Anxiety

[__k__]

Hi all,

I’ve been suffering from/with anxiety for 2 years now. It all started when i had my first child and i went to leave the hospital and go home. My anxiety was never about me as a mother or anything like that! It was about my health (not something I was anxious about before), and also other things, such as, certain smells would kick off a panic attack, being in public, being on my own, even eating foods I’ve eaten forever! To the point I was having a panic attack every 3 minutes, every single day for 3 months. I didn’t start medication sooner as i was all of a sudden scared to take new medication and how it would make me feel.. every day it’s something new and i feel like it’s getting worse every new day. I don’t know how much longer i can take this. 
 

i guess im writing this to possibly see if anyone else is the same, any ideas or advice would be great?

[Sophie_M]

Hello __k__,

Thank you so much for reaching out to our community – your story is very relatable, so we are sure many people will be able to resonate with what you have shared.

It’s not uncommon at all to experience heightened anxiety or lower moods after pregnancy – your body has been through a lot! It could be helpful to become curious about what you are needing whenever you start to feel anxious – is it a sense of safety, grounding, connection? Practicing movement and mindfulness could be really helpful here! I would recommend noticing when you start to feel anxious and gently bring your attention to the body by shaking your arms and legs, tensing and releasing your fists, doing some star jumps, or dancing to music you enjoy. This can help to naturally discharge anxious energy and give you some more room to access your breath for a meditation practice or fully feel and express the emotions underneath the anxiety. (This might give you some more insight as to why health is your mind’s focus right now too!) Both will allow you to feel more calm and help you to detach from some of the thoughts you are having, but you can go with whatever feels the safest for you in the moment. It’s also okay for it to take some time to work, because you are essentially exercising a new muscle. So being gentle and compassionate towards yourself is key.

I would also highly recommend exploring therapy or a support group – any place you can talk about what you are going through and to better understand your experience (these forums are a great start!).

Please remember that what you are going through is very human and you deserve lots of love and nurturing right now.

I hope this post was helpful. If you are needing more advice, don’t hesitate to call our support service directly. We can guide you through more coping strategies and direct you to more supports as well.

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Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead.

Warm regards,

Sophie M.