New Person...Different Story...seriously!

[Flush Hunter]

I do not have Anxiety issues...however my wife does.

We've recently had a beautiful baby boy. It should be an amazing time for both my wife and I but sadly there not. My wife has been diagnosed with a pretty severe case of Postpartum Anxiety.

I believe she's always a had a little OCD when it comes to cleaning and has always had a little bout of anxiety and is a little controlling. Both things I can look past...who doesn't like a clean house. ; )

However since her labor the Anxiety has escalated to what it is now... insufferable. We are all suffering, our new son included. She's seeking help in the form of therapy and there is the talk of drugs. The reason I am here is to look for tools to work with her now and in the future. As she is very emotional at the moment she is very hard to manage and or talk too. So while I may be a member of this forum I will probably mostly lurk in the back ground and ask the odd question? Is it O.K. for someone to join that doesn't have anxiety?

Hope that's cool...I'm just looking to help the ones I love.

[02Batmobile]

I think you will learn more elsewhere. There's jus' so much about anxiety, both physically and emotionally, that it'll be hard to "teach" you about over these brief sentences we all include. I'd do some reading, research and purchase the book entitled, "Talking to Anxiety." It's a good read and gives you a lot of insight as to what we feel and what you can do to help us get through it. There's also a section on what you shouldn't do. My recommendation is to seek Cognitive-Behavioral therapy first. Don't worry, about the post-partum depression, it will fade away but the anxiety might linger for awhile. It is important to change her thinking patterns. Our thinking patterns alone cause the anxiety. While bodily symptoms might trigger a heightened response, it is our mind's reaction to it that causes fear and panic. Change her thinking pattern by thinking rationally with her and changing her thought to a more positive thought. Keep her distracted as we tend to think and think and over-analyze which creates more anxiety. Have her do exercise as it produces serotonin which elevates mood. I would also do breathing exercises to calm her down. Contact me if I could be of more help. Oh and get out if she is locking herself up in her room.

[02Batmobile]

Also keep in mind that anxiety is one of the most treatable conditions out there. There has been hundreds of celebrities who have battled anxiety and made it through the other side. Do a search on celebrities with anxiety to give her hope when she is feeling hopeless. Another good book is a book called, "From Panic to Power" by Lucinda Bassett.

Good Luck!

[Flush Hunter]

"I think you will learn more elsewhere"

I hope that doesn't mean you want me to leave. I wouldn't have known any of those things that you just told me if I hadn't joined the forum. Thanks for the info and I'll look into those books. I was looking at a bunch of books online but you never know which ones to buy...I like the fact that one of them has a section on things you shouldn't do.

Your so right about the exercise. We're both, typically, very active people. We've both run a Marathon together and my wife is a full-time fitness instructor. However for the last three months it's bebn a lot of eating what ever we can get in our mouths as we're juggling our baby. He was Collicky, which hasn't helped the situation, but there has been a lot of attention on the baby the last three months and not enough attention on ourselves...or more specifically my wife. I do everything in my power on a daily basis to give her a break and make her leave the house...I think in the future there will just need to be a more conscience effort to eat better, exercise and get some much needed downtime.

[02Batmobile]

Oh, no. I didn't mean it that way. It was late and I guess I couldn't find the right wording or something. I'm just saying not to only look upon this site for insight, help and reference. In this forum, people really only talk about experiences and maybe some insight as to the reasoning behind it. I learned soo much more by other material that I have read and material that my therapist gave me. Do you know what I mean? For instance, I now know why the body reacts the way it does, with increase in sweating, loss of appetite, numbness, dizziness, and so on and so forth. We sweat because our body percieves a threat and signals the fight or flight response and it produces extra sweat so we can become slippery if we need to flee or fight. I know it sounds wierd but that is the reasoning behind it. Our hearts pump more blood because we are preparing our muscles with enough oxygen for fight or flight response. Our bodies shut down our digestive tract because it's a waste of energy in a fight or flight response so we lose our appetites. We become dizzy or feel tingling or numbness in some areas because the heart is pumping blood away from the head or limbs because of our muscles increased need for oxygen. I can go on forever and I am limited to jus' a paragraph or two of knowledge that I believe it is better for you to "look elsewhere". You know what I mean? I am in no way being mean and unsympathetic. Again, let me know if you need anything else!

[Flush Hunter]

No I completely understand....no worries.

My wife is already seeing a psychologist and a therapist. I'll be joining her on the odd occasion. I don't know what for...only because I'm yet to have that explained to me but I can only assume it is so I can better understand what is going on with her and to help me with some tools to talk to her. I look forward to going!

She plans on going to 2-3 yoga classes a week and she's just starting to jog again. We plan to eat better, and I also went and got her some much needed vitamins. She's already taking a multi but I also went and got her a vitamin B complex and some Vitamin D. Also just ordered both books you suggested...they should arrive in the next few days.

Thanks again for your suggestions. I'm really new to therapists, and all that goes along with this...but I'm looking forward to being supportive and learning all I can to help my wife and her relationship with our new born son.

TTYL

[Hummer]

While surfing the internet I found this website. A few years back I wouldn't have dreamed I have this condition called panic attacks. I hate it and I hate the way it has controlled my life. I hope to make many friends here and learn new ways to cope. At least I find I'm not alone. ;)