I think I may have PND - any tips for coping?

[Notcopingverywell]

My DS is 7 mths. I have just redone the Edinburgh Scale and scored 20. I think I may have PND.

I am not coping well with being a SAHM although that is what I want to do.
All my new baby friends have gone back to work.
All my pre baby friends are childless and I don't see them anymore.
I feel like my "career" was pointless and I am a loser for not having some fab job to go back to.

I have spent the last 7 mths getting to grips with looking after DS and I don't know who I am anymore.
I feel like I am sinking lower and wanting to do less. I do not want to talk to my GP or HV.

Does anyone have any tips for turning this around?

NCVW - I know how you feel. Get lots of leaflets to start with and read allllllll about PND.

If your DH doesn't know (or realise how bad you're feeling) then tell him and give him the leaflets to read too! The more he understands the better he can support you.

You're NOT a loser!
You're NOT even that unusual in how you feel!

You are ill and may need a bit of time, support and maybe AD's to help get better. But the 1st step is what you've just done.... you've posted on MN recognising that something is very wrong at the mo.

That was my 1st step to recovery. I only wish I hadn't waited until ds was 18mths old before finally getting the help I needed and deserved.

Also, when I finally went to the GP she recommended homeopathic treatments just as an extra coping mechanism. Try Sepia. You can buy it in Boots or any health food place.

I waited until my dd was 3.5 before I went for help - I wish I'd gone before.

PND doesn't go away on its own, and I found there was very little I could do on my own to help it. People recommend things like exercise, which can be helpful for a short boost, but in the end PND is an illness, and it needs treatment. Otherwise it can grow and grow, and you can end up feeling far worse than you do now.

If you had a headache, you would take a pain killer. If you had a broken leg, you would have it treated. Depression is no different - it is an illness, and needs treating. There are a number of treatments that you can chose from; if ads don't feel right for you then you can ask to see a counsellor or a mental health specialist (nurse or psychiatrist). You do, though, have to see your GP (or another GP at the practice) first. They won't judge you, they won't laugh at you, they will treat you with the respect that you are worthy of.

If you want to try alternative therapies, you could see a homoeopath - or maybe even, as M2T suggests, ask your doctor about such treatments. It's best not to buy over the counter though, get them recommended by a professional.

Above all, be kind to yourself. Let yourself rest when you can, take time out for yourself when you can.

Make a routine that involves getting out of the house every day.
Take the ADs regularly.
Get 20 mins of exercise every day.
Hold on tight as things will get better but it does take months.