Anxiety & intrusive thoughts during or after pregnancy?

[OpenDoorAccess]

Does anyone get thoughts of images pop into their head uncontrollably and they can be quite upsetting? Live in England? Interested in talking about your experiences and being reimbursed with a £24 voucher?

Many of us experience intrusive thoughts or images: "I could push that person over" or "I could chop off my finger". These can be dismissed, but can also be distressing. When they become persistent and repetitive, this can develop into OCD. This can also happen during or after pregnancy. These thoughts can lead to certain behaviours, for example Jenny experienced intrusive thoughts that germs could kill her baby, so she cleaned her house for hours each day and avoided going outside. Leila experienced intrusive images of her baby being harmed by a knife, so she removed all knives from the house for the first 6 months of her child's life. Nadia had thoughts about throwing her baby down the stairs or letting the pram roll into traffic, so she avoided being alone with her baby.

These thoughts and actions can have a real impact, but often aren't recognised as something which could be supported, so parents are left to deal with them alone.

We're trying to understand how we can improve services and understandings of perinatal OCD by talking to individuals who've experienced these symptoms. If you'd be interested in sharing your experiences, please click this link: bitly.ws/rViC

Those who take part will be reimbursed with a £24 Love to Shop voucher for their time.