My wife is really suffering. Things just keep piling up for her and she isn’t coping. 

1) we have a 1.5 year old who is a handful. We both get stress and have lack of sleep lately. She wants to be a perfect mom. 

2) she’s back full time working as a teacher which she has a hard time cutting back her work hours. She holds herself to high standards. 

3) She feels pressure with anything to do with my side of the family. It started off with a bit of anxiety but now it’s blown into a toxic mental state where we can’t talk about my side of the family in conversation.
**my family are local and our additional child care support so we can’t utilize this**

4) stress leave from work seems realistic but we won’t be able to afford our mortgage on only one income. 

5) she has no close friends. She has a hard time developing close friendships. She worries what they truly think of her and any canceled plans or radio silence means that “friend” doesn’t really like her.

6) she doesn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone. Whenever she speaks to me, she feels judged or that my attempts to support disregard her thoughts and feelings. She feels the same when she’s tried speaking with her sister, mother, and father. 

Things are pretty rough these days. It seems like every little thing sets her off into tears. 

I tried very hard to be there for her. I take on more of a load in child care and household chores to help ease her stress. Unfortunately, I’m guilty of making a mistake from time to time and it leads to her getting very upset. 

Things like forgetting to purchase an item from the grocery store. She will be very frustrated and annoyed with me for this. I try to reason that it’s not a problem and that I will go back out and get it at the next convenient time for us as a family. But no use. 

I understand that she behaves this way because she’s so anxious with everything. Things have only gotten worse and worse over the years. I don’t know how much more she can go on this way. I’m struggling just trying to navigate this. 

She is seeing a therapist but she doesn’t feel like things are getting better. I really have a hard time watching her struggle and every effort I make makes things worse

I know I should focus on listening and validating her her feelings and I do try. It’s hard to hear her say “my life sucks. I hate my life,” and then be like “yes, life is challenging right now. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time”…when I’m a fundamental piece of her crappy life and want to help.