Publication
Talking about postnatal depression (reprinted 2010)
| Contents: | Introduction What is post-natal depression Understanding post-natal depression What can I do? Getting help from others Friends and relatives The future Suggestions for reading |
What can I do?
Post-natal depression is exhausting and frightening. It can feel like you're trapped and have no way out, overwhelmed by demands you can't cope with?from your baby, your partner, your other children, your job and your friends. But there are steps you can take to break free. More will be said below about getting help from other people, but there are things you can do to help yourself recover. What helps may be different for each of us, but here are some of the things other women found useful.
Begin to take care of yourself. Have a treat, or indulge yourself by doing something you really enjoy. Meet a friend for lunch, have a leisurely soak in a bubble bath, buy yourself a bunch of flowers.
Get a break from the baby and the other children. This can be hard to arrange, but worth it, even for a short breathing space.
As far as possible, get enough rest. When the baby's asleep, ignore the housework and put your feet up for a while. If getting to sleep is difficult, try to develop a bed-time routine to unwind?have a bath or read for a while.
Exercise can help to relax. It need not be anything strenuous. Going for a walk gets you out and gives you a break from the baby's demands.
Try to eat regular meals, as lack of food or too many snacks of junk food may only make you feel worse. If you have no appetite, try to view food as medicine. Gradually your appetite will return.
Find ways of expressing your feelings. If you don't feel able to talk to your partner or a close friend, use other outlets, Write down what you feel. Let yourself cry. Close the bathroom door and scream if you want to.
If you feel anxious or tense all the time, you may want to find out about relaxation techniques from your doctor or health visitor. Your local library may be able to supply some books on this.
Don't keep pushing yourself to live up to other people's expectations. Be good to yourself. Pay attention to the good feelings and the good times, rare as they may seem just now. They will become more frequent.
Recovery won't be easy and it won't necessarily happen quickly.
It came to the point where I had to force myself to going out. That was a real turning point for me. Until then I'd used my house as a refuge where I could hide away.
It is important you find ways of getting through this difficult period. While you can do a lot yourself, help from other people can also be very valuable.