I feel like Im being torn in a million diffrent directions, Im a full time mom of 5 kids ranging from hormonal 17's to 4 yrs old and tantrums,Volleyball practice,Daycare,the list goes on and on, wife to a deployed soldier,full time career woman working an 8-5 job, Im exhausted, since my husband deployed 6 months ago, Ive lost 50lbs, and Im still loosing weight, My poor husband thinks Im going to become invisible If it dosent stop but im constantly running and never have time to eat in the middle. I dont know who else to vent to...Ive got so much going on im my life and everyone expects me to be this person who can handle everything with ease... I just feel like colapsing right now and nobody in my life seems to freakin understand, I just want to scream!!! Errrg.

This may sound like mission impossible, but you've got to delegate some of your home crap off on the 17 year old and some of the older ones like him/her. If the 17 year old has a license---have him/her taxi a couple of the younger ones. Have him/her be in charge of bath time or bed time.
And this may also seem simplistic in nature, but why don't you carry some protein bars in your purse or briefcase? Buy some of that Vitamin Water or Protein Drinks and keep a stash in the car and at work. Keep snack foods that are good for ya in various places.
You honestly need to take better care of yourself---especially in cases of high stress like, oh I dunno--deployment, kids, career, and life in general.
Dropping 50 pounds like that is not healthy---you're losing not only whatever body fat you have, but important muscle and bone loss. Personally, I'd kill to drop that much---but honestly, not like that.

Take care of YOU....foist some of the responsibility of smaller stuff like packing lunches, bath/bed time, being the taxi off on the older kids who can do it. If you're a church going woman--enlist your fellow sisters to help you, and NEVER refuse help from someone else.

You cannot be expected to keep up this kind of schedule alone. You need to think of yourself first - if you end up really, really sick how will that help the family?!

Simplify your schedule. Like BAW said, delegate some to the 17 yo or just explain they need to cut out some activities for now.

Make sure to "get away" for a few hours each weekend. Even if it is to have your oldest babysit the others while you grocery shop alone - anything to get a break from the kids for a bit.

I would also suggest you contact Military One Source for some counseling. They can be a good resource for how to cope with the stress to possibly finding some resources in your area to help with all you have to do.

You cannot expect to keep burning the candle at both ends without something going wrong at some point. Think of yourself first!!!!!!



Mom

My first year teaching in the inner city I had a mentor,she told me to remember to take a sick day when I needed a mental health day. I know you have young children so you may not have any sick days to take. If you do this is the time to take one. Don't do anything for anyone else, just you. No housework!!!
If you can't do any of the above come back and do more venting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all who replied, I haven't been on here for a while, I did decide to take a break, I took 2 weeks off work and since the kids are in school except our 4 yr old, I got a lot of time to relax and just take a deep breath, I didn't mean to have an emotional breakdown on here, I don't have anyone I can connect with, My FRG isn't that good, when it comes to having a shoulder to cry on,She has a lot on her plate right now. And nobody else...Family etc understands coming from a wife's perspective, Not only that... I'm very hard headed and don't like to reach out for help when I should because I feel weak or unstable,( Like I cant handle my home life ). Honestly I did try military one source when I was having problems with my teen daughter, the lady there implicated that I was treating my daughter as an outsider and she was very rude!! Never again, The counselor they set me up with ran a very shady operation out of his home?? and he wreaked of B.O, Just nasty, I don't know if thats the quality of service we get being military or what?? Not sure. Aside from that... I just want to say, Thanks again for the support.

I'm glad you took some time to get back onto an even keel there. Things will be easier to handle when you are in a batter frame of mind like this.



Mom

I am glad to hear you are feeling better. I think you got great advice and I am happy to see you took some time off.

I don't think I saw it mentioned so I want to add that trying to get enough sleep is really important. It might seem more important to get something done or have some mental time to yourself when everyone else is in bed, but I think you end up paying for it with fatigue and a depressed mood. I know one of the hardest things for me to do in terms of taking care of myself when my husband is away is getting to bed on time. When he is home we are in bed and asleep before 10 and up by 530. I sometimes find myself up past midnight when he is not home. I am a wreck the next day, and the cycle builds upon itself.

If you do want to seek out a counselor/therapist again and you have Prime you might want to use the self-referral option of the Behavioral Health program and bypass Military One Source. You might have more control over who you see and (check this to make sure it still works this way) your first 8 visits are covered and then they need to write a referral authorization request for further sessions.