Antenatal DepressionAntenatal depression is horrible when it hits you. Not every pregnant woman gets it but it probably happens to many more than the official figures suggest. It's thought to be caused by hormonal changes during the first trimester and in the majority of cases it eases off before too long without needing treatment. Antenatal depression is a very individual thing and is closely linked with personality type, life history and lifestyle. It's thought that it is most likely to hit you if you felt low at the start of your pregnancy, or if you have suffered from depression before becoming pregnant. It goes without saying that you're more likely to experience antenatal depression if you are having problems with your partner, if your baby was unexpected, or if you are not sure if you really want to have a baby now. The Early Signs of Antenatal Depression are: Mild antenatal depression in pregnancy is often helped by reassurance and support from your partner, family, or friends.Try not to bottle it up or keep it to yourself too much: it's sometimes like a ray of sunlight if you can share it with a good friend and feel that you're not the only one who gets these down days.Try treating yourself: a visit to a beauty parlour, getting your nails done, even taking some time off to visit someone you like but hardly ever have time to see...these are all things that can make a big difference to your mood. It's often hard to make the initial move, as depression frequently brings inertia, but if you recognise this and make a superhuman effort to get out and do something you used to enjoy, the black mood can lift quite fast. Severe depression in pregnancy, however, is a different ball game and it needs to be taken seriously, as persistent low mood not only affects you but can make your bonding process with your baby more difficult later on. If your depression is very severe and you feel desperate, please don't keep it to yourself: consult your midwife or doctor as soon as you can. You won't be wasting their time. There are drugs that are very effective in treating depression and are also safe for you and your baby during pregnancy, although ideally certain of these should be avoided in the first trimester. Your doctor will know what's safe to prescribe, though, and even the process of being taken seriously is a relief at dark times. Don't kid yourself that you're of no value to anyone. This is what often happens to people who are depressed. They start to say to themselves that their life is worthless, that nobody REALLY loves them, that no-one really cares if they're around or not...on and on goes the inner voice, chipping away, convincing you that you count for nothing. DON'T LET IT! You need to recognise what is happening and understand that this is not your rational mind that is speaking, it's the skewed bio-chemistry of your body that is undermining you. This nagging, nasty little voice is not you! You must believe this. You can overcome it by taking our 3 Important Steps to Defeat Antenatal or Postnatal Depression:1) Notice what's happening. Become aware of the inner voice of depression. Notice it whenever it starts, see how it repeats itself. Notice the words it uses, what it says. 2) Think of the voice as being separate from you. It's not your voice, it's just producing thoughts that are generated by a wash of hormones in your body. There is no truth to these thoughts because this voice is unreliable, it can't be trusted. 3) Pick up your phone and call someone. It can be a good friend, it can be the doctor's office, it could be the Samaritans or Befrienders, it could be your local Citizen's Advice or a local organisation you know that maybe has a drop-in for mothers and mothers to be. The key to getting over your antenatal depression is not to buy in to any negative inner voice that tries to undermine you. Know that you have the power to defeat it and that one of the strongest tools in your arsenal is contact with others. There WILL be someone you can contact, whether by phone, by email, on a forum or in your local community, who can help you get through this. Your doctor is trained to either help you herself or to pass you on to someone who can. There are millions of us who have felt just as you do and there are millions who know that reaching for the phone was the best thing they ever did. And when you get better...maybe think about how you could help someone else who gets pregnancy or postnatal depression? The world needs you and your experiences. And it's well known that one of the best ways to break out of the vicious circle of depression is to do something for someone else. Could you tell Your Story About Antenatal or Postnatal Depression?Women with antenatal or postnatal depression feel very isolated. If you've experienced depression and have anything to say that might help others, please share it with us here. What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
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I suffered from severe depression before my pregnancy and I had a nervous breakdown at 19 for couple of months..... Tell me More About Other Pregnancy Problems
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