   
| | | | | | | | Pregnancy & Birth | Depression: Prenatal, Maternal, and Postpartum | | BACK TO: Depression: Prenatal, Maternal, and Postpartum | 
|  PREVIOUS MESSAGE | | | | | | AUTHOR: | MLLEMARSHALL | DATE: 09/23/02 11:18pm | | SUBJECT: |  Re: 6 months pregnant in a black hole | | IN REPLY TO: 6 months pregnant in a black hole
AUTHOR: x-mas | | | I AM 23 AND JUST GAVE BIRTH TO MY FIRST CHILD--A BOY. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DEPRESSION SEVERAL YEARS AGO. PARTS OF YOUR STORY SOUND FAMILIAR TO ME. THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT I BELIEVE YOU ARE IN PAIN, AND YOU DESERVE TO BE LISTENED TO AND BE CARED FOR IN EVERY EFFORT TO LESSEN OR ALLEVIATE THAT PAIN. I SAY THIS BECAUSE PRIOR TO MY PREGNANCY, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE CLOSE TO ME, WHICH MADE RECOVERY DIFFICULT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF SO YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT BABY. IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT NOW AS IT WILL BE WHEN SHE IS BORN. I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, EXACTLY. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOURSELF. I WILL SAY THAT YOU SHOULD DISTANCE YOURSELF, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE, FROM THINGS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON YOU. THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT YOU NEED TO DO THAT UNTIL YOU ARE BETTER ABLE TO DEAL HEAD ON WITH THE PROBLEM. IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOUR FAMILY IS THERE FOR YOU. USE THAT. YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET. DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE, BUT BE GRATEFUL. I ALSO HAVE FOUND THAT GOD HELPS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A SPIRITUAL PERSON. I ATTEND CHURCH, I SEE A THERAPIST (I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ON MEDS, BUT I RARELY IF EVER TAKE THEM), I HAVE A LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY, AND I HAVE MY SON--THE GREATEST LOVE I'VE EVER KNOWN. IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY GOING. I STILL GET DEPRESSED, BUT SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES IS FOR ME TO LOOK AT HIM AND KNOW THAT EVERYTHING YOU GO THROUGH IS SOMEHOW ALL WORTH IT. YOU'LL COME TO KNOW THAT SOON. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED. DON'T PUT ANY MORE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF THAN YOU'RE ALREADY (NATURALLY) UNDER. SEEK OUT A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. SHARE YOUR GOOD DAYS AS WELL AS YOUR BAD. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF BECAUSE THE BABY DESERVES IT TOO. I HOPE I HAVE BEEN SOME HELP. SORRY IT'S SO LONG, BUT YOU'RE WORTH IT. | |  | |
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