I can relate to what you're going through. It seems as if it was just yesterday when I thought I'd go nuts if I had to just talk to our DS one more day. I had no babysitter and DS didn't go to any daycare. At night, I often met DH at the door and when DS was a baby, just said, "He's yours." and went to the bedroom! Luckily for me, DH understood my need for solitude after watching our son alone all day.
During those VERY long early days, (I sometimes woke in the morning dreading hearing DS waking in the next room.), in order to protect myself (yes, you need to do this), I set "boundaries". No matter how upset DS became, I set aside a daily hour of quiet where I required him to go into his room and play alone. There were consequences if he interrupted me...often taking away something he held in high regard...until he learned to give me the space I needed. This came about only after he was past two, however. Before that age, I would have to set him in his playpen with his stuff and shut the door for some time away. The noise coming from him demanding attention was blocked by that door and earplugs, honestly.
If you're highly strung at all, I'd suggest a trip to your doctor if things become too overwhelming. He/She can prescribe medication to "take the edge off" and make things more tolerable. Being more relaxed can only be beneficial to your child, right?
Things have become a LOT better now that DS has been "trained" to give me "space". It also helps that he is now in school nearly full time. I seriously did NOT want to homeschool for the obvious reasons. If that makes me a horrible parent, then I say so be it. I'm not a "helper animal" as you so adroitly put it!
Hang in there.
