OCD and pregnancy

[Tiny Sue]

Hi gals

I don't know if I have told anyone on here this time around, but I suffer from a very mild form of obsessive compulsive disorder.

It takes the form of repetitive worrying thoughts. My rituals include analysing these thoughts for negative meanings and taking illogical and very scary conclusions from these analyses.

As a result I am an anxious, worrying type of person. When not pregnant, due to a very patient and loving OH (this nearly destroyed our relationship back before our wedding) and a greaet therapist, my OCD is barely a blip on the radar.

However pregnancy by its very nature is a hormonal time and these things worsen when I am pregnant, hence all the little worries that I am sure bother everyone on here!

Includiing the worry that I am bothering people! *L* You can't win sometimes.

Anyway, I have been told that this is quite a common complaint but not a lot of people ever get help or admit they have a problem. Do we have any other sufferers on here and has your OCD resurfaced or worsened?

I actually had something akin to a panic attack yesterday after listening to an economic item on the news and fitting the circumstances to our financial situation - even though thank goodness we are secure at the moment! OH nearly had to come home from work to calm me down....

Had a similar meltdown over the fact that I couldn't feel baby at all for about 4 days way back. It's strange, but these things happen more when I'm tired.

Anyway, just thought I would share and let anyone else out there who feels overwhelmed at times know that you're not alone.

Sue

 

[bazaar]

hey hon - not got OCD but had post natal depression from last time, and still on the tablets this time - have noticed the same - hormones seem to highten the 'little worries' etc.... but it'll be worth it!

 

[KikoDinoGirl]

Hello! I haven't had/got OCD but I work with children that do so coming from that experience.

I think pregnancy is definately an emotional difficult time, and the changes that are happening to your body and what's happening around you can be really tough. In that instance I think that it's likely that you might become more anxious and ruminate about things.

I wonder if it would be helpful to speak to your midwife about this, perhaps you will be able to go on a short Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course to support you during your pregnancy.

Also I am sure you are not bothering people. Lots of people ask questions on the forum and that's the purpose, is that we support each other during these changes and this can mean with our own personal idiosyncracies as well.

and feel free to PM me if you want to chat or anything x

 

[Tiny Sue]

Thanks kiko -

actually, as usual once I look at my behaviours and acknowledge them, things begin to calm down. I've managed not to "test" at all the last couple of days, and OH is being really considerate so that's helping too. I think my last CBT course was very helpful.

Besides which, I actually tried to get referred on the public system a while ago and got LAUGHED at by a so-called psychiatrist while he asked me questions (irrelevant ones) about my sex life. So the private option is best, and I went for that in the end.

SO I'll soldier on and if things get worse I know I have a support system out there.

Thanks for the lovely post. Good luck with all your little charges, who I am sure love you very much.

Sue

 

[KikoDinoGirl]

Besides which, I actually tried to get referred on the public system a while ago and got LAUGHED at by a so-called psychiatrist while he asked me questions (irrelevant ones) about my sex life. So the private option is best, and I went for that in the end.

Hmmm sounds interesting!

SO I'll soldier on and if things get worse I know I have a support system out there.

definately I could see why you would want to go private!

Good luck with all your little charges, who I am sure love you very much.

Hahaha I doubt that being the headteacher they come to me when they are in trouble