Possible PND - worried about seeking help

[worriednewmum]

Hi - namechanged for this. For a couple of weeks I've been concerned that I have postnatal depression. My symptoms are low mood, feeling exhausted and bursting into tears for no reason. I'm worried about seeking help - is it likely that if I go to my GP they will make a social services referral? I don't have any feelings of self harm or any intrusive thoughts at all. Just so worried that if I seek help it will lead to a referral.

Absolutely not, you will be offered anti depressants most likely and if you are lucky talking therapy.
Social services will most definitely not br involved unless you are suicidal or have thoughts of harming your children.

PS I had PND and took the antidepressants and they were just amazing. Felt back to normal after 3 weeks

Thanks so much for the reply. Glad you felt better so quickly, am definitely going to book in with the GP next week.

How far gone are you @worriednewmum ? X

Sorry I meant how old is your LO? X

3 months old...

worriedmum, those are all symptoms of tiredness/broken sleep as well. You might have PND, and no harm speaking to your GP to see, but you also just might be knackered.

Don't worry about a referral. To put it bluntly, PND diagnoses are ten a penny and even intrusive thoughts about harming the baby are very very common. It would take a looooooooot more than that before social services had the slightest interest - they're a bit busy with much bigger problems!