Constant anxiety

[yellowmelon]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant - after desperately waiting for some time to ttc. I was on anti depressants for about three years prior to getting pregnant and came off slowly under gp supervision before ttc (the kind I was on isn't safe for pregnancy and I no longer felt I needed them). So far my pregnancy has been beset with worries. To begin, I had sleepless nights about my difficult relationship with my parents. I have a step-dad who was a bully when I was growing up. I ended up worrying throughout my first trimester about the possible influence my step-dad would have on my baby/the fact I will inevitably see him more as mum will want to be involved and she doesn't visit without him. Those worries subsided a month or so ago. Recently I have found that my two dogs have been barking for the first twenty minutes when we leave the house. I was already concerned about how they would adjust to a baby, but now I just can't sleep with worry. We have an appointment with a dog trainer next week. I know I need to stop worrying - it's really affecting my sleep and daily life - but I just can't control my mind.

The anti depressants I was on helped with anxiety

Have you tried reading books on the subject. I found how to stop worrying and start living by dale Carnegie helpful.

Could you speak with your gp about some help with anxiety?

@yellowmelon- Can totally relate my lovely! I have set up an anxiety support thread if you would like to join?
I thought I’d get to a certain point in the pregnancy and relax about things but nope!
I can’t really say I’ve found much that helps, it’s first time for me and I’m a worrier anyway so knew pregnancy would be hard. I’m nearly 28 weeks so just going to get through like I have been doing.
Hormones can mess you up aswell... I know mine have had an impact.
Have you told your midwife how you’ve been feeling!? I did flag my anxiety up early on in the pregnancy. You’re not alone my lovely and please don’t be hard on yourself for how you’re feeling. Pregnancy is hard, we are warriors 💜😘 xx

Thanks @kate3150. I did mention anxiety at my booking in, but it's all really been the past couple of weeks that I've seen the pattern of 'catastrophising' that I'm falling into. I've had cbt in the past and didn't really find it helpful. When I've googled anxiety in pregnancy is all seems to be related to anxiety about pregnancy itself, whereas I seem to be just getting extremely anxious about tangential things and 'what ifs'... I'm even getting on my own nerves, so I feel for my dh!

Complex ptsd ?

@yellowmelon- this is the thread if you want to join www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/3611423-Pregnancy-anxiety-support-thread
One thing I will say is I have kind of accepted the anxiety which has left me feeling quite peaceful with it. I don’t fight anymore as it used to stress me out... also remember that anxiety is a lot of thoughts and thoughts cannot hurt you. They may be unpleasant and unwanted but the thoughts won’t harm you.
Another thing I used to do was worry about what “could” happen. If something is going to happen it will happen anyway so stressing about it serves no purpose. And more often than not what we worry about never happens so again it’s a waste of energy. Sorry for the long spiel, just want to help as know what you’re going through 💜