Pregnancy and having a baby in your life can be a breathtaking time. But, it can also be a time of enormous pressure and anxiety. It brings many alterations happening to your body, and the act of bringing life into the world also demands you to adjust your lifestyle. All these factors lead to a range of physical symptoms like morning sickness or even lead to the amplification of certain feelings. We will now explore post and pre-pregnancy counselling in detail, including how support from a counsellor or best counselling psychologist in India can help.
It’s okay for women to feel more anxious at this time, and some can also cultivate a mental health illness. This is the ‘perinatal period’. A few examples of perinatal mental illness include tokophobia (extreme fear of childbirth), antenatal depression, postnatal depression. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum psychosis and postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the list goes on. These ailments can be mild, moderate or even severe, expecting varied ways of treating them. Let’s now discuss different pregnancy issues and ascertain how pregnancy counselling helps to combat them.
What is perinatal mental health?
Well, we use the terms’ maternal’ and ‘perinatal’ interchangeably. However, ‘perinatal’ pertains to a woman’s mental health during pregnancy and the initial year after birth when speaking about mental health. Please note that this encompasses mental disorders preexisting before pregnancy and the ones that have evolved for the first time.
The most common mistake is that some women stop taking their medication after discovering that they are pregnant. Hence, this can make it worse. For women who have had a mental health issue in the past, this problem can bounce back later.
As per the Mental Health Foundation, we cannot discover or treat around 60% of perinatal mental health difficulties. This could have a devastating consequence on them and their families. Getting support from a famous counselling psychologist in Chennai and developing coping mechanisms to transform stress into excitement and joy.
Causes of perinatal mental illness
The reasons may differ from person to person since there is barely one sole reason behind it. The following is the list containing some widespread causes of perinatal mental illness:
- Hormonal Changes– sometimes, your body hormone’s imbalance is enough to trigger a problem.
- Relationship issues– it could be possible that your partner isn’t as supportive as you wish. Relationship problems can often provoke feelings of depression or stress.
- Financial worries– concerns over the fraction of money you’ll require to raise a baby is a widespread worry among all expecting parents.
- Despair over morning sickness– the symptom of pregnancy is weakening and can even lead to hospitalization.
- Lack of sleep– pregnancy-related insomnia and exhaustion could direct you to overthink and even magnify adverse emotions.
For some, undesirable pregnancy or sudden miscarriage can create considerable distress. To combat this, try visiting the famous counselling psychologist in Chennai. Both of these topics are discussed in-depth on our abortion and miscarriage pages.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Perinatal depression
.Still, most people are unaware of the consequences that antenatal depression can have – that is before the newborn enters their life.
Presently, it is believed that around 20% of women are influenced by it. Research has also shown that if antenatal depression is not acknowledged and dealt with, approximately 60% of the sufferers will further develop postnatal depression.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with antenatal depression
There may be times during your pregnancy when you feel low. Though this may be prevalent with many, it doesn’t mean you suffer in silence. For some, these feelings may expire, but for others, it is undoubtedly severe.
The following symptoms and indications are widespread, and if you are experiencing similar feelings, it may be worth talking to the best psychologists in Chennai, India. They can instruct you what to do next.
- Feeling tearful – your emotions will be pitch high due to the hormonal change. However, if you feel more tearful than anticipated, it may indicate that you’re not coping up.
- Feeling numb or empty – some may experience numbness or emptiness at a period when you are predicted to be joyful.
- Guilt and shame – there are high expectations associated with pregnancy. When you don’t feel any, it can bring in intense emotions of guilt and shame.
- Isolation– if you come from an emotionally closed family, this is pretty much common. Feeling like you are all alone in your pregnancy often arouses feelings of panic and sadness.
- Insomnia – women find it difficult to sleep during pregnancy, not just because of bodily changes but also because of a busy mind. This can lead to exhaustion and exaggeration of negative emotions.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Perinatal anxiety
.Feeling anxious and nervous about your baby’s health and the overall birth as a parent is flawlessly natural. However, do not let the feelings take control of your happiness, and if it does, it’s time to take action by visiting psychologist Chennai.
Some standard warnings of anxiety include:
- feeling anxious constantly
- panic attacks
- avoiding people
- avoiding certain situations
- difficulty in concentrating
Well, anxiety, depression and stress always go hand in hand, with one steering another, unless treated. Make sure you take the best chance to avoid this by seeking help from a trained professional or famous psychotherapist, or even a counsellor, would help.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Tokophobia
.Especially if you are pregnant for the first time, it is natural to have anxiety. It is something you might have never experienced before, and it’s an entirely new journey for you. Even if you’ve had children before, fearing about things going haywire is common. Well, this could be due to prior bitter experiences, or a friends’ experience or have read about it a lot over the internet.
No matter what the reason may be, just the idea of giving birth becomes a phobia for some women. Tokophobia thereby means the extreme fear of childbirth.
To cope up, it is suggested that you equip yourself with knowledge. Speak to a medical professional or a top psychologist in India with experience, and they would help you clear all possible doubts or misunderstandings.
Reading about it and listening to other peoples’ experiences also helps give you a good idea of what to expect. In this way, you can be prepared for the unexpected.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Perinatal OCD
.Many new mothers experience a surge in feelings of worrying and some obsessive or compulsive-like suspicions. Well, it’s natural to worry about your child’s well-being; you may be extra cautious each time, avoiding unnecessary risks during pregnancy or after birth.
Some women may realize that these usual worries trigger symptoms of OCD which can intervene with our daily life. But these thoughts can be very troublesome and frightening. At times, it can be very tough to open up and speak to someone about these kinds of ideas. Do not worry; you can get immense support from a top counselling psychologist in Chennai.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Postpartum Psychosis.
Postpartum psychosis is an unusual yet severe mental health situation that can affect a woman just after delivering her baby. Symptoms of Postpartum psychosis include being in a state of confusion or behaving out of character within the first two weeks. Rarely they can evolve after several weeks of the baby being born. Other significant symptoms include:
- hallucination or delusions – thoughts or beliefs that are most unlikely to be true
- a manic mood – feeling restless, talking and thinking too much or too quickly.
- a low feeling – showing indications of depression or being withdrawn or having a loss of appetite or trouble sleeping, feeling suspicious or fearful
Please take postpartum psychosis as a medical emergency, and you should ideally treat this in a hospital. You can receive support from family, colleagues, friends etc., in the rollercoaster nine months time frame. Do not ignore your health and have frequent visits to your psychiatrists and clinical counselling psychologist in Chennai. This would keep you mentally fit and ensure that the baby stays in the best mental health.
Pregnancy Counselling can Help with Postpartum PTSD
.For most of us, since childhood, we have this condition in our brains that childbirth is an outstanding event in our lives. For some, it can be traumatic due to pregnancy complications.
Believe it or not, even when everything is going as per the plan, the experience can be so overwhelming that mommies are left feeling traumatized. But it doesn’t stop there; it can lead to postpartum PTSD or birth trauma, which is fatal.
Birth trauma can occur for numerous reasons. The significant thing where everyone makes a mistake is that they compare themselves to others. Acknowledging how you feel and permitting yourself to feel that way is an essential part of the process.
Well, believe it or not, but the impact of a traumatic birth can often be underestimated or misjudged. Traumatic childbirth and developing PTSD can distort your relationship with both your baby as well as your partner. You may feel a spectrum of emotions; being disappointed, being angry or being upset that childbirth was not the experience you were hoping for.
Some people advise that with the journey of motherhood, soon all these beliefs and negative thoughts would be forgotten or replaced. But what if it doesn’t? This is when you need to contact a clinical counselling psychologist in Chennai.
How can a counsellor help with perinatal mental health issues?
If you suffer from a perinatal mental health issue, it is crucial to seek help from a psychotherapist in Chennai. Remember, this is just a phase, and you won’t feel this way forever.
A qualified psychologist in Chennai or a counsellor can give you some private space to vent your feelings or frustrations in a non-judgemental setting. They will illustrate the panic-based reactions and, with time, desensitize the trauma you have encountered. They will be able to offer coping mechanisms and simple relaxation techniques which can help lifelong.
Also, gaining support from different mothers that have had the same experiences can remind you that you are not alone in this.
What should I be looking for in a counsellor or psychotherapist?
There are presently no laws explaining the training and qualifications for a counselling psychologist in Chennai or counsellor to treat pregnancy-related mental issues. This is apart from the standard academic requirements of being a mental health professional.
However, identify with a mental health professional with appropriate treatment experience about numerous mental health hardships during pregnancy or after pregnancy. This includes:
- depression
- stress
- anxiety
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- eating disorders
Counselling with Praveen Saanker
Counselling services provided by Mr Praveen Saanker are part of our “not-for-profit” activities. We do not charge a consulting fee for these support initiatives since they aim to provide aid and relief for truly deserving individuals who otherwise may not have been able to afford these services.
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Mr Praveen, the founder of ‘Vedicology,’ is an internationally renowned scholar on Sanatana Dharma recognised for his knowledge and application of Indian Psychology and Spirituality. Praveen is an expert on combining various Indian and Western psychology traits, Vedic Scriptures, Indian Rites, Rituals, Customs & Traditions, Astrology, Vastu Shastra & Numerology. Aiming to be of the utmost help, Mr Praveen Saanker looks to understand your motivations and aspirations and then provide a solution accordingly. Praveen successfully integrates the principles of Vedas with modern Psychology and Business Management. Mr Praveen Saanker works with family business entrepreneurs and next-generation leaders, advising them on the family constitution and finding a subtle balance between family and business priorities.
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