PTSD AND PP

[Jp124]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone had a PTSD diagnosis following a traumatic birth and postpartum psychosis? Looking for any tips or mechanisms to cope with PTSD.

Thank you

[LizzieLizzieLou]

I did and it was really hard. I struggled to get any relief from the nightmares, flashbacks and constant feeling of being on edge. It was like no amount of self care and good habits could shift it and it felt like my world was shrinking around me. In the end I tried EMDR and it was a game changer. It's specifically for trauma. It's taken a couple of years of therapy but I finally, after four years, only have nightmares occasionally. At my worst I had multiple per night. I wish you all the best with your recovery and let me know if you have any questions about EMDR.

[Jp124 in reply to LizzieLizzieLou]

Thank you! I’ve started CBTp (cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis) but haven’t tried EDMR, I’ll ask about it.

[LizzieLizzieLou in reply to Jp124]

I’ll be interested in how that goes, apparently for some people it’s great. For me, a year of CBT (not CBTp like you tho) was good for starting to get comfortable talking about what had happened but it didn’t help the nightmares and flashbacks or the constant panicked feelings. It was actually the CBT therapist who told me that they though I’d benefit from EMDR because CBT wasn’t working on all the PTSD symptoms. What I’m trying to say I suppose is what ever you chose to do, go for it, get what works out of it, and then don’t be afraid to try something extra or different as time goes on. It may be your needs change or you want to try something tailored to different symptoms, etc. I hope it gives you the relief you deserve!

[x_Amy Volunteer]

Hi Jp124,

Welcome to the forum. May I ask if it was yourself that experienced PP? We often have family members and other loved ones join us here. If you are experiencing PTSD, please know that it is manageable and there are techniques and therapy options available to help with this.

I was diagnosed with PTSD shortly after recovering from a traumatic birth and PP. I accessed therapy through my local mental health treatment team. I had some EMDR sessions which were so beneficial. As LizzieLizzieLou mentioned, it is used specifically for processing trauma. There may be waiting lists for therapy depending on where you’re based, so I’ve included two techniques that I was recommended below, which helped me personally with PTSD. There will be guides available on Google or YouTube if you pop each suggestion into the search bar:

- Grounding techniques. The one I like the most is “taking inventory” of what’s around you by writing down five things you can see, hear, and feel.

- Progressive muscle relaxation is something I still do almost a decade on from PP. Dissociation/feeling “out of body” was one of the main PTSD symptoms that I experienced, and this really helped me get through those unpleasant moments.

When I felt ready to do so, I accessed my labour and delivery notes by requesting them through the hospital where I gave birth, and had a “debrief” with the matron from the maternity ward. I needed to understand why events unfolded the way they did. This was an important part of the recovery process for me, as it also gave me the opportunity to share my PP experience with the ward management. It’s an illness that is so often missed when the focus is on a newborn baby.

I hope these suggestions are helpful to you. Please write here anytime, and keep in mind that healing takes time but it does happen. Take good care.

Amy x

[Jp124 in reply to x_Amy]

Hi Amy,

Yes, it’s me who had PP and been diagnosed with PTSD. I’m going through CBTp at the moment but hadn’t heard of EDMR until now. Thanks for the techniques, I’ll have a look into them.

[Seasky18 Volunteer]

Yes I did. I had some counselling using CBT, I'm not sure that was totally the the right thing but talking helped a lot, not just in the sessions, but talking about my experiences to a wide range of people, different friends and family as I felt gradually able to. Looks like others had EMDR and have given some really good suggestions, which I think would have been really useful but at the time I couldn't get an appointment and things felt so bad I just needed to see someone and talk and process!

It also helped me knowing I was far from alone in my experiences.

Take care x

[Jp124 in reply to Seasky18]

I’m doing CBT at the moment too. It does help to talk things through like you say. Just wish the memories and flashbacks would go away 😩 thank you x

[Creativeyellow]

Hello!I haven't had a formal diagnosed, but through my 6 talking therapy sessions my therapist suggested what I had experinced and my description of things etc did sound like PTSD to her. However my mental health team recently diagnosed me after another short stint with them and it just seemed to be they wanted to discharge me quickly and not really help me this time round, so they weren't much hell.

I now have psychotherapy sessions through a local charity, with a student psychotherapist so it's discounted sessions but I can have them up to a year and it's the most beneficial therapy I've had so far. My mental health team said it would take over a year to get near the top of the waiting list for this kind of therapy with them, so I feel lucky to have found a more affordable private service that I am now having weekly.

Maybe could be something to look into if there's any charities near you that may offer it!

[Creativeyellow in reply to Creativeyellow]

Sorry about my many spelling errors. It was supposed to say my mental health team recently discharged me. And futher down it was supposed to say they weren't much help.