any sort of post-divorce agreements are amongst the major behaviors that single moms have to face.

This hostility can be both insidious as well as exceedingly harmful for the single mom in question. Apart from that it has a highly negative impact on the vulnerable children as well. In both these cases, when the primary family unit whose main task is the provision of a nurturing environment for the stable upbringing of the children, ends up becoming the nightmare opposite. And this is especially true when the man that the mom and her kids had hitherto seen as the bedrock of their support, ends up becoming the diametrical opposite of all that he was supposed to be.

The disillusion, the breach of faith and trust as well as the feeling of being betrayed, can all contribute quite significantly, towards the erosion of the mental health of the single mom in question, not to mention that of her kids, as well.

o Weaker support networks

It is a sad and uncomfortable fact of life that when a single woman, goes on to becomea single mom, then irrespective of the fact that whether it was by choice, or even bycircumstance, her friends will more often than not, tend to drift away from her. And this happens at a time when she needs them and their support, the most.

As a matter of fact, many such friends, (especially the mutual ones that is) may end up choosing sides, and in the process, they will feel highly awkward or for that matter, might be unable to relate and thereby emphasize with the single mother’s new reality. This discontinuation from the extended community all around her, will also give rise to certain feelings that will be anchored around the themes of both alienation as well as overall hopelessness.

Unfortunately, both of these refrains will end up being passed on to the little kids as well, who will also, in their turn start feelingequally morose and despondent.

If this sad state of affairs is allowed to continue unchecked, the consequences will lead to the increased vulnerability of not just the single mom in question, but her kids as well.

o Conclusion

In the light of the above discussion, it can easily be seen that it is can be quite difficult for a singlemother to be able to cope with her new found responsibilities, on her own. And this holds truer for those single moms who have very young kids to take care off. We, at Tommy’s Team encourage single mothers to learn to cope and also to progress in their careers, to the best of their abilities.

We also actively work to make the society around us a better place to live in and would want and like you people to send us your ideas so that we can continue our mission of helping out single moms as well as their offspring.  You can do the needful by joining us at http://www.tommysteam.com.....LIKE.....JOIN.....SHARE....To Help Others....