Got 'Mom Rage'?

Do you ever feel “touched-out” or unable to handle any more noise at the end of a day? You’re not alone.   

When you’re trying to process lots of information from your environment through your senses, this can lead to something called sensory overload. As a parent, you’re exposed to all kinds of environmental stimuli: frequent touch, talking, loud sounds, constantly monitoring your child’s activity. Sensory overload can surface as emotional and physical symptoms, like anxiety, irritability, and feeling tense or overwhelmed.   

What is ‘mom rage’? 

As parents, we are juggling many demands while trying to balance our own needs and the needs of our children. ‘Mom rage’ is often a perfect storm of sensory overload and unmet personal needs (i.e. poor sleep, hunger, lack of alone time). It can manifest as low frustration tolerance, agitation, emotional outbursts, and anger.  

Who is susceptible to mom rage? Does getting mom rage  make you  a bad parent? 

The reality is that anyone can experience mom rage – dads, too!  

Mom rage = mom guilt. When we act in a way we feel is outside of our character and values, this can lead to feelings of guilt and shame. It’s important to acknowledge feelings while also working on a path forward. Focusing your energy on repairing your relationship with your children can be an important first step. It can be incredibly powerful to model to children what it means to identify emotions, one’s own actions, apologize, and commit to doing better.   

What are some good coping skills for mom  rage/sensory  overload? 

A good starting point is self-compassion. You are imperfect and you are doing the best you can as a human and parent. Recognizing your limits can help you develop more reasonable expectations for yourself.   

Understanding what makes you vulnerable to mom rage can help you identify how to take care of yourself differently. It’s helpful to observe early signs of sensory overload and building mom rage – this is the window of time to make changes. For example, if you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by noise, you could engage your children in a quiet activity or leave the environment altogether. It’s not always possible to change or alter the environment. That’s when coping skills like mindfulness and deep breathing can be helpful for tension and anxiety.   

Create daily routines that incorporate meaningful activities and alone time to help you decompress. These can be small, simple activities that bring you a sense of peace or joy. Over time, you’ll have lots of coping skills at your fingertips.  

Need some help developing coping skills for mom rage? Therapy is a great place to start. Call our team at 410-938-5000 for help finding a therapist near you.