hello,
I had PP almost 12 weeks ago and I constantly worry that I could get another psychosis. The APP guides suggest preparing for a relapse, but does that mean another psychosis? How likely a person who had no other mental illness is to have psychosis again? Does it only appear with high stress? Does it always connect with lack of sleep, so if I sleep well it won’t happen?
I will be grateful for your response.
Hi MumNez, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your baby. I am very sorry that you experienced postpartum psychosis, it is such a traumatic illness.
I had pp in 2018 after the birth of my daughter, I spent some time in a general psychiatric ward until I was reunited with my daughter in an mother and baby unit.
Regarding how likely are you to experience another episode of mental illness, there is useful information on the APP website about the risks around a future episode of illness:
"The long-term outlook after an episode of PP tends to be very good and women recover fully. However, some women who have had PP will have further episodes of illness unrelated to childbirth.
Just over half of women with postpartum psychosis will experience an episode of depression, bipolar disorder or related illness at some point in their lifetime. (This estimate includes women with and without experience of mental illness before their PP episode, and so the risk may be lower for women whose PP episode was ‘out of the blue’.)"
As you mentioned that your episode came out of the blue, the risk of another episode unrelated to childbirth is lower.
As to the causes of pp, it is sometimes described as a perfect storm with a combination of hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, genetic predisposition, history of mental illness, amongst others. Sleep is certainly important, and it is an early warning sign that my mental health is dipping when I struggle with it. I have a diagnosis of bipolar 1 as well as having experienced pp, so I try to be very careful with my sleep.
I think that when pp comes out of the blue, there is an added trauma of the unexpected and coming to terms to it. With a relapse many mums do say that having been there before makes a difference, without minimizing the experience. Knowledge is very powerful.
Do message us with any questions you have, this experience is very shocking for all involved, take very good care, do take things really easy in the early days, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Maria
I read this information. I was hoping for something more concrete. But I guess there is just not enough research out there yet. Thank you for your support!
Hello MumNez,
Sorry to read you’re worrying about this. I too have pondered this, it’s a totally legitimate thing to ask.
Everyone is different Maria has shared some really useful information and from her own experience too.
I had PP after this birth of my first baby in 2016, I had no previous mental health history prior to experiencing PP. A few years after my experience my husband and I went for pre- conception counselling with a doctor. In talking with him, he explained that given my own history - as I had experienced PP once, the risk for me of having a further episode of psychosis was 50% at any future point in my life. But of course there are things we can all do to help support ourselves and keep ourselves well.
I have been cautious with sleep, understandably, try to avoid stress although easier said than done sometimes! Have tried to be really reflective in how I’m feeling and chat with friends or family whenever I’ve needed to.
Everyone is different of course, do what might be quoted as a risk factor for one person might very well be different for others. If you’re at all worried, I’m sure you’d be able to chat through your concerns with the health professionals around you. Take care, Rachel x
Hi MumNez, I wish you all the best, I think it is very normal to feel wary about the uncertainty of a future episode of psychosis or other mental illness. I wish we could tell with certainty what exactly triggers it, but a combination of factors is the best we know so far.
Understanding what the early warning signs are for you and having a toolkit to draw from, is a really good way to manage it going forward. You have had great replies to this thread already talking about what works for some of us.
Take very good care,
Maria
I think what Maria might have been saying is that because there are so many factors going into people’s individual cases of PP, it’s impossible to predict whether or not a relapse will happen to you. I think preparing for it is wise advice, but that doesn’t have to be anything extensive. What I did was to educate my family members about what it looks like (my psychologist actually helped with this).
Some people have relapses, some don’t. I did, and struggled with episodes for actually some years. But it did eventually go away. Things like stress and not enough sleep made it worse. I’ve learned better self care. Having a new baby makes those things more difficult, especially if you’re breastfeeding.
Do the best self care you can as far as stress and sleeping. I was working at the time of my PP in a stressful job and ended up having to resign. It was a huge blow because I loved my job. But I just could not continue and maintain my health. Keep up with your medications and health care professionals. Exercise as much as you can and eat as healthy as you can. Have a plan for childcare if you do have a relapse. Part of my solution was to continue to send my kids to childcare during the day even though I was no longer working. It gave me a chance to sleep more, maintain the house and have a little time for myself. In the end I got through it and so will you.
Hello MumNez,
you have done so exceptionally well in your recovery. After 3 months I was still sectioned and only towards the end of the hospital stage, where doctors finally established that only the traditional drugs defeated the ongoing hallucination. This was in 2010, when APP just started.
I am one of many women, who continued with mental health issues after PPP. Once diagnosed with BP in 2018 I finally found an appropriate path. The recovery is ongoing as bipolar 1 is chronical with a continues struggle of surfing the waves.
In general implementing life style strategies to manage well being at all levels (physically, mentally, emotionally etc.) is recommendable throughout the path of recovery. What can you do to have a happy feeling???
Being in a stress free environment has been a key factor to work towards my routine and establish new skills to cover my needs, when feeling poorly.
Instead of worrying about past re-occurrences I rather live with the momentum and focusing on my well being and striving towards goals in stepping stones...prioritising what is best for my developing skills and what makes me happy, including focusing only on human beings who do not judge or suck the energy out of me.
Wishing you health and happiness!
x
Postpartum Psychosis relapse?
Had a second child and no PPP
Relapse?
How long has recovery taken ? 
