I had PPP in January and have now been discharged from the MBU.
I have found adjustment back into family life really hard. At first it was really exciting to be at home but now I am really struggling with my mood.
My mood is mostly down and I am having very negative thoughts about life. This is affecting my behaviour around people; I am very quiet and just not myself.
I guess I am looking for some reassurance that this has been the case for some of you and that low mood is just part of the recovery.
If any of you had low mood; how long did it last? Any advice and what could help? I am taking olanzapine which is making me very tired but I am also having CBT sessions weekly.
Any input would be hugely appreciated.
Stacey x
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stacey1988
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So glad you have reached out to the forum as you will find lots of support and shared experiences. As you had PP recently in January, it is a very traumatic illness to come to terms with and recovery is very up and down.
I'm so sorry to hear you are struggling with low mood and negative thoughts. I was under general psychiatric care and remember how, at first, I was relieved to be home but then overwhelmed by the routine of life. I was hit with depression with my mood and thoughts similar to yours so I hope in some way that's reassuring. I hope you feel able to talk to friends and family about how you feel as it will help them to understand that you need their support. Is it possible you could meet a friend for coffee and a catch up, just for a change?
My PP episodes were years ago so with changing treatments and medication I'm sure recovery from depression is much quicker. I was very low for a long time but did fully recover after treatment. It's good that you are having CBT as talking to a therapist about your thoughts can be helpful. I found walking in the fresh air rather than staying at home helped. When I was indoors my thoughts would go round and round in my head.
Sometimes we don't realise how much of a traumatic experience PP is and expect too much of ourselves. If you are having negative thoughts it might be an idea to speak to your GP if your weekly CBT is not helping your mood? Do you have contact with a perinatal mental health team? I think they are there to help you until your baby is one year.
I'm not sure if your have seen the Insider Guide "Recovery after Postpartum Psychosis" at app-network.org/what-is-pp/...? On page 9 there's a section on 'Ups and Downs' with a note on depression which might also be reassuring. It is an awful feeling especially as you have battled your way through PP but with good medical support you will get better so please don't lose hope.
We are all here for you so please keep writing if it helps. Take good care of yourself. x
Nice to meet you. Very glad you have found this forum where you will be able to read about experiences similar to yours. I went /am going through a depression following ppp in October last year. There were better days than others, at least in my experience is very normal what you describe. Are u under a comunity perinatal mental health team? Its important to contact professionals at the moment and let them know how you are feeling so your medication can be adjusted. I was put on antidepressants and I am also taking olanzapine in the evenings. It gets better in the next months. The depression was the worst for me two months after psychosis, but I felt more in control of my mood when the medication started taking effect.
Stay safe. Whenever you need to talk we are here for you, but also talk to your perinatal team, they are the best placed to get you the help you need. Thinking of you
You think that because you have been discharged that it will all be easy from then on. You've been through a huge trauma and actually going home is the hard part!
Even though I wasn't admitted to an MBU, I found it really difficult getting back to my normal bubbly self and avoided going out. It takes time, you are doing so well, please be kind to yourself!
As Lilybeth and EmiMum have said reach out to your support networks and don't be afraid to talk to them.
Good morning Stacey . It’s not surprising that you will have periods of low mood coming home where we have the routine responsibilities and a lot of time to reflect .
It takes in many cases a lot of twists and turns before PPP is really 100 percent out of the picture at least in most cases . Women get emotional reactions to having had PPP and you are still fairly fragile as it was so recent.
One mistake I made was reluctance to tell anyone how miserable I felt at times , preferring to avoid friends !
Getting out of the house , going for a walk, a coffee with friends is helpful . Tell your nearest and dearest that you are struggling at present and hope to be back to your normal self soon !
Olanzepine ; how long have you been on it ? Your MHT will advise you if it suits you , or needs a review so don’t be afraid to ask if you have any questions . Has your appetite increased on it ?
If you are able to exercise , this can be very helpful in elevating low moods .
I’m sure you will soon be feeling more like your old self but be patient and kind to yourself! You’ve been through a very traumatic period of your life .
Keep in touch with us on the forum . We all care very much about each other’s struggles and will help wherever possible by our shared experiences.
I can see that you’ve already had some replies so I just wanted to share something with you that the doctors explained to me at the MBU when I had PP. I started off being classic manic during my psychosis and as the treatment began to work I became crushingly depressed. So much so on trial leave I on 2 occasions returned because I was so depressed I was scared to be home. So they explained to me that the way our brain chemistry works after mania depression normally follows, this is the same for people who experience Mania with bipolar disorder (which I did later on). Also it sometimes works as a bit of a pendulum after PP, we swing between mania and depression but the pendulum slows down and the moods become less intense as time goes by and we recover. Also I wanted to encourage you, I felt depressed for quite a long time after coming home. And coming home is hard, because where we had a lot of help before we are now on our own with a baby and a house to look after (but hopefully also supportive family and friends). But it does get better. I didn’t believe it could back then, but 3 years on I’m well, no signs of depression or mania, even through some very stressful times and I’m glad I pushed through. I’m so glad you reached out. I hope hearing other people’s stories and how we do get to a good place even though it’s sometimes a long journey will help.
I had PPP in September 2016. Like you, I was excited to be home after being in a MBU but low mood soon set in for me. I want to reassure you that although it may not feel like it now, you will feel like yourself again! I thought I would never be well again!
Unfortunately I had to be readmitted to a MBU for treatment of PND but I was finally myself again by April 2017 and I went back to work in July 2017 and performed well. Everyone’s journey of recovery is different but you will be yourself again!
Try and do something small every day that you enjoyed pre baby- eg a bath, walk, run, gym, crafts, reading- you may not feel like it but day by day you may start to notice slight enjoyment.
Try and take each day as it comes and I hope you have family and friends to support you.
I hope you have found the replies here helpful and are reassured that, for some of us, low mood was part of our recovery. I think CBT is helpful and hope you are finding it so.
We are all here whenever and if you would like to talk. Take care. x
some great replies, which indicates that we all have had a traumatising experience...yet our path of recovery has been very diverse.
I was sectioned and extremely poorly for one year. My partner took care of my baby and when I came back home, he helped me to learn some primary tasks again and how to look after our son. My brain had shut off for a considerable amount of time, in a way protecting my horrendous experiences in hospital. I recovered from Psychosis, but continued to struggle with mental health challenges.
My low moods are not a dominator of my Bipolar...aspects of my depression are Insomnia and mind racing, otherwise usually very hyper with high sensitivity to sensory processing.
I have a routine in order to keep my mental health in check. Meditation & exercising is a vital part of my routine, including a healthy diet...what helps me most is my loving family, who allows me to take time out when triggers arise. It is important to be able to trust and communicate. I now managed to develop friendships, which I can rely on. I kept myself isolated for many years, which is not very healthy.
Painting and volunteer work has improved my confidence. I am struggling with people, crowds and surroundings. I do not compete or compare, nor do I try to fulfil other people's expectations. I prioritise my family and often need time out.
Look after yourself and all in stepping stones. You will tune into your own needs...
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