Statistically, if you have experienced PND previously you have a 50/50 chance of experiencing it again during a future pregnancy and/or postnatal period. I’m not pregnant but I hope to be one day and I wanted to write this letter so, if I am unwell again and consumed by PND’s lies, I will have something concrete to read. I plan to do everything I can to prevent or reduce PND but it’s good to have a Plan B.
Dear Future-Me-With-PND
I know you’re frightened, I remember it. Perhaps I don’t remember it well as when the anxiety leaves you the memory fades too. Self-preservation, I suppose. But if I close my eyes and take myself back I can remember the terror and panic and feeling of wanting to claw myself out of the world. The way you are feeling again now.
You are scared that you can’t cope with this new baby. You are afraid that you can’t stand to live another moment in your crawling skin. Every hour feels like a week. But please remember this – it doesn’t last forever. I am proof of that. I’m not afraid right now, my skin is not crawling, my heart isn’t racing and you will get back to that too.
I know you’re angry that this has happened again, frustrated that you couldn’t keep the monsters at bay. You cry angry tears in the dark. That’s okay, cry those tears, feel that rage – allow yourself that moment and then…let it go. Let it go before it eats you up. I know being positive feels like a mountain you don’t have the energy to climb but remember you have no choice. Positivity is the only way out, and it works. If you have to fake it at first, that’s okay, eventually it becomes real.
I know your thoughts are racing, you can’t concentrate. You can’t read a book or watch a TV show right now. But remember this passes. I’m good at my job and I read every day and I always guess the killer in a detective show. I listen and focus on others’ problems and I reach easily for sound advice. You will learn to quieten your mind and feel capable again.
You can’t sleep well, can you? The insomnia is driving you to madness it seems. You wonder how you’ll ever sleep again, if you’ll be an insomniac forever. Remember I felt this way too, I didn’t see a way to rest. Now I sleep every night and you will too. Stop trying to, stop caring about it, and it will come.
I know you don’t want to eat. Your stomach is in knots and everything you put in your mouth is like cardboard and sand. Remember you will eat again. I eat and I love it and I consume too much!
Nothing feels real at the moment. You feel you are stuck in this horrible bubble, locked outside of your world, and it feels so uncomfortable and frightening. This is simply derealisation, your mind protecting itself after prolonged anxiety. It will fade away. I can’t even remember the last time I felt that way, it ends and life is real again.
You think you don’t love the baby, don’t you? You look at them and don’t feel overwhelmed by love. You assumed it would be different this time, that the mythological lightening bolt of devotion would strike but it hasn’t really. You’re tired and sore and resentful and convinced you made a mistake. That everything was perfect when it was just the three of you. You still don’t love motherhood the way you thought you would. But remember that I love it now. It’s hard, sometimes Caterpillar pushes my buttons too much but I love him with every beat of my heart. He is funny and clever and gorgeous and when he holds you you never want to let go. This will come with the new baby too, you will fall in love and it might be slow but it will be so true.
Do you feel differently about Caterpillar at the moment? Do you look at him and wonder where the love went? Do you feel like you don’t want to be around him, that you need more space? That’s the anxiety, the panic, the lies your unwell mind is spinning. You are too full of fear to feel the love that is right there, but it is still there. And when the anxiety eases it will flow freely again.
Try not to worry. Do the things you know will work. Take your meds. Do some exercise, go for walks. Accept help. Call PEWS. Make a therapy appointment. Reach out to your online friends. Rationalise your thoughts, practice CBT. Learn. Encourage your inner adult to be stronger than your inner child. Be positive even when it feels ridiculous, write down three good things every night. Don’t listen to the lies and the distorted thoughts. Hold on tight and know in your soul that this won’t last forever. You will find your way back to who you were. I’m right here, waiting.
Love,
Recovered You
What a beautifully honest post xx
Thank you ❤️
Wow. This is so powerful and something that resonated with me. I had PND and PNA. Your advice to yourself regarding rationalising thoughts is very helpful – I’m a huge advocate of CBT and mindfulness. I’m really pleased I read this. #bestandworst
Thanks, lovely. I mostly wrote it for myself. If I get pregnant again I want to have something to remind me that recovery is possible x
What a beautiful letter laura it made me cry, thank you for your blog its amazing you are helping so many people xx
Thank you, love :,-) xxx
Reblogged this on Mums & Mind.
This is such a powerful post. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to suffer from PND – I luckily didn’t have it, but was still a bit of an emotional mess in those first couple of months after having a baby and didn’t feel it came as naturally as I would’ve hoped. I hope you won’t have to read the letter again but I’m sure it will be a source of great comfort to you if you do xx #bestandworst
Thanks for your kind words. I think the truth it, early parenthood can be tough for most people, even without PND, but people just don’t really talk about it. Thanks for reading x
Such a powerful post and I think it is great that you are being so honest about it and I hope that others who are going through this read it and realise that they aren’t on their own. #bloggerclubuk
Thank you, that’s what I hope – that it might help others too x
Beautifully written post. Such a hard thing to focus on, sometimes it’s good to be honest with yourself. Thanks so much for sharing with the #bestandworst
Thank you ❤️
This is so beautifully honest and touching. I don’t have experience of PND per se, but I do suffer from anxiety so recognise some of your feelings. I really hope this letter helps you, even a little, when the time comes.
But I would like to add to your letter that, even if it doesn’t feel like it is working, even if when the time comes the words ring hollow and untrue and you don’t even want to read them because they remind you of a person that has gone again – that doesn’t mean they’re not true. They are true and you will get through it again. Big hugs. #BloggerClubUk
Thanks so much, sweetie. That’s what I’m hoping. I won’t believe them but they will still give me something to cling onto x
Wow! So well written and you address all the crippling elements of PND so well! I think sleep was the main deciding factor for my mood (and still is!) post pregnancy. No sleep = no sanity. So I ask for help regularly if sleep eludes me, otherwise things just go downhill!
Sleep is so, so important. Thanks for reading and commenting x
I hope you get all the future babies your heart desires without ever needing to re-read this letter to yourself, and if you do need to re-read it I hope it’s exactly what you need to hear. This is bound to reach someone who really does need to hear it and may just help them turn a corner. Well done!
Thanks so much for your kind words x
Such a wonderful post, and great to share your experience with PND. I had PND with all five of my children and being able to recognise it is the first step forward. #binkylinky
Gracious ,with all five children?! You’re my hero – I’m just hoping to survive it twice at most. Thanks for reading and commenting x
You will do, I promise. Xx
oh goodness, how brave you are writing such a personal piece…thank you.
Thank you ❤️
Wow 50/50 chance never realized that. I can’t even imagine. Thanks for sharing such honest and personal thoughts. #binkylinky
Yeah it is a very scary statistic but still doesn’t put me off – I must be mad! Thanks for reading and commenting x
Oh wow, what a powerful and brave post. I’m adapting to motherhood at the moment, and its been an up and down journey. Reading about how others have experienced this and come through it really helps. Thank you.
Glad it helped a little. Early motherhood is definitely a rollercoaster, my best advice is to just go easy on yourself and take each day as it comes if you can. Thanks for reading x
A wonderful honest post thanks for sharing Thanks for linking to the #binkylinky
No problem! Thanks for reading 🙂
Wow, what a powerful & honest post. I can’t imagine how difficult PND is to deal with – it sounds impossible. Well done for getting through it & for sharing your experiences – this will certainly help other women. It’s a topic that isn’t’ discussed enough! Thanks so much for sharing with blogger club uk x
Thanks so much for your kind comment. It is certainly the biggest challenge I have ever faced x
Wow such a powerful and honestly written post. Such a great idea to write a letter to yourself. I did a similar thing; I have a sealed envelope to open if I need to; it’s a letter to myself with a symptom checklist (tailored to my symptoms last time) and what I should do to recover. Because the worse thing about PND is probably that you don’t realise you have got it until it has really kicked in. Thanks for this post I am sure it will help lots of people as well as you. Xx
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your own story. You’re exactly right. When I was ill there was really no logic to be found, so having something tangible like this letter will hopefully help x
A beautiful honest written post brought a tear to my eye thanks for linking to the #binkylinky
Thank you x
I love your honesty in this post and I think that women who have experienced PND will really thank you for it. I hope writing it has helped you to feel better about any future pregnancies x
Thank you, it has certainly reassured me to have something there is black and white should I get pregnant again x
This is such a fantastic post. I so wish I had something like this to help me when I suffered. You have done so well to feel better. I just want to give you a hug! Thank you for sharing. Kathy x #BloggerClubUk
Thank you! *gives virtual hug* X
Such a strong and brave post. I really hope you don’t have to live through it again though.
Thanks for linking up to #Picknmix
Stevie x
Thank you for your kind words x
Beautifully written.
Well done you for coming through it all and gaining the courage to share your experience and reach out to others.
Sending hugs
And thank you for joining in with #MMBC x
Thanks so much for your kind words and for sharing on Twitter x