Think I might be a bit depressed, are drugs my only option?

[neepsntatties]

I had my DD in Jan and at the moment I don't feel that great. Some days are ok and other days I just feel like I am in a fog of gloom. I feel like I am meeting DD's needs but am being a shit parent to Ds who is three. I love him but also count down the hours each day until he is in bed and then feel guilty for not giving him what he needs.

I just feel like everything is mundane and I am rubbish at everything. I love my family but I don't feel happy with where I am in my life. I just applied for a course and didn't get in which is making everything feel worse. I feel useless and a failure. I will be back at work in August but I find the job frustrating as I don't get the freedom to do what I want to do with the work as I had hoped I would when I first started there.

I don't want to feel this way but am not keen on taking anti depressants. Is there anything else I can do? I am trying to get enough sleep and make sure I exercise as that helps me a lot but don't know what else I can do.

OP I am sorry to hear you feel this way, may I suggest CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) or some other talking therapy. Have you spoken to your HV or GP? That would be a good place to start.

Sometimes antidepressents allow you to have the strength to tackle talking therapies and then once you have worked through your issues you feel you can come off them

You sound like you are doing fine, we ALL count the hours until bedtime and getting out and about is grand too.

If you were in the depths of a serious depression (and I am not belittling your feelings here) you would not be able to go out or even consider keeping things normal for your DCs.

However, yes, you are feeling low and I would advise you to seek help to talk through your feelings.

I hope you feel better soon.

Neepsntatties; I have been there. You are NOT rubbish, but you are struggling and should ask for help, dont leave it like i did for a year. I thought I just wasnt made for having children (bit late!), but when I asked friends with babies if they too dreaded getting up in the mornings and spending time with their babies they gently encouraged me to see my GP... I did and I am now feeling SOOOO much better, yes i take tablets, but they work, and I enjoy my time with my DS now, so thats fine by me. There are other options too, with counselling and support available, you only need to ask/ make contact with your GP/ HV and they can start the ball rolling. I still feel relieved when DS goes to bed in the evenings, but I reckon thats normal. before i used to count the minutes... not so normal. Please get support, it doesn't have to be like this, but when you are in it, you cant always see clearly

Thanks, HV has been keeping an eye on me as I scored quite high on that test but I put it down to general stress as we are under a lot of that right now. Now I just feel very low too. Dh will be away for a month and I don't know how I will cope alone.

I would be happy to do some talking therapy although I am guessing the waiting lists are high. I will ask around though.