#ppocd

[sleepyneuf]

I’m leaving this here for me but please feel free to read if it’ll help you too

It’s so hard to be a mom. I have had anxiety and OCD my entire life and these have been amplified lately. I have been pretty depressed that I can’t escape these thoughts or feelings. My therapist lent me this OOP textbook and it’s really helpful even though I have no time to read it.

Just do your best. It’s okay to be “good enough” and I’m trying to tell myself that every day.

[firsttimemommy-blog1]

Dietary supplement that has the power to reduce OCD?

Hi hi...

Writing this after spending three full weeks in Florida. It was a wonderful time, but unfortunately I did have some pretty dark days...sort of “relapsed” and had a lot of obsessive/intrusive thoughts, feelings of extremely low self-worth, feelings of hopelessness...and some crying spells. Ugh. 

Immediately called and scheduled three more appointments with my therapist, and had the first one about a week ago. 

She recommended a dietary supplement, primarily used for liver and lung function. It’s called “N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine”, or, “NAC”. It cost me about $20 for 100 tablets at a local co-op. I only take two each day, but may increase to three or four, based on the studies I’ve been reading about.

I’ve been taking it for a few days, and feel it is too early to fully determine whether or not it’s helping. I’ve been very busy/productive the last few days, so I’m waiting for a particularly empty day/bad day to see if my obsessive/intrusive thoughts come back with a vengeance or not.

That being said, I do suspect they could be helping. I usually become very down and depressive on Sunday nights and most Mondays... today was my first Monday since starting NAC, and I practically sprung out of bed, in a wonderful mood. I still had some negative thoughts here and there, but more because my brain was traveling there every time I wondered if the NAC was working...so it’s like I’ve purposely been exposing myself to the same bad thoughts, to see if I get the same stomach-churning/anxious sensations, or if I spiral into awful thoughts/mindsets. And the good news is, I haven’t. I was able to brush the thoughts away for the most part. More importantly, the bad thoughts did not have a direct impact on my self-esteem, as they have in the past. 

Still, it’s too early to know for sure. And I am taking a very “holistic” approach to my recovery... which has included working out/dieting, seeing a therapist, and eventually returning to work part-time. I think work will be the most beneficial piece in my recovery.  My hopes, are that I will come out of this BETTER than before. Time and effort will tell.

More later.

<3nicole

[mskalikamay-blog]

She just had a baby, help that chick out!

A topic that has been brought up time and time again is Post Partum Depression.

Guys and gals this is no joke. Many people suffer in silence from this deadly depression. Some commit suicide, while others barely function.

Most signs are dismissed as hormones acting out, just being over tired and typical motherhood quirks. Mom’s are scared to be judged or some moms are scared to have their children taken away. So they don’t reach out for help.

While I could drone on and on about PPD, PPA, and PPOCD what I really wanted to do was write about the lack of care mothers are shown after birth. This crucial time in a mother and baby’s life is often ignored by everyone. This is the time that you could really help prevent PPD, PPA, and PPOCD.

People freak out when they’re told they can’t see and hold this precious newborn immediately. 

Back the fuck off everyone. This time isn’t for you. You didn’t birth this baby. You didn’t carry this baby. You didn’t make this baby. This time is for you to show up at their house and help them. 

No, not like that. Not by holding the baby so that mom can clean. By cleaning for mom while she snuggles the baby, feeds the baby, naps with the baby. Bring mom and dad food pre-made. Do they need groceries? Offer to go grocery shopping for them. 

This isn’t a time for you to be snuggling the baby. This is a time for them to be bonding. You can offer to watch the baby, while mom showers! That would be helpful. 

And while I have you here. Give mom space too! Don’t be pushy she will come to you when they’re ready for you. It’s overwhelming having a newborn baby and having everyone swarm you to visit. If you do visit? Dear lord do not kiss the baby, get your god damn face out of that babies face and wash your fucking hands.  ~~~~~~~~~~~

Mom’s for real PPD, PPA, and PPOCD are serious. Dad’s can be affected too.  http://www.postpartumprogress.com/the-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression-anxiety-in-plain-mama-english

[thegirlwiththeoctopusneckla-blog]

I had my second baby, a beautiful baby girl, almost 10 weeks ago. I'm so lost and overwhelmed. I have PPD (postpartum depression) and PPOCD (postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder) and I'm in deep. This is my place to vent on my bad days and boast on my good ones.

[above-the-cuts]

What is a postpartum mood disorder?

-Are you feeling sad or depressed? -Do you feel more irritable or angry with those around you? -Are you having difficulty bonding with your baby? -Do you feel anxious or panicky? -Are you having problems with eating or sleeping? -Are you having upsetting thoughts that you can’t get out  of your mind? -Do you feel as if you are “out of control” or “going crazy”? -Do you feel like you never should have become a mother? -Are you worried that you might hurt your baby or yourself?

These are all symptoms of postpartum mood disorders (depression, anxiety, OCD, etc). This list was found at the following link: http://www.postpartum.net/get-the-facts.aspx

But what exactly is a postpartum mood disorder (PPMD)?

It’s feeling hatred toward the children you’d die to protect. It’s feeling resentful when your SO can sleep through the screaming - yours and the baby’s. It’s feeling so hopeless when the baby cries because you can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong. It’s watching your baby cry in the swing, wondering if you even have the energy to do anything about it.

It’s wanting so badly to breastfeed, but resenting the time it takes or the discomfort of letdown. Or feeling guilty about your feeding method, whatever it is. It’s being so tired that you beg someone to take the baby, just so that you can stare at the ceiling by yourself for an hour or so, because you certainly can’t sleep. It’s pushing yourself harder than you’ve ever pushed before and having less to show for it, because every single thing takes so much fucking energy.

It’s dishes piled in the sink and tears running down your cheeks. It’s wanting to run away from your family so that you don’t “ruin” them. It’s a relationship that’s fracturing because you are hateful or sad or anxious to your SO’s breaking point. It’s laundry that you know you can’t catch up on.

It’s planning how to make sure your family is okay if you actually give in to the suicide fantasies. It’s feeling guilty each time you don’t kiss your babies and tell them how much you love them, because what if something happens? It’s seeing all the terrifying scenarios play again and again in your head: all the ways they can be hurt accidentally and all the ways you could hurt them.

It’s a mental illness that effects somewhere between 1 in 8 to 1 in 5 women. It’s a treatable, temporary thing. It’s something that you can get over!

Now that I’ve told you what postpartum mood disorder is, do you want me to tell you what it’s not?

It’s not something you caused. It’s not something you could have prevented somehow. It’s not you exaggerating or whining. It’s not a plea for attention. It’s not because you’re a bad mom. It’s not forever, as much as it may feel that way right now. It’s not going to permanently damage your kids. It’s not something to be ashamed of.

We need to be aware. We need to remove the stigma, because between 13%-20% of all mothers get some sort of postpartum mood disorder. I’m battling through right now. You are not alone! Please share this with every mumblr and pregblr. Please check out the symptoms of PPMD so that you can recognize them should you have them.

And please, please, if you’ve recently had a baby or weaned a baby off of breast milk, if you’ve recently miscarried or had an abortion, and the symptoms sound like what you’ve been feeling lately, get help!