Tips for Pregnant People with Psychiatric Problems

Pregnancy is a stage where the first cardinal rule is for anyone to avoid stress. Whether one is suffering from psychiatric problems or not the first thing to do is to change one's perspective, throw away all the negative thoughts, and go through the pregnancy with a positive attitude. Though this may seem too difficult or "hard" for those who are suffering mentally, it can be done. Join a support group or "find a buddy" to call anytime you feel "wrong". If you are the religious type, pray and meditate. There is nothing as calming as giving yourself time to meditate (and pray if you wish) while thinking and visualizing yourself as healthy, happy and holding your beautiful born baby.

If you think that you're "different" because you have problems, let me tell you that everyone who has to go through pregnancies go through a hormonal imbalance which may affect their mental health. That is more reason why you shouldn't feel alone and why the best thing you can do is accept whatever situation you're in and make the most of it. Ask your therapist, and she/he'll probably tell you that all pregnant women do go through a stage similar to "neurosis" because their hormones go crazy. Have you ever heard of strange things like pregnancy cravings(for certain kinds of food) , depression during pregnancy, pregnancy fears, and husbands complaining that their wife's pregnancy is making them insane? Again believe me when I say that you are not alone. In a neurotic sense, all pregnant women suffer from more neurosis during this period. Knowing that you are not alone and doing your own research, go ahead, google if you must --- will give you the comforting thought that there are people just like you who feel and react the same way as you do.

Get in touch with your therapist more often during this phase. There may be sudden fears and "blues" that will seem to "attack" you more often than when you weren't pregnant. The proper thing to do is to keep in touch as constantly as possible with your therapist. Be open and tell her all your pregnancy fears no matter how "silly" or "crazy" it may seem to be. Remember that your therapist will never judge your feelings nor ANYTHING which you express to her. If you do not have any therapist you can tell your pastor, priest or best friend-- they probably wouldn't judge you either.

Accept your fears. Sure, everything can go wrong, BUT how about thinking that everything can go right too? Analyze your fear and the reasons for it. Have you been dwelling on your fear too much that you have allowed it to rob you of enjoying the joys of your pregnancy. Identify why you are uncomfortable during your bad days. Are you afraid of FEAR or are you really afraid that things may not turn out "right"? The cause of all mental "dis-ease" is FEAR. While it is easy to tell anyone to get rid of his/her fear, that can be difficult. Analyzing fear makes you identify what problems you are afraid of and that gives you more clarity. Having more mental clarity allows you to say : "alright, I am afraid of this ... but I accept it". Sure, this fear may be a valid one but the odds of this happening are a million to one. Embracing your fear can also help you get rid of it if you know that it's completely irrational. If you need a friend to point that out and remind you of that constantly, reach out to that friend instead of thinking that he/she doesn't understand you.

Go to DVD stores and rent or buy a collection of comedies. There is nothing as relaxing as watching something like Mr. Bean or any comedy which will make you laugh for at least thirty minutes a day. The great King Solomon declared that "Laughter is the best medicine" . Latest scientific findings have found that laughing is great for your nerves: it relaxes you, it gives you pleasure, it strengthens your immune system and it's good for your baby. Again, go online and search "laughter therapy" and see how this is acceptable today in some hospitals. Search and see if there are any "Laughter clinics" near your place and visit them.

Tell yourself that this is THE time to love yourself. Treat yourself more often to a massage session. Relax and feel the healing touch of another human being. Enjoy the touch and the warmth. Sensitize yourself to only the pleasurable and "good" things. Enjoy the scent of your favorite essential oil like lavender as you feel the massage. While relaxing during a massage, resist allowing worries and fear to creep into your mind.

Surround yourself with beauty. Go for garden walks and learn the art of "glimpsing" or making the most of the present moment while looking at something beautiful. Get in touch with nature and realize that as you do, you are calmed by the beauty of re-discovering the beauty of things around you. If it happens to be one of your "bad" days, breathe in and breath out deeply while "taking in" the clean air, the scent of the flowers and trees and breath out all your worries and fear.Bathe yourself with the warmth of the morning sun, and get your vitamin D and A naturally. This drives away depression and negative thoughts.

Drink water often. Imagine that when you're drinking water you are taking in both nourishment for your body and soul. Water therapy has been known to help all kinds of uneasiness and diseases. Ask your obstetrician if you can take Brewers Yeast as this has been known to be one of the natural cures to calm your nerves.

Love thyself. More so, love that baby that you are about to bring into this lovely world. Live one day at a time as relaxed and comfortable as you can. Laugh a lot yet have your moments of stillness everyday to assure yourself that when you get through this pregnancy, you will be whole and happy.