OCD Awareness Week
This week, October 12-18, is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Awareness Week.
Did you know that….
The prevalence of maternal OCD ranges from:
7.8% during pregnancy to 16.9% during the postpartum period.
What are signs of Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Obsessions, also called intrusive thoughts, which are persistent, repetitive thoughts or mental images related to the baby.
These thoughts are very upsetting and not something the parent has ever experienced before.
Compulsions, where the parent may do certain things over and over again to reduce their fears and obsessions.
This may include things like needing to clean constantly, check things many times, count or reorder things.
Other symptoms that can be present in Perinatal OCD include:
A sense of horror about the obsessions (because these thoughts are ego-DYSTONIC - meaning something the parent would *never* act upon).
Fear of being left alone with the infant
Hypervigilance in protecting the infant
Parents with postpartum OCD know that their thoughts are bizarre and are very unlikely to ever act on them.
AND did you know…
Nearly 100% of new parents experience intrusive thoughts in postpartum.
Even though it is very common to have these thoughts, no one wants to admit they have them in fear of rejection by others.
If you are reading this and identify with any of these thoughts above, you are not alone.
Or, if you are reading this and horrified by the content, I want to emphasize that just because a person has these thoughts does *not* mean they have any intention or desire to act on these thoughts.
Thoughts *do not* necessarily equal action, nor are they facts or predictions of the future.
One of the most important things I learned in my perinatal mental health training is, in brain studies done on those with intrusive thoughts, results showed that the part of the brain that lights up when people have intrusive thoughts is the *protective* part of the brain.
When I heard that fact, it blew my mind, and it made so much more sense for me to see intrusive thoughts as a potential *symptom* of a mental health condition, or even stress, rather than a character flaw.
If you are having intrusive thoughts, or know someone else who is, and are concerned about the content and frequency of the thoughts, or *do* notice intent to act upon your thoughts, *please* reach out for help.
Research has shown that therapy can be an effective treatment, even more so when combined with medication, if necessary (although, it is important to rule out bipolar disorder before taking SSRIs).
I hope that this post can open up the opportunity for more dialogue around this topic, and for others to feel more safe to share their own stories.
If this topic resonates with you, please check out the book that this picture is from: Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts, by Karen Kleiman.
If you are feeling like you experienced, or are experiencing, perinatal anxiety…
You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be well.
Call or text Postpartum Support International HelpLine at 800-944-4773. You never need a diagnosis to ask for help.
Download the Connect by PSI App
Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262
In a crisis situation, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988
