mental illness and pregnancy?

Question

Hi, i'm 21 years old with manic depressive episodes, bi-polar disorder and major generalize anxiety disorder/social anxiety. I am so scared how this is going to affect me during my pregnancy. Do you think it's going to get worse? Should I consider not becoming a mother at all? I'm only a month pregnant and I still have time to think about this decision(yes i know this is controversial, but I need REAL advice) I am so scared I'm going to be a bad mother/have suicidal thoughts throughout my pregnancy. Has anyone else with mental illness gone through this? And what was your decision?

Answer

I suffer from chronic depression & anxiety. Since I've been pregnant my mood has been a lot more stable & I've had less panic attacks without the intervention of medication.

Answer

I have severe anxiety, depression & im a hypochondriac. I'm 17 weeks pregnant right now with my first and I can tell you from my personal experience I do have major fears of something going completely wrong. I think the absolute worst at times & I have to literally shut those thoughts out. I was ttc for a year knowing about my mental illness, but I was also taking my medication & now I'm not because I choose not to. Which does make things a lot more challenging. As much as I freak out, it's weird because my body and mind only lets me get to a certain place and it stops. My mind instantly kicks into to mommy mode & thinks about my son. I care more about his well being then my own & I think that's what pulls me through. You shouldn't let your mental illness keep you from experiencing the wonders of becoming a mother. I made that choice long ago that I wasn't gonna let my fears or my thoughts come between what I wanna do in life. Even though pregnancy is scary as hell, I feel like I've gained a lot of mental strength just knowing everyday I'm doing this. One step at a time, I'm overcoming my own thoughts. It's very rewarding & I also remind myself that pregnancy is scary for any woman, not just me. It's definitely hard & it takes a lot out of you mentally & physically. But just remember if women wasn't meant to handle it, men would have been the ones to do it. This is what our bodies naturally do.

Answer

I have anxiety manic depression bi polar borderline personality disorder adhd and PTSD I have an 18 month old. it was rough a bit during pregnancy I had panic attacks more and towards the end I had issues with feeling stuck once I got so big I was constantly in pain and my belly was itchy.. when I feel like I'm stuck I panic and go into freak out mode. it was hard but after labor just looking at your baby makes it worth it. also I had post partum bad. but it's almost inevitable with people who already have similar disorders

Answer

I have OCD, GAD, and depression.  Since becoming pregnant (8w) and getting off of my meds I haven't noticed much of anything different.  Fortunately the hormones are  balancing me out.  I'm working closely with my psychiatrist to make sure that I'm always in the right state of mind.  He said that if I get really bad then we will weigh the pros and cons and if it's more beneficial for me to be back on a low dose of meds then we will.  My recommendation is to talk to your psychiatrist about your concerns and if you don't have one, I highly suggest getting one.  They will know what to do.  My psychiatrist actually treats a lot of pregnant women so it's fairly common for women with mental illnesses to get pregnant and on top of that have healthy pregnancies.  Stay positive and it'll all be okay!  I know I worry about my sanity as well but I know that I'll be taken care of if such an issue comes up.  Please talk to your psychiatrist and they will definitely make you feel a lot better or at least assist you in deciding if you're well enough to carry a baby right now.  Which is okay, just make sure you talk to a mental health professional to get evaluated before you make any big decisions.  Wishing you luck in whatever path you take!

Answer

I have depression and anxiety & with being pregnant.... there has only been one tome that I thought I was going to have an attack (im 14weeks now) and that was only because I was having pregnancy hot flashes. But my anxiety was cut down 80%. Hardly have any anxiety now and I was on medication for it. I just had the normal 1st trimester worry. It's been smooths sailing when it comes to anxiety for me. You're gonna be more worried about your pregnancy symptoms than anything else 🙄😂

Answer

I suffer from all of the same things. since my son was born (he is 6months old) I have tried to od on pain killers, drunk so much I've blacked out and tried to cut myself again. all in all I realize how stupid and selfish that is. don't get me wrong I know these things take time but I don't have time. my fiance has stuck by me threw everything and with him and my son I've been so much better these last few weeks. it's been a month and a half since my last breakdown. things are hard life is hard. I believe in you and I don't even know you. you already care enough to ask for help now which means you'll be a great mother many may disagree but the truth is your trying and that's all we can do is try.

mental illness and pregnancy?

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey