Facing Postpartum Anxiety and OCD
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- Опубликовано: 19 апр 2017
- Lindsay was excited to be a new mom, but her feelings of joy and love were instantly overshadowed by postpartum anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Having built a career in radio, Lindsay was a confident, professional problem solver. She quickly realized, though, that the crippling stream of worries going through her mind was something she couldn’t fight on her own.
“I would just try to suppress the thoughts… but I knew I needed professional help. I didn’t know what was happening to me,” she says.
Lindsay finally felt relief when she received prescribed medication and professional therapy. It took time for her to understand that she could receive healing from Jesus Christ, too, even though she believed her health issues were bigger than His love and sacrifice.
“I know now that there’s no problem too big or too small that the Savior can’t fix,” she says.
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Someone who has also felt the broken warning system that is OCD! I have had similar thoughts that refused to let up. It made me wonder if I was a bad person, since I had no desire to hurt myself or others. Took me to realize my brain was giving faulty, repetitive warnings. It took time, medicine, and training (I had to let the thoughts go and not emotionally react to them or dwell on them, which was and is really hard) to ease the disorder that seems pretty much subdued for me at this point in my life.
Compulsion disorders highly vary, but most people seem to only think of people who either 1. Obsessively wash or clean or 2. Have to repeat something over and over. Compulsion disorders include obsessive picking at hair, your brain making a broken warning to not harm yourself or others when you have no inclination or have already taken note of your brain making the warning, and many other varieties of compulsion disorder. People who have these thoughts are actually harmless since the brain is making faulty, and often unceasing, warnings against things we have no desire to do, or making unceasing warnings of making sure to do something or something really bad will happen (OCD: "Make sure to relock that door 5 times to be sure!" "Don't tolerate a speck of dirt, or else!"). (I got that descriptive term "broken warning system" from an informative site I don't remember.)
I'm a Church member with OCD/anxiety, it took a long time to learn to channel that energy into positive things consistently. Without guidance of the Spirit I don't know if I would have overcome it
Thanks for sharing your perspective and experience, Joshua. Take care!
We as mom's need more videos like this that bring to light the private isolating struggles we face. As mother's in the church we know how crucial our roles are, and the depth of the feeling of failure and guilt associated with not filling that role to the fullest is overwhelming. It feels shameful to admit it, and therefore easy to conceal and carry alone. We need to be able to say these things out loud to someone and feel like we can get the help we need. thank you for the video.
I agree. We, as mother's have important roles and we want to live them to the fullest and when we can't guilt and other negative emotions creep in. However be careful how you say it is to admit the feelings we have. It is not shameful to admit it, it only feels shameful. It is actually very brave and there is no shame.
Yellow Ladybug agreed. It is only a feeling of shameful and not actually but because Satan feeds the lie it is still powerful and overwhelming to see it as anything else. I love the word brave though. Way to flip it on its head! You are absolutely correct. this sister is the epitome of bravery and courage. thanks for that!
Miriam McGee When I told my husband what I was feeling and thinking and needed to get help, I felt ashamed and embarrassed, I totally agree that it is Satan who feeds those thoughts, and they are very powerful. But everyone told me how brave I was, and I am trying to believe it is true, I know it logically, but don't feel it yet. So ya, that's why I spoke up. :)
I'm right there with you! Best wishes for you and your journey. Glad you reached out.
Not an expert, but I got a psych degree for my undergrad, and from my understanding, postpartum depression is one of the most severe mental health issues a person can experience. What a wonderful video from the Church to let these mothers know that the Lords works through our family, friends, and medical professionals. No one can do it alone.
I agree! Thank you for your comment
For sure and only who suffered with this is able to explain the terrible feelings of evil and guilty we suffer...
It is a feeling of evil and the fear of losing your agency to not act on the intrusive harm thoughts is crippling.
I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years now and, even though I'm not a mother, I can so relate to this. Thank you so much for sharing your story!!
We aren't alone! It's comforting for me to see in the comments how many people are struggling with the same thing I am.
Thankyou for sharing your story.
How I connected to this! I had my first baby at age 42. Life happens in mysterious ways. My identity was to evolve from a major market career woman to a mom. I was confused about my new role. My life, as I knew it, had changed...and I changed and developed a new depth. I discovered a lot about myself through the eyes of a child. The Light comes.
Susan Diane Howell Only God knows you and everything! Praise God and give him your Worship! "ITS HIS GLORY GODS GLORY! " NOT A SIGN NOT A STACHUE. GOD HAS SOMTHING IN STORE FOR YOU and he has your all written down! Praise God and everything everyone will change not bad but good!
I have OCD and anxiety too, and while I wish I could not have it, it is there. When I would have an intrusive thought about something bad, I used to think that thinking it meant I wanted to do it, and that I was a sinner. I then because anxious and that prevented me from feeling happy, so I thought even more that I had sinned somehow and I can never fix it. Thankfully, every night I prayed and cried for help. And even though I still have anxiety, it is soooo much better, and I know that my recent move to another state, plus getting therapy and medication was all for the best.
Ryan Clay thanks for sharing your story it means a lot. Keep up the good work and continue to trust God
really needed this. no coincidence right there as i just had a baby 3 weeks ago and have been suffering a lot of anxiety and depression and baby blues the lat week.
This is my story too. I have always had OCD but I never understood that's what it was until my son was born and I became terrified I would hurt him. Thank you for sharing this. Every day is a struggle but I'm grateful to know I'm not alone.
Justine Whitney same story here! It happened after my third
Justine Stornetta Justine Stornetta I have OCD too. It is very hard and I am in a very intensive therapy program now. Even though I am not a mother or even married I have fears of doing bad things, and, they have definitely been very debilitating to me.
I just know the Savior knows what you have been going through. Keep holding on. He loves you.
I had a baby five months ago, and just this week met with a therapist to get help with postpartum anxiety and depression. This is just what I needed to want to keep going. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can overcome. Thank you!
Beautiful honesty! Thank you for having the courage to share! I've had severe postpartum anxiety too and could relate to your experiences. Help is available through medication others support therapy etc and over time we can be whole again. One of the biggest moments of peace I had, having suffered severely after all three of my children, came as a impression that god did not want me to hold on any longer to the guilt I felt for the time I essentially lost with all of my babies and children because of my mental struggle, but that he was aware of what I had gone through and instead wanted me to focus on the joyful times I was able to be present with my children as they grew and I entered Into a more emotionally whole state Thank you again for sharing! It's so powerful to know your not alone when this onsets as a young mother.
thank you for your courage, you will help so many through these things!
perfect timing for me. thank you!
We need more videos like this about OCD and other mental health issues from the church. Real member's stories. The harsh realities. Completely vulnerable and relatable.
AMEN!!! More videos like this would be so helpful!!
I'm glad she found help, whether it was human or divine. Happy Mother's Day.
This helped a lot as someone who is having a hard time getting a grip on my ocd and anxiety before my mission this couldn't have been more perfect timing.
Ohhhh.. you phrased the feelings of postpartum depression so perfectly. Before I experienced postpartum depression I was a "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" kind of girl. I really thought women claiming to suffer from mental disorders we're trying to get attention. Oh boy, did I get put in my place by the time my fifth child came along. By the time she was six weeks old, I could hardly put 1 foot in front of the other.I have always believed that you could fast, pray, and temple attend your way out of any problem.I had to do all the things I swore I would never do such as medication, counseling etc. It was not cured overnight, but as she stated in this video, time is a healer. 12 years later life is fantastic. But I now have much more perspective when someone is suffering with depression which has helped me in different callings in the church. I especially try to keep my eyes open our young mothers when they start to get that "drowning" look in their eyes.
Yes, this! And the dark thoughts are terrifying. When I finally after two years realized I needed help.
Thanks for sharing this! I struggle with intrusive thoughts too, and this video was very relatable. The Gospel and getting professional help has really helped me a lot.
I am crying, because i am facing this problem now
Thank you. I've had pretty severe PPD with every pregnancy. It is so hard to deal with! We need more awareness. And it needs to not be such a "shameful" thing. It's NOT shameful, but the thoughts tell us it is, and to a certain degree, so does society. It's a good thing to bring it out into the open and examine it in the light so we can see it for what it is.
I'm crying watching this as I'm going through this too at 10 months postpartum but I'm pregnant again and I'm beside myself. I'm so terrified and I feel exactly how you do. I've had harm thoughts quite a bit. And it hurts feeling this way so bad. I want to bond with my baby and be happy. I am so horrified by things I think and it's just so hard not having very many people understand what were going through.
Thank you so much for sharing these very real feelings and your testimony.
I relate to this so much. I had a traumatic birth plus I had to leave my ex husband a week after she was born to be ok. Blessed medically and by our savior to get everything I needed through him and my family. I've never grown over something so much. Now I'm remarried with my second on the way feeling incredibly blessed.
Thanks for your courage and your example of faith. God bless you.
Thank you for your courage to share. May God continue to bless you!
THANK YOU FOR BEING HONEST! ♥️
I love this so much. THANKYOU for this amazing video!
Wonderful message thanks for sharing! 💝💝
That is SO brave of you to share your story. 💕 Thank you so so much! Much love to you and your sweet baby.
I have been there! My 'babies' are now men! I can not believe the guilt associated with the feelings I once had as I struggled with PPD- it is very real. We can fight it! Reach out to others and feel God's love
This is a medical I've never say anything with a worship of God like these people I've felt so heart wormed I didn't know what to say! Thanks so much for this Worshipping of God like no other this really made me feel happy! And I'm glad to have found such a Worship place In Gods Hands. I wanna give a shout out to those who made this and Thanks again once more! ☺😊 my mom showed me this and I'm not even the proper age yet but I will always and still Worship God and only God!
Wow. I needed to hear this!
I needed this
Even people who are special needs have challenges in life. I have a disability and I am on the Autism spectrum disorder. I had this since I was a kid. I was different I struggled alot growing up. I had problems with learning and had difficulty with sitting still in school. I struggled myself with life. God has helped me alot in many ways. I have good parents who loved me and supported me.
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Thank you for sharing your story I have struggled the last three years with Anxiety, PTSD and depression in which I have learned so much on how to heal from a brain operation I had for Epilepsy. It means the world to me to know that there are others who I can relate to and or help
Thank you. I still feel guilty for all those horrible thoughts I had, that didn't sound like me at all. God sent me an angel, my mother in law, bless her heart. She loves my children so much and she was able to help so much. I should have gone see a professional to help me. I didn't. I wish I did.
I have ocd and harm thoughts of me doing something bad to my loved ones and it’s horrible and I’m so scared for the future when I am a mother and have thoughts of my kid but then I can say oh it’s just ocd 😭😢😂
Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey with us ♥️
We need an OCD video period.
That was such a blessing, that your mom could come there. This was so encouraging. Jesus is my hope, ❤️❤️🥹 God bless
This was an advert on a video and I took 5 minutes of my life to use to understand how it feels I don't usually take my time watching long ads but this one was worth it I understand how you feel.
Thank you for your vulnerability & honest share! What meds did you go on for O.C.D.?
Beautiful story
Thanks for watching!
Identity. Choice to choose. Choosing a greater better choice bc you know the difference between things.
So important for moms to be open so we can help each other. My baby went on a hunger strike at two months old and it flipped a switch in me I couldn't turn off. My anxiety was physically incapacitating and I couldn't eat for several weeks. An ARNP specializing in postpartum mood disorders counseled me and prescribed Zoloft. Took a few weeks to kick in, but finally my appetite returned and I felt like the old me and could concentrate on loving my baby. I tapered off the meds after a year and here I am, no meds, feeling like the normal me. I nursed through the whole thing (Zoloft is safe for nursing moms). Please ask for help if you need it; it can be fixed and life will return to normal.
I love these new HisGrace videos. They are absolutely touching and brings the Spirit everytime I watch one.
I'm hoping one day the church will put out a video talking to women and couples about infertility and how we can still be a part of the church family. As someone who is investigating the church that's a big fear I have. We've tried to have children, without success, and have lost four embryo babies in 2016. Now we're praying about whether the LDS church is right for us... it comes with some fear and anxiety as the Mormon church is so family oriented, we wonder where we fit in...
Love, Rosie - You fit. There are SO many LDS couples who are dealing with infertility. Just like there are so many non-LDS couples dealing with infertility. Don't give that another thought. It's Satan's way of making you feel somehow "not enough". But it's a lie. Members of the LDS church are just people. We deal with all the same issues as people not of our faith. I wish you well in your journey to deciding if the LDS church is right for you at this point in your journey, and I wish you luck on having the baby you long for.
HI ! There actually are a tons of videos and podcasts the church has put out about infertility.
I found these on mormonchannel.org
www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/trusting-in-the-lord-2
hope it helps!
Love, Rosie you most definitely fit in! I personally struggled with infertility for 8 years. Yes, they were extremely difficult. Now as a mother of three, I struggle with postpartum depression. Many have struggled with infertility within our church, and they are all still valued needed individuals. I will say, Mother's day Sunday was more often than not a terrible day for me at church, but on the flip side of that coin I was exposed to so many sisters who needed help with their babies or children and because of our situation we were always first on the list to call. I loved that. Please never feel like you won't be needed or have a place within the church. If I learned anything with my experiences is that we all have a plan including our children not born to us yet, and one of the greatest ways of exercising faith in God is to accept his timing within that plan. You are important to Him. He knows your heartache. Draw closer to Him and He will make your burden light. You can navigate through this journey of infertility with peace that no matter what happens (or doesn't) He knows and loves you.
Moreover, I cannot describe the gift if having a network of people that were there to support, recommend, cry with, encourage, and celebrate with me throughout our time with infertility. There are some amazing stories I could tell you of how members of our ward were placed in our path at specific times to help us. There are so many great people ready and searching for people whom they can serve within our church. Come! I wish you happiness through this journey. I know our Savior Jesus Christ knows your heart and loves you. Never be afraid to grow closer to Him in every way.
Rosie, come join us! I can't promise you that there won't be times when you feel as if you don't fit in, the members of the church are not perfect, but the gospel is! It is the only way to lead us back to our Father in Heaven, and will bring you true joy!!
I am an avid #MentalHealthAwareness advocate and performer, and I love this so much. I travel the country trying to bring that awareness on stages, in classrooms, hospitals, and on my RUclips channel, so I get excited when I see other advocates. 💙❤
We don’t use the acronym OCD anymore.
It’s OCP, for Obsessive Compulsive Personality, not Disorder.
Same for other acronyms, including ADP, ADHP, and so on.
this has been me the last year. stupid anxiety and crazy thoughts that are NOT me. I adore my baby. but the process of pregnancy, childbirth and recovery have kicked my butt. I don't blame the baby luckily. RX meds are scary and they don't teach enough people about them. "a mind of your own" by Kelly brogan is great and helps you heal with diet and supplements. high omega 3 is what our brain and body need post partum so I got a strong dose and took it up to 6 times day in a few days I felt 90% better.
Did you take any medecine
Hi I love lds
Sorry I'm not English native and I don't understand what is OCB and the meaning, who can help me, I'm gonna be really grateful, by brethren
OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is a very complex mental health issue, it falls in the realm of anxiety disorders. Obsessions can take many forms, but here is one example: someone has the intrusive thought that their house will get broken into. This intrusive thought triggers intense, and sometimes extreme anxiety to the point where they engage in repeated compulsions. Compulsions can also take many forms and don’t always have to be outward actions (such as, double checking light switches, door locks, etc.). Engaging in these actions, whether mental or physical will soothe the anxiety for a short period of time. The cycle will continue, however. OCD looks different in everyone, and can be about more than just one particular theme. It can be quite a debilitating disorder.
To those of us who suffer from scary thoughts. Ever notice how we never follow through with our scary thoughts? Afraid people can read your mind? Maybe they can, for real - and so just for fun I like to blurt out to them "thanks for not stabbing me you totally could have but you chose not to, thank you."
Dear people with ocd/worries/anxiety,
The fact that you worry about these thoughts shows you are a caring person. Anxiety puts them there because you worry about people too much. You should seek professional help but also let the thoughts pass... just think, 'it's a thought not an action' and move on. Your brain knows the type of things that worry you and for some reason we tend to enjoy making ourselves worry. You can wash it all away with a prayer but the thoughts will still pop up, but it is a comfort to go back to, to remember God/Jesus has it and is protecting you and knows your heart, intent matters most in this life I'd say. Mental illness is just... awful, but you can live with it. Find hobbies, painting, writing... blogging. Occupying your mind is vital for ocd.
Strangely enough I searched Jesus videos because I watched a spooky thing that made me anxious, I suffer greatly with anxiety, and while watching this recommendation popped up. Weird, huh?
Thank you for this!