January is International Quality of Life Month. To honor that, I am seeking to better the quality of my own life by going back to the counseling that I still need. (I *must* call and make that appointment!) This whole blog is based around the fact that I know I'm not alone in this and I want others to know the same.
Realizing I had depression and ptsd after Chickie Pea's birth was hard and it took a while for me to get to that point. You can read about that realization in the post: "Acceptance: It actually happened, and it wasn't cool." I did not want to believe I had a mental illness or issue! Not me! But today I want to encourage you to take a few minutes and think about yourself for your family. Perhaps you're just realizing you might have a problem, or you've known for some time. Or perhaps you are in denial like I was, or perhaps you have a friend who may have a problem. Whatever the situation is, it's okay. You are not alone. Many of us have been there before and sadly, there will be many after us all. Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, all of these things won't just affect every part of your life, but it will affect your family's life as well. When I realized I had a problem, friends told me, "Your children need their mom to be healthy." And it's true, they do. But let me tell you what ONE friend told me: *I* deserve to be healthy. We constantly think about our children, even when we're depressed and seemingly unable to get out of our funk. Our children are still on our mind, and sometimes that drags us even further in the ground. If this is you, if *you* are going through something right now, I wish I could just sit with you on the couch and cry with you because DAMNIT I know what it's like! And it *really* hurts. Depression, ptsd, bipolar disorder, these things are really real, and you can really get them after childbirth. Yes, your baby is gorgeous! Your baby is the cutest baby there ever was! And the coo's and the smiles, oh aren't they wonderful? Sadly, for those of us with a postpartum mental illness, those moments are fleeting. Sometimes, we can't even enjoy those moments. I want to encourage you to step out of the rain clouds and call someone who can help you. Get someone to rock your little one so you can talk to a counselor. You owe it to yourself to start a journey towards healing! YOU deserve to enjoy those too-quick moments of pure joy that our children can bring us. You deserve to enjoy those rare, hot, soapy showers instead of standing there under the water sobbing. You deserve to smile, laugh, play, cuddle, be healthy, enjoy your partner and ultimately love & enjoy life! You shouldn't have to spend your day sobbing, wondering when the crying child will pass out so you can sob alone some more. A healthy mom will generally lead to healthy parenting. But mom needs to be healthy first! Healing is a long journey, it will not happen overnight. I am no where near as healed as I need to be, but I'm beginning to enjoy life again. We need to get over the stigma of having to go to a counselor/therapist/insert other stigma inducing descriptor here, and just give it a try. If you are dealing with a postpartum mental illness, you deserve a better Quality of Life. Think you might need help but aren't sure? Check out Healthy Place to take a free, confidential online screening for a number of mental illnesses. You can print the results and take them to your doctor, counselor, nurse, midwife, etc. It is better to seek help, than to stand alone in your darkness. Here's a few screenings you may want to consider: Depression PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Mood Disorders NOTE from their Website: These online psychological tests are for your entertainment and possibly educational use only and do not replace in any way a formal psychiatric evaluation. Remember for a diagnosis, you need to contact a licensed mental health professional. When and how did you realize you had a mental illness after childbirth? Has seeking help helped you? Are you at the beginning of your journey? Comment below or e-mail me: [email protected]
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWelcome to Momma Trauma's Blog! Thoughts, empowering posts and stories straight from Momma Trauma herself, Birth Trauma families & birth professionals. Archives
July 2015
Visit our Sponsors
This space is available for text advertisements. See our Sponsorship page for more information! xxxxx
|