How do I tell a health professional my mental health problems without getting my child took off me?

[SUNshineBlueSkye]

I've heard horror stories of doctors contacting child services and having kids taken off their parents cos of mental health and I'm terrified. But at the same time I'm really struggling and I need help. I can't stop the intrusive thoughts and I am in constant physical pain due to other health issues. I love my child and motherhood isn't the issue I love being a mother. I just can't deal with my thoughts and emotions. I'm going to doctors tomorrow, how do I tell him I need help without giving too much away that it brings up a red flag if you know what I mean? Any advice I'd appreciate please 🙏 I can't phone helplines before anyone suggests that and I am already on anti-anxiety meds but don't want to increase the dosage or be on them for the rest of my life. I do have family support and my boyfriend but they don't know how I'm feeling as we don't discuss things like that in my family. They just help with general day to day things and childcare. But we don't talk about feelings or anything negative as things like that get brushed under the carpet. Sorry for the long post I appreciate any advice, thank you.

Unless you're a danger to your children or neglecting them in some way, there will be no concerns regarding your capacity to parent. The issues come when people's mental health affects their children and they don't have a support system to help them.

Please be honest with the GP. You may have to up your dosage and you need to be okay with that as it's in the best interests of your children if you're finding it difficult to cope now.

What are the nature of the intrusive thoughts? The GP can put you on a waiting list for counselling but you need to do some self help here too because the counselling offered by the NHS is never enough sessions alone to sustain you through. With the nature of not talking about your struggles, you probably have a lot of deep work to process which won't be manageable with the light tough agencies and forms of therapy so you'll have to do a lot of the heavy lifting yourself with support.

The only time someone has raised concerns around my parenting due to mental health was when I thought my daughter was evil due to post partum psychosis. They asked my partner to work from home for a few days whilst they assessed me. They were happy that those thoughts were fleeting and that I was still able to look after her and wouldn't act on my intrusive thoughts/psychosis.

Please do reach out for help and be as honest as you can x