I wanted to drop in to Mumsnet as it helped me when I was feeling pretty bad. I suffered from Postnatal Anxiety following the birth of my second child. I think it was triggered by the fact that he was a dreadful sleeper and after 4 months of a few hours sleep per night my body and mind had just about had it. It started gradually, feeling uneasy about walking my eldest son to school, going to the shops etc.. It quickly escalated and I found myself not being able to lead a normal life and enjoy all the things I had once enjoyed. Luckily for me I had worked in mental health for 10 years and had a good idea what was happening to me. Having tried homopathic remedies and cranial oestopathy I resorted to seeing my GP who was very nice but sadly had no understanding of my condition as I wasn't displaying any depressive symptoms and just didn't tick the normal postnatal depression box. She gave me good old anti depressants and not much else.
These didn't seem to take effect so I went to see a private psychiatrist who offered different drugs and CBT (thank god for insurance at £250.00 per hr). This may have helped or it may have been just time and better sleep but I did feel marginally better.
I am writing this mainly because I refused to let this god awful condition stop me from enjoying my kids and my life and I found hypnotherapy which to date has changed my life. Two sessions and my fears of carjourneys, planes etc.. seems to have disappeared. I think you do have to get the right practitioner but for £70.00 per session it has transformed my life. It I had let it thiscondition could have so easily have caused depression and god knows what else.
The medical professionals seem to have little to no knowledge of this and to get referred on the NHS you have to be pretty bad and wait forever.
I really hope this helps somebody prevents them suffering for 6 months before finding help.