Reassurance seeking behaviour..

[dollface22]

Does anyone else do this ? I have health anxiety and ocd currently pregnant and wanting to book reassurance scans left right and centre whilst I wait for nhs one. Googling all the time asking family friends etc for reassurance not just in pregnancy in general too. What do you do to help you stop ? Thanks 🙏🏻

Reassurance seeking is a safety behaviour - in other words something done to feel immediately better but unfortunately keeps anxiety going (as you’ve discovered). The best way of tackling the ways of thinking and the behaviours that aren’t helping you (and learning new more helpful ways) is CBT. It might be worth talking to your GP practice to see if they can signpost you as you’re pregnant. It’s not unusual for OCD and other anxiety problems to step up a bit in pregnancy so it would be helpful to get timely support.

If you can go privately then babcp.com/CBTRegister/Search#/ has properly BABCP accredited CBT therapists listed. There is a series of useful CBT based books called “Overcoming” , there’s one on Heath Anxiety. There is a very good book for OCDcalled Break Free from OCD (by Dr Fiona Challacombe and Professor Paul Salkovskis et al). Really though, you’d be best off having an assessment so a CBT therapist can understand the exact manifestation of your anxiety and help you in the most appropriate way.

Oh and @dollface22 yes lots of people do what you’re doing. You’re not alone!

Keep reminding your self that the scans are not going to resolve your anxiety. They will for a matter of seconds.
Try your best to shift your focus whilst the time passes. Set yourself small goals or things to look forward to to try and drift your thoughts!
Booking a scan is not going to make you feel any better ♥️

Speak to your midwife, be honest.

I joined the mumsnet group for my birth month. It was great to hear that others were going through the same things or to get a heads up from the mums a few weeks ahead.
Other mums are great. There are no boundaries - we talked bowels, nipples, pains, everything. Get a support group and avoid Google if it adds to your anxieties.

You'll be a great mum, you're looking after baby. Make sure you look after you, baby is OK!