Pregnancy impacting my mental health?

[dogmumma90]

Hello!

I'm just looking for some perspective really, and to see if anyone else has experienced similar.

I'm 18 weeks pregnant today with my first baby, and I've just got home from a dinner out with friends.

I'm a homebody but have always really enjoyed spending time with my lovely group of friends and usually get home feeling really fulfilled and happy. But tonight is different. I phoned my husband in tears on the way home because I've been replaying everything from the evening, even though it was a lovely dinner and company I'm feeling a lot of self doubt, almost like it feels that people aren't enjoying my company, even though there's no actual evidence of this and it's all in my head. I'm just feeling really low about myself. I've previously had depression (many years ago now) and I'm a bit worried it's a sign of something creeping back.

Could this somehow be down to hormones? Will it pass?!

Thank you for taking the time to read my nonsense ❤️

Sorry that you're not feeling great.

I can empathise. I'm pregnant with my third and every time I feel my personality shifting and especially during the first trimester I can have days where I feel severely depressed. I have also struggled with my MH.

The hormones are almost certainly to blame, and I think some of us are just more sensitive. I'v never had any nausea or fatigue even, my pregnancy symptoms have always been very much in the head space!

My midwife wasn't very helpful with this but yours might be. It passed for me - although breastfeeding was also a trigger for depressive thoughts weirdly.

I find that trying to make time for myself doing something I enjoyed pre pregnancy can really help like going on a run or walk, or even just watching some tv (which is a rare treat these days!)

But I won't lie in saying some days nothing helps. Keep talking to your husband about how your feeling, that's really important.

Hope you feel better soon.

I can relate, overthinking is really taking over and has been for some time (20+1) I spoke to the dr and they referred me to talking therapies, I had an initial consultation 10 days later and am on the priority list for cbt, (pregnancy equals priority I believe) I know it isn’t for everyone but even tho I haven’t had any sessions yet I feel better for just taking a bit of control.

might be worth a try, but as pp said hormones don’t help and it will hopefully pass. Hope your ok

Can you ask your midwife to refer you to a mental health midwife? I'm 37 weeks and my mental health has been super bad this whole pregnancy but the mental health midwife definitely helped and she can refer you on to the perinatal mental health team or talking therapies if she feels it's needed also x

Yes, pregnancy can cause both depression and/or psychosis during the pregnancy as well as up to a year post partum.

As you have had depression, you are more at risk of any pregnancy caused depression or psychosis happening during the pregnancy instead of waiting until post partum.

Depression can include psychotic symptoms- such as delusions that no one likes you, your partner is cheating, you are not pregnant, and so on.

I would ask your midwife for a referral to prenatal mental health. As someone with a history of depression you are quite vulnerable and should be getting support.

Yes your hormones are all over the place but it would be a good idea to talk to your GP maybe given you have suffered from depression before please don't leave it as you know yourself it might get worse and you need to look after yourself x