What will happen if I tell my GP I considered hurting myself?

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I'm struggling with PND and PTSD. I'm taking a low dose anti depressant as I'm breastfeeding and I'm also having CBT. Last week I considered hurting myself, seriously considered it, I couldn't think of anything except hurting myself and I had to drag myself out of it. I know that I need to go to my GP and get my anti depressants increased but I can do that without telling him what happened. What's the benefit of telling him what happened? What might happen if I do?

Nothing. I've told mine many times i have hurt myself. They just ask if you clean yourself up after (if cutting). Might refer you to counselling but will take a very long time.

If your meds need discussing they will.

But I find they are used to it. It will be on your medical record but I didnt find them knowing it made a huge difference to what was going on besides.

Nothing bad, they'll probably just increase your medication, and they might want to see you more frequently. It's important to let your GP know what is going on.

not much

im sorry youre struggling OP xx

So is there any benefit to telling them? My biggest concern is that they may deem me to be an unfit mother, but my children are not at risk. This happened when my husband was here and my children were both safe. As much as I struggle to cope mentally I am looking after both my children.

I was in a v similar situation to you, maybe, PND and intrusive thoughts of self harm (and harming my baby too). I told and am so glad I did. In my case they got the community mental health team involved, just checking in every day or two to see how I was doing. It was difficult at the time, I did feel judged but looking back I definitely wasn't, and it was actually a relief to feel that someone was keeping an eye on me and wouldn't let things go too far. I also realised that in the grand scheme of things I was probably one of their easier cases!

On the whole I think asking for help is looked upon positively, and I think these kinds of feelings are, unfortunately, a lot more common than most people think. I'd be very surprised if it went any further than a review of your medicines and maybe a bit of extra help for a few weeks.

Hugs, it's a horrible experience/feeling but it will pass, and you're doing all the right things.

Do you trust your GP? If not, is there someone else you could tell? For example, your health visitor or someone else. In general, it takes an awful lot for a mother and child to be separated. It is not being "deemed" anything that will happen. You may get more support, increased ADs if you would like them, or something like that. If you had thoughts of harming your child, that is a more serious problem, but in your situation the notion that you will be deemed an unfit mother - well, your GP is unlikely to judge you. These intrusive thoughts can be very, very frightening and they can pass as well. I find talking about them helps, even if they seem surreal and frightening. It helps me to distinguish between my thoughts and my actions. So you said you have thought about harming yourself, but you have not done so. In that sort of situation, learning to talk about it was quite a powerful thing for me.

Did you tell your DH? Would he come with you to the GP? I am not in your situation, but my DH knows when I having thoughts like those you describe because I tell him or because he asks.

My old doctor told me that people who self harm are less of a danger to their dcs as they 'self' harm rather than harm others. I worried that if my cbt therapist and doctor found out they'd take my dcs away. My therapist told me that it's part of the illness to think that.

I think it's time to get your mental health sorted. There is a lot of support out there, you just need to be honest with a doctor or therapist that you trust or know. Try not to be frightened of your strong urges to self harm or intense emotions. Think of something you find relaxing to build into your day. I have a pinboard with sea pictures and woods (?!) on it which I look at when I feel frayed.

I do trust my GP. He's been great over the years, he's like a proper family doctor. I told my DH at the time. We were in the middle of an argument which was kind of a catalyst for those thoughts - not that I'm blaming him, it was just a tip of the ice berg sort of thing. But I sent him a text to tell him what I was thinking (apparently I'm not allowed to say specifics on here which is why my last post was deleted). He came upstairs and gave me a cuddle, took away anything that was a danger and he looked after me. I could ask him to come with me and I know he would. I'm just a bit unsure about whether I should tell my GP. I feel really embarrassed about it and I don't want it "on my record" as it were. I could increase my antidepressants just by telling him I'm struggling. I'm on a low dose - lower than I was on before - so I don't think he'd have a problem with it. I'm just not sure there's a benefit to saying another further.

Be honest. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You may find an increase in meds is enough. It is important to tell the doctor the truth. You won't be the first person to talk to the doctor about self harm. It's very common as a way to deal with mental distress. The doctor will be able to give you help with managing the urge to self harm.