Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-06
Stop Killing
Yourself
By Dr.. Peter ]. steinerohn


q rather peculiar problem but
ene which ! hope you win dis
cuss. ! have been reading and
thinking a great deal lately
about the oyerpopulation
problems Of the world and the
potential increase in the Unit
ed States.
The fact Is that I am ex-
Pscsing my third child within
a few months. I already have
a boy Of 5 and q girl of 3, both
healthy, happy, alert children
who are looking forward with
great glee to the birth Of the
new baby.
But although both my hus-
band and / want this child,
and are financially well able
to care for it, I have become
consumed with guilt about
contributing another person to
the world. / know this Is silly
and potentially harmful to the
child II he or she doesn't feel
wanted.
Am ] injuring my unborn
child BY thinking and worry
ing as ] am? Is there any val
Id reason for me to feel this
way, and win ] change my
thinking after the baby Is
born?
All these questions worry
me considerably. / looked for
ward with serene happiness to
my other two. Is the change
In my attitude going to mean
that this win be an unhappy
baby from the start? / hope
you won't think my problem
Is too silly to consider. Mrs.
L.
Not ct all. Neither Is yours
an unusual question. This Is
an age Of questioning. Life
death-birth-the bomb. How
can thinking people overlook
these ever-present problems?
But most Of US come up with
satisfactory anSwers-other-
wise we wouldn't be able to
carry on.
For example, there were
great world problems when
your 5-year-old boy was born,
and when your 3-year-old girl
came into this troubled world.
Why didn't you wonder then
about bringing children into
the world?
/ think / have the answer.
You are at present the victim
of a slight depression. This is
not unusual In some cases Of
pregnancy; and 1t Is not un-
heard Of to have even more
severe depressions after the
birth Of a baby. Usually these
clear up all right.
! believe you can look for
ward to a clearing Of the over
hanging clouds any one Of
these days. Stop worrying
about what effect your think
ing will have on your third
child. There's no reason why
your new addition can't be as
happy as your other children.
VIII you change your thinking
after your baby Is born? The
odds are greatly In your favor
that you will. Meanwhile, talk
over your feelings with your
family doctor or obstetrician.
He may give you something
either advice or pills-tO Lift
your spirits.
Send for my IeGflet, Hon "a
Be a Happy Hvpochondriac.
Write to me in care OF The
Star, inclosin0 IS cents and q
stamped, selt-addressed enve-
lope.
For Mrs. B.: You are living
with an unnecessary guilt
com pick. From what you
have told me, l don't see how
itcould have been possible fer
you to prevent your mother
from dying Of chronic alcohol
ism. Calling a doctor an hour
earlier would have made little
difference in the cute o m e.
Guilt feelings, whether de-
served or not, are not uncom-
mon in family survivors.
s
Mrs. r.: Because you say
your legs look worse after the
first varicose operation, I sug-
gest you have your doctor call
In consultation with a doctor
who speciAlizes in circulatory
diseases of the extremities be-
fore you undergo another op-
Grafton. The success Of any
future operation will depend
upon the normality Of the
blood circulation Of the deep
leg veins and or other factors.
Dent just rush into another
operation blindly.
(Bel-McClure syndicAtel
Il