Does anyone else have a mental health problem?

[JennH]

I just wondered, sometimes I think I am going potty

I don't have PND, although problems I had when i was a teenager have recently resurfaced after the birth of my dd.

I am a self harmer, and I get very down sometimes and cry lots and lots, ocassional bouts of feeling suicidal. I have a CPN and a very very supporting DH.

You poor thing. Ive struggled with depresssion and anxiety for as long as i can remember. Agitated Depression i think is what they called it. I can very easily be in the gutter one hour and completely over the top the next. I have got quite a bit better in the last three years or so but i do reckon if you're prone to these things that childbirth can easily set it off again. Have you always felt like this or does it come and go?

I've had depression.

Yes, lots of problems for a long long time. Actually I've been having a hard time espceially in the last 2-3 months. Sometimes in the mornings (I wake ridiculously early with anxiety) I think and think and I don't know how I'm going to cope.

How old is your dd now?

two lots of PND, fully expecting a third (realistic or pessimistic - I dunno). Depression in my previous child free life, have seen a CPN too but basically I had to tell her I didn't have time to deal with everything and that I'd address my issues at some point when I had more time and the children weren't so small/demamding. I'd love to go to counselling and talk some stuff through but I just can't fit it in at the moment - however once no3 appears I guess I'll have to deal with it as the anti-depressants I was taking before I got pregnant were no longer working. Glad you've got a supportive dh JennH, it makes a huge difference. My problems nearly drove us to split up last year, although I think getting through it has made us stronger (touching wood). You're not alone (((hugs)))

are you feeling any better today jennh?

I think mental health problems are far more common than people admit too! My mum has manic depression and a bit of schizophrenia. But it comes and goes.

I think a lot of people after childbirth go doolaly for a while, you have to try to be positive and turn things around. It's funny what hormones do!

I've had PND (still have to a certain extent). And I am fully expecting it to reoccur after this baby is born too.

JennH - I have been constantly surprised by how common this is after childbirth. I now talk quite openly about the fact I've had PND basically as I am trying to look at it as something to be proud of that I survived it. The amount of people that have said "WOW, I think I might have had that after blah blah blah was born"... is unbelievable.

Lots of varying degrees, and many who I don't think suffered with serious PND, but definitely didn't feel totally 'stable' in the few months after their baby was born.

It has reassured me I'm normal, but also saddened me that so many people bottle it up until someone else starts to talk about it.

If you're potty then I think all Mums are. There was a PND thread going a while back where we referred to ourselves as the "Crazy Ladies".

I didn't mean this to be a whinge I was just feeling a bit alone. Everyone I speak to says oh yes I had PND but I don't so I feel a bit useless, because this has been with me for 10yrs and I don't know how to put it. Everyone seems so sympathetic to PND when I tell people i have had lots of problems pre baby they think I am mad Lots of childhood issues and problems caused it.

My daughter is 4mths (i can't believe it!) and I adore her to bits, I think she just raised fears in me.

I am having a good day today, I had a good chat with my CPN because i got myself all worked up about silly things.

I dont think you are whinging at all jennh, i think you're a lot braver than me for starting this thread. Sometimes i feel like tearing my hair out when my depression comes back and i think "when will this ever end, i thought i was ok and now im not" Its hard to ask for help sometimes. My problem is that i dont let on how bad i feel because once when i did, a friend turned around and said "pull yourself together and stop being so stupid, depression doesnt exist!" i guess its hard for people to understand when they havent suffered with it thats its not just like having a bad day. it can be caused by a lot of things apparently, childhood issues, genetics, hormonal imbalances and other physical problems. Do you know how to go about contacting someone on here? if you're ever feeling down you can always talk to me and im sure there must be lots of others on here who will give you support. its horrible to feel alone and no-one should have to.

my dp has suffered with depresion has done for years and i have found the illness dont need sympathy it needs help and while alot of people are willing to smpathise not many are willing to help sometimes if my dp goes realy bad down hill cause it can happen anytime even in the middle of town we see people give him sympathetic looks but rush past quickly as if its contagios im glad you started this thread because people need to realise you dont have to have kids to have depresion it a chemical imbalance that can happen to anyone and where people give sympathy to people with pnd there useual response to other sorts of depresion is snap out of it i know i wish it was that easy you one very brave girl jennh just for admiting you got a problem and if you ever want to talk rant or cry email me anytime i will try and reply the same day your not aloone in this i promise