Month: January 2023

Understanding my mental state is my priority, so I immediately seek professional help. I talked with my therapist and shared with her some of the worst things I experienced while dealing with depression while pregnant. Allow me to share it in this article.

Source: pixabay.com

What’s Going On?

Dealing With Physical Changes

Honestly, I don’t know what’s happening to me. The truth is, it was a dream come true when I discovered I was pregnant. I have waited for it to happen. I was excited to tell everyone that I was finally having a baby. At first, everything was so great, and I was full of life and energy.

But then, when my tummy started to grow, I felt different. I suddenly developed these wild thoughts about how the whole baby bump would ruin my entire body. I get anxious because people notice my gained weight, skin discolorations, and quite a few rashes. And that negative thought crawled deeper when I became aware of the sudden appearance of stretch marks all over my thighs, arms, and breasts. These physical changes suddenly scare the hell out of me. I started to feel like I didn’t like pregnancy anymore.

Source: pixabay.com

Struggling With Social Connection And Relationship

For quite a while, I knew for sure that I wanted to have a baby. It’s all I have ever wanted since I got married. I know it’s my purpose. But sometimes, I get irritated when people are overly concerned about my situation. I get suffocated even just knowing about their presence near me. I often feel like I don’t want to be surrounded by them because they keep falsely reassuring me that everything is alright. I know it’s not.

Sometimes, I even hate my husband for constantly asking me if I am okay. There’s anger within me because of the thought that I will be the only one who will suffer immensely during the delivery. I’m not too fond of the idea that a man would not experience the same pain and agony a woman feels when giving birth. I wish they would.

Source: pixabay.com

Worrying About Role Changes

Before getting pregnant, I was convinced I would be one of the best parents in the world. I had already decided that I would soon become a cool mom. However, now that I am seven months pregnant and the baby can pop up anytime soon, I feel anxious. What if I’m not good enough for the child? That thought haunts me every night because I suddenly realize that the changes in my role require intense effort.

What if my child hates me? What if I can’t provide the baby with everything? Will I become a bad parent? These negative thoughts won’t stop running in my head. I know that motherhood is challenging, and sometimes it does not go my way. Thus, these thoughts make me feel like I don’t want to continue this pregnancy process anymore. If there’ll be a “quit button,” perhaps I pushed it already.

Source: pixabay.com

Battling With Emotions

I know I am not sad, but I am not happy either. This pregnancy made me realize that wanting a baby requires mental and emotional stability. It is not something a woman should wish for constantly; when she gets it, she can accept it wholeheartedly. There are triggers that might cause someone to dislike the process. There are things that an expecting mother would forget to consider.

Right now, I feel a little crowded with all of this. I will soon be a mother, but I am genuinely afraid of almost anything. I am scared for my baby’s life and worry about how things will turn out. I am scared that people might judge me for being honest about my feelings regarding not wanting to proceed with this pregnancy anymore. I am so caught up with these negative emotions. I guess these hormonal imbalances are getting in the way.

Source: pixabay.com

How Am I Handling Things?

Truthfully, therapy helps me in these struggles. While pregnancy demands so much of my time and energy, therapy ensures that my mental health requires as much attention. I know these are normal stuff that a pregnant woman experiences, so I am willing to help myself get rid of the negative thoughts through professional counseling.

Yes, I might still struggle with different issues while carrying my baby, but I know I will be better if I cooperate with my therapist. She may not have all the answers to my questions and is surely not certain about the future, but she knows the right words to say. That is already enough assistance to go through this mental health recovery process.

So if you are ever dealing with emotional and mental health issues while pregnant, please be more self-aware and notice the sudden changes. That way, you can seek professional advice and won’t make decisions based on your stupid wild thoughts.

Have you ever been to therapy? Do you know the importance of seeking mental help? For starters, there is a common misconception about going to therapy. Most people think that instantly visiting a mental health professional tells that you are struggling with a severe mental health issue.

Therapy is an effective tool for treating most psychological problems. But its impact is not limited to only that, as it is also one of the best ways to reduce stress and other distressing negative emotions. Therapy ensures a safe space where you can be open about your feelings and thoughts. It is a great way to unload your emotional burdens and help you vent out the difficulty of your life struggles and experiences.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

So when should you try therapy treatment? Here are a few signs to consider.

Difficulty Regulating Different Emotions

It can be difficult to regulate your emotions when dealing with many stressful things in life. It would cost you too much time and energy to figure out how to control your emotional state. Persistent emotional dysregulation is often associated with and considered a precursor for severe clinical depression and other mental health problems.

Thus, in some instances, even a small mishap might be too intense to handle, such as spilling a cup of coffee, tripping on a chair, and getting a low battery on your cell phone. These incidents tend to make you scream, get irritated, and curse at other people, which can be a sign that you need therapy. But also take note that violent reactions are not exclusive to emotional dysregulation. Often, it can look like a tear blinked into compliance or a repressed shown tight smile.

Sudden Changes In Sleep And Appetite

It is common to experience fluctuations in sleeping and eating patterns. Frequent times that you are unable to sleep, it may be because you are too excited about something that you have to work on the other day. Maybe you’re busy thinking about your significant other, or something made you feel happy that you can’t just go to bed on schedule. In eating, perhaps you do not like the food or are craving something else. These are common changes that you need not worry about.

However, the sudden changes in sleeping and eating patterns may be a sign that you need to figure out a moment to understand what causes them. Please pay attention to stress because it plays a big role. If these changes are accompanied by low energy and low emotional state, seek help.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

Not Performing In A Task Effectively

Sure. Your performance level is not always at its best. There are times that you only exert a couple of efforts in an activity, especially the ones that do not require your full potential. However, when you suddenly develop a constant decrease in your performance level despite working on a task that you truly love, it can be a sign that you are dealing with an emotional and mental problem and need professional help.

According to most therapists, the decline in performance has something to do with lapses in memory, impaired attention, boredom, and an uninterested attitude. These can affect your drive to do any task and often increase your stress. It affects your productivity and soon demotivates you from doing even the things you once loved doing.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

Struggle With Relationships And Social Connections

Mental health struggles can affect all aspects of your life. It would be best to be careful with your condition because you might damage your relationships with others. Mental health problems may cause you to shy away and isolate yourself from friends and family. When you are too stressed, anxious, or depressed, you might develop problems with communication. Your mental health issue might cause you to lose your ability to read and understand other people’s ideas and feelings.

Seek professional help if you think your relationship with people is affected by your emotional and mental behavior. The therapist can provide the necessary assistance to develop the skills to improve your relationships and social connections.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

Constant Self-Loath

It’s normal to blame the situation when things don’t go your way. At times, it’s easier to do because it allows you to recover in that spur of the moment and get back on track. However, a sign that you might need therapy is when you find yourself stuck in that specific situation and hating yourself more than you have to. Self-loathing happens when you fail at something and immediately think and feel you are not good enough. As a result, you end up feeling unloved, undeserving of happiness, and incompetent.

Self-hate requires help as it can cause more mental and emotional issues in the long run. In unfortunate instances, it can resonate with inflicting self-harm or suicide attempts.

Remember that therapy is essential to help you build the strength and confidence you need to face the challenges in your life. It is a great resource for healing and recovery.