OCD Taboo Thoughts Perinatal

[Petal22]

I want to start this thread to speak out so that other mothers who may be experiencing what I experienced after child birth can have the confidence to step forward and seek the help they need to recover……

Please don’t suffer in silence…. you CAN get better……..

I understand that these thoughts seem taboo to the sufferer but for you to recover you need to open up to our professionals so they can help you.

Life really can get so much better for you.

In my experience after child birth for a time that should have been full of joy and happiness I was engulfed with horrible intrusive thoughts about my babies.

The same thing happened in both of my pregnancies.

These intrusive thoughts terrified me, I loved my babies with all of my heart and soul and I would have done anything to protect them.

Having these thoughts felt so foreign to me.

I would do anything to avoid these thoughts but they just kept coming causing me to have severe anxiety.

I was highly distressed by these thoughts.

I knew I needed to seek professional help… starting from my gp through to a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist I also did a 8 week group therapy.

I was diagnosed with Perinatal Anxiety and also Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

I had an anxiety disorder and it was a disorder that could be treated!

I have now recovered from this disorder thanks to the help I received from health professionals and life couldn’t be better! I’ve been recovered for 4 and a half years now…..

I absolutely love being a mum and my children bring me nothing but joy!

I got better….

Our health professionals are here to help us.

In some areas there are perinatal clinics that have clinical psychologists and psychiatrists that run out of the same practice they understand these conditions.

Please step forward and receive the help you need…. Your not alone

[geoff]

Hello Petal, a good thread, can I also say that this type of mental illness can happen to the fathers as well, even if the mother doesn't have it or jointly as the mother suffers.

Both my wife and I had PND only with our second child, the first pregnancy and once he was born was all joy and now our 2nd son is my carer.

Best wishes.

Geoff. x

[Petal22]

Hi geoff,

Thank you, yes fathers can also suffer with this condition.

Im sorry that yourself and your wife also suffered with this condition.

When I look back on that part of my life now, I can see how cruel the condition is to the person who is suffering with it.

All we have as parents is unconditional love for our children and only want the best for them and then you have this condition that comes in and brings fear with it (along with all of the what if s) that go with the condition which I later learned was part of the vicious cycle of OCD which can consume the sufferer….

When I was experiencing this condition I would feel like withdrawing from the people I loved and who the thoughts were about BUT I’m so grateful that I was able to over ride this feeling of wanting to withdraw instead of withdrawing I’d hug the person and tell them I loved them. It was a very challenging condition it was like trying to push through a mirage….. so grateful to have that inner strength…I really needed it while battling the condition.

How beautiful Geoff to have your son as your career.

We are so lucky to have such loving children in our lives 😊

The hard yards are so worth it ❤️