Mental Health Check-in: May

dobiemom11 · May 2020

U.S: National Suicide Prevention : 1-800-273-TALK [8255]

Chat option: https://chat.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx

Link to Canadian Resources: https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

This is a safe place for more detailed support in mental health, struggles, and successes. Whereas general stress and issues are often discussed in other boards, this place is for a more focused discussion of the impact of mental health. Members are encouraged to use thoughtfulness and depth to examine feelings, barriers, and useful supports.

This post can be replied to at any time during the month. Not limited to those with a mental health diagnosis, but please be sensitive to others. We will attempt to be as flame free as possible!

Feel free to share, vent, or support other members on this thread. Share a picture/gif that expresses how you feel or provides some comfort.

If you need help getting started, consider filling out the form below:

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?:

How far along:

How are you feeling?

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.)

dobiemom11 · May 2020

Every time I talk to my therapist lately, she recommends a nap and a snack! This pregnant lady is a huge fan of both, but also good advice all the time.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ig/n76rpp3b41ep.jpg

dreamscapes_ · May 2020

I’ve been having a really rough time. My anti depressant is fully out of my system, and my brain just can’t make the neurotransmitters it needs to be emotionally stable. So tack that onto the pregnancy hormones and I’m spending a ton of time crying for no reason or panicking because my cat is losing weight. She’s only about 11 pounds, so her losing even half a pound is pretty obvious. It’s just that the last time I had an animal with unexplained weight loss, it was my dog Delilah and she ended up losing all her body weight and then eventually dying. She was a big dog and went from 110lbs to about 60. So yesterday, I had a full on anxiety attack thinking about losing my cat, who’s also my ESA. Add in as well that we live in Florida and the unemployment system here is an epic fail, so we still haven’t paid rent for
this month because we just don’t have it.

dobiemom11 · May 2020

dobiemom11 · May 2020

Completely channeling the above message. Just trying to make it through every day, sometimes minute by minute! Sending love, encouagement, and hope to all of you!!

gh1219 · May 2020

@dobiemom11 thank you for sharing! I was having a similar conversation with my mom recently when I was feeling guilty about struggling with my work productivity. She is in HR and reminded me that many employees do the least to get by and it is perfectly fine to do the bare minimum for a few weeks instead of my usual 120% effort.

dobiemom11 · May 2020

@gh1219. I hear you. I want so badly to be productive, but I feel like it is so hard today. Work called me yesterday about coming back after being temporarily laid off with the virus situation. I told them I would love to come back, but my job isn't one you can really take five minutes to be sick and then come back to. They seemed understanding, but I think there will be a larger conversation on Monday. I also want to kick butt on moving into the new house, but just sit mostly. Doing the best I can and hoping in a few weeks to be back to my more normal self.

I think right now we are all doing the best we can even those of us not pregnant. The virus threw everyone for a loop, so all are adjusting. Keep kicking butt just like you are! Your hard work in the past will shine through!

hadassah2020 · May 2020

If given the chance for an extra ultra sound before heartbeat can be heard for mental health reasons (9 weeks tomorrow) would you take it? I had a early ultrasound only 2 weeks ago and struggling with whether to do another one or not. Having odd symptoms I don't remember from my last pregnancies and that's the only thing my midwife could suggest besides telling me she thinks it sounds like everything is ok. Trying not to be "that mom" but mentally I'm barely making it through some days.

laurenspdx · May 2020

@hadassah2020 Definitely, it will give you peace of mind and if your doctor’s offering, I’d take it.

I’m usually the most relaxed, low maintenance patient but I had 5 ultrasounds by 11 weeks 🤦🏼‍♀️. Sure, there were good reasons for most of them, but I did also get one once because I was nervous my symptoms had suddenly gone. My doctors office has been so amazing and basically told me to come in whenever because it’s better than stressing. Sometimes you just have a feeling and it’s hard to shake - no reason to live with anxiety if there’s a better option!

hadassah2020 · May 2020

@laurenspdx thanks. I appreciate it. My normal symptoms are back in full force this morning...which I am oddly grateful for. Now to try to eat something for breakfast

laurenspdx · May 2020

@hadassah2020 That’s great to hear! Yes, I was somehow both miserable and grateful on the days when I’d throw up all day 😂. Glad to hear you’re feeling more “normal.”

mom_of_the_vogels · June 2020

So, I know this is the May board and it is officially June, but I don't know if anyone specific is supposed to start the new one and don't want to step on toes, but I'm stuck in it here....

I realized sometime after kiddo #1 was born (he turned 4 recently) that I have some issues with anxiety. I probably have for most of my life, but it wasn't until after having a child that I really *felt* it. I didn't put my finger on it until I was pregnant with #2 (currently 20 months).

I have never been officially diagnosed, never been on meds, but I have found myself fixated on worst case scenarios and "unsolvable" problems to the point it feels crippling. So far, I have always been able to either identify it myself or have been lucky enough to have a few close friends to talk through stuff and realized I was stuck in an anxiety trap and needed to back myself out and approach whatever the issue was differently at a later time.

Until now. Being pregnant again, I'm noticing an uptick in moments of panicked anxiety and a lack of awareness and/or ability to pull myself out. Things like being in bed awake for hours and obsessing over problems that could reasonably wait for daylight, not realizing until the next morning that I was too far down the rabbit hole. I think some of it has to do with intense stressors (pandemic, lockdown, financial repercussions of those, semi-absurd obligations to extended family) and some of it is just life for me.

All of this to say, as of Saturday I had decided to call my OB and talk to him about potentially considering anxiety meds. Maybe for the duration of pregnancy, possibly just to get through July (past semi-absurd family obligation). Of course as of Monday morning I'm feeling fit as a fiddle and thinking I can wait and see if that was a fluke and I'm still managing well enough. Then, like clockwork, Monday evening I'm up hours after everyone else, typing into a prego forum on a slightly outdated post realizing I probably should have called during normal office hours.

So, all of this is to say
1) I know I should call tomorrow
2) This is foreign to me and I hope I'm not making a mountain out of a molehill
3) It's kind of freaking terrifying to not know how much I can trust my own intuition

hadassah2020 · June 2020

@mom_of_the_vogels I struggle with anxiety to, also should have talked with someone about it years ago but had been able to manage everything on my own up to this point. With the pandemic and teaching online, my kids at home, a miscarriage earlier this year, and being pregnant again I guess I just couldn't keep up with it anymore. I could recognize I was having an anxiety attack but it took hours often to get out of it.

I did talk with my doctor about it at my first appointment (only so much sleep you can lose without the tears coming when they ask if your okay...) and I am on meds. They are safe during pregnancy and at the moment it is a small dose to see how it goes. It's not perfect but it is better.

When I picked the meds up at the pharmacy the pharmacist was very encouraging about it as well and supportive, which I didn't expect. The support for it has been good, it may just be for a time, it may be longer. Time will tell.

dobiemom11 · June 2020

@mom_of_the_vogels. Hand up admitting that I am supposed to start the new thread. I actually thought about it all day yesterday, but was having a trash mental health day myself. I find that I often have an "impossible task" which is something completely easy and doable that I just have a mental block on. I physically am unable to do it and then just beat myself all day up about it. Starting the thread was my impossible task (also responding to text messages). I will never feel like you stepped on my toes- so don't worry about that!

I suffer from anxiety and depression and have probably for most of my life. It took me SO long to talk to someone and get put on medication. I have since worked my way off of medication, but am on high alert with this pregnancy and all the other crap happening right now (as you mentioned virus, isolation, hormones, finances, family drama). I have had that same battle you are experiencing so many times where you are like this isn't serious. But once I got some help, I was frustrated that it took me so long to recognize the problem and work to fix it.

I am so proud of you for recognizing a problem and working to get some help. It was very hard for me to admit that to myself, but so worth it! You are a strong amazing Momma and the world is so crazy right now!!

(Now I need to stop avoiding my therapist and call for an appointment. It has been too easy with telemedicine and just feeling sick to cancel appointments!)

dobiemom11 · June 2020

@hadassah2020. I am glad that the medicine seems to be helping! I was nervous to TTGP when I thought I couldn't be on any meds. We are trying it without meds for a while, but I am fully prepared to go back if we need to. It can take a while to figure out the right one and the dosage, so keep providing feedback to your doctor.

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