Browsing Tag

Perinatal mental health

Chronic Depression And Deciding To Become A Parent

Posted on May 3, 2019

Deciding to have children is a tough decision at the best of times. Deciding to start a family when you have chronic depression and anxiety, and take regular medication is another thing altogether. Years ago, I read an article in The Guardian that discusses the July 2014 guidelines that were issued to GPs by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). These guidelines give doctors advice on how they should treat female patients who suffer from depression. In particular, it recommends that…

Mental Health

My Depression And Anxiety Relapse

Posted on August 26, 2018

A photograph of a mother hand-in-hand with her daughter running a long Dymchurch Beach - How It Feels To Have A Depression And Anxiety Relapse - Mrs H's favourite things

Trigger Warning: If you suffer from depression or anxiety then you may find this post, about my current depression and anxiety relapse, triggering. “I am not a stranger to the dark Hide away, they say ‘Cause we don’t want your broken parts I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars Run away, they say No one’ll love you as you are But I won’t let them break me down to dust I know that there’s a place for us…

Baby Loss Mental Health

Suffering from Prenatal Anxiety and Depression following recurrent miscarriage #PNDAW17

Posted on September 7, 2017

A photograph of a woman and her young son (he is about a year old) sitting on a wooden dragon in a park - she is looking down at him and he is smiling - but during her pregnancy with him she suffered from Prenatal Depression and Anxiety after experiencing recurrent miscarriage - Suffering from Prenatal Anxiety and Depression Following Recurrent Miscarriage #PNDAW17 - Mrs H's favourite things

This week is the second annual Pre and Postnatal Depression Awareness Week (#PNDAW17) run by the fantastic charity, the PANDAS Foundation. And this year the week is focused on raising awareness of prenatal mental health conditions. So I wanted to share my story of suffering from prenatal anxiety and depression after experiencing recurrent miscarriages. My story of Prenatal Anxiety and Depression At risk of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Sadly, Mr H and I always knew that my pre-existing and long-term mental…

Mental Health

15 Ways To Look After Your Mental Health

Posted on April 8, 2017

I’ve been quite open recently that my mental health hasn’t been brilliant. It certainly isn’t terrible but I haven’t been myself. I’ve been feeling anxious and unmotivated. There have been days when I have felt tearful, unable to control my mood and I have just wanted to clamber back into bed and sleep. My Mental Health There are many small reasons why my depression has relapsed. The stress and sadness of the recurrent miscarriages and the anxiety I felt in my…

Mental Health Motherhood

Perinatal Mental Health #PNDAW16: It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

Posted on September 11, 2016

A faded photograph of a young woman looking wistful as the sun sets in a tropical setting behind her - Includes the title "Perinatal mental health #PNDAW16 - It's okay not to be okay" - Mrs H's favourite things

Today marks the end of the first ever Pre & Post Natal Depression Awareness Week #PNDAW16 run by PANDAS (the UK's leading pre and post natal depression charity). In light of this, I wanted to share my story of perinatal mental health. My experience of perinatal mental illnesses may be slightly unusual as I have suffered from depression for almost 17 year; most of my adult life. At times, my mental health has been terrible. At other times it has been…