This is a sponsored post by me on behalf of Lifescript.com. All opinions are authentic and my own. Please see my disclosure policy.
Are You Feeling Depressed, Mama? You’re Not Alone!
I have never been ashamed to let people know that I live with depression and anxiety. I was diagnosed six years ago when my first child, Sawyer, was 6 months old and I was feeling depressed. At the time, it was labelled Postpartum Depression and medication helped. But I assumed that it would be a non-issue in my life after that postpartum period “expired.” Now after two more pregnancies (and two more beautiful children), many life changes (including a stressful divorce and relocation), and many medication changes, I have come to the realization that it is a condition I will probably be managing my entire life. And that’s okay. I’m okay with that. Because I am NOT ashamed. Instead I connect with other moms who understand, find support in family and friends, and educate myself. I’ll tell you more later about how Lifescript can help with that. But first, let’s here from some real moms who’ve all experienced depression…
8 Tips for Moms Who Are Feeling Depressed (From Moms Who’ve Been There!)
- Don’t Be Ashamed; It’s a Medical Condition – “My advice: do not be ashamed. It is a medical condition like, say, diabetes, for example. Would you be ashamed to seek help for diabetes? Can someone just “snap out of” diabetes? No. Ask for help.” Dawn of Prickly Mom
- Find the RIGHT Kind of Help for YOU – “My advice? Get help, and get the right kind of help. This could mean telling family members or friends to step back if you think they’re too overwhelming. It also means asking for their help if you feel you need them. It means looking for a doctor who could give you meds. It means meeting with friends or just being alone for a while.” Olga of The European Mama (Read more about Olga’s experienece with Depression.)
- Try a Healthier Diet – “I am diagnosed with manic depression as my father was and oddly (or not so oddly) did not have pospartum depression really hit me. However, I remain drug free by adopting a paleo diet and exercising everyday. The exercise in the am gets my endorphins up and the diet keeps inflamation out of my body. It has really helped to keep myself from plopping on the couch. Obviously some days are harder than others but the level of those days is so much easier to think about and deal with when my body has moved and eaten well.” Sarah of Little Bins for Little Hands
- Get Up and Move – “Get up and move. When you’re depressed, it is so easy to stay in bed, get stuck on the couch or spend a gorgeous day hiding indoors. If you can force yourself to get up and take a walk, exercise or just complete one task, it will brighten your outlook and allow you to shed the guilt of being unproductive that often comes with feeling depressed.” Krissy of KZ and Me
- Communicate About It – “Communicate about it: trusted friend, spouse, trusted family member, trusted doctor. It is important to talk and not hide it inside yourself. Ask for help to take care of your baby if you are feeling depressed – there WILL be someone who can help. PPD support groups are great.” Varya of Creative World of Varya
- Meditate or Pray – “Meditate or pray. Get your mind off your own thoughts. And do any kind of exercise. Only eat healthy food…. trouble is, being depressed, all these things seem very hard to do. But if you do them, you will feel better. But there’s nothing like actual help from a doctor who truly knows about depression. It is not feeling sad. It is an overall ‘low’ that seems insurmountable.” MaryAnn F. Kohl, Art Book Author
- Talk to a Professional – “TALK about it! Make sure you tell someone how you are feeling. Sharing your feelings with someone who cares about you can really help. And I STRONGLY recommend talking to a professional about your symptoms. Depression makes you feel like there is NO answers, NO help, and NO way out … but there really is. If you feel that way remember that it is the depression talking. Having depression does not mean that you are weak or crazy … it means that the chemicals in your brain are off balance and that you need some way to level them out again.” Laura of PlayDrMom
- Educate Yourself! – “When I was feeling depressed 6 months after having my first child, I assumed that it couldn’t be PPD because I was 6 months postpartum. My midwife helped me to realize that the symptoms of PPD can occur even that long after birth. I wish that I had done more research and educated myself about depression sooner.” Krissy of B-Inspired Mama
Lifescript Can Help When You’re Feeling Depressed!
As so many of the moms above mentioned, it’s vital to remember that depression is a medical condition and to educate yourself about it as much as possible. Even if you’re just feeling depressed and aren’t sure what the problem is, Lifescript’s Depression Health Center is a great place to start. It’s comprehensive (but not difficult to read), written by professionals and health writers, and covers not only depression, but also postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and more!
Some Articles from Lifescript that Might Help If You’re Feeling Depressed:
- A Woman’s Guide to Depression from Lifescript.com
- Is It New-Mom Blues or Postpartum Depression? from Lifescript.com
- Parenting Tips for Mothers With Depression from Lifescript.com
Lifescript’s Depression Health Center features tips, quizzes, recipes and articles – all by professional health writers, experts and physicians – covering postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, how to boost your mood with exercise and more. Please visit the Lifescript Health Center on depression for more information.
And to check out this free website, click here!
This is a sponsored post by me on behalf of Lifescript.com.
Have you ever experienced feeling depressed as a mom? What are your best tips? Share in the comments below!
Parenting with Mental Illness Blog Carnival:
Andie from Crayon
Freckles explores how living with bipolar disorder affects motherhood and the
perceptions of those around her. She also shares what she’s doing to
combat the stigma that mental illness carries. Find more from Andie on her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Krissy, a work-at-home
mama of 3, shares her experience with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety and
offers 8 Tips (compiled from other moms who manage depression) for Moms Who Are
Feeling Depressed. Find more from Krissy on her blog, Facebook, and Pinterest.
PlayDrMom, Laura
Hutchison, PsyD, LP, RPT/S, shares her personal story about her lifetime
struggle with depression spanning childhood through parenthood. She hopes
that with her post others may recognize similarities in their own lives (or the
lives of their children) and not feel alone or helpless in their own
struggles. She also writes a guest post on A Healthier Michigan about the
importance of talking about mental illnesses in hopes to help end the
stigma. With openness of discussing the subject people will feel more
comfortable with seeking help and continuing treatment.
Depression During and After Pregnancy: One Mum’s Story
The mum of four beautiful children from What to Do With the Children, shares her experiences her heart-breaking struggles
with antepartum and post-partum depression. Find more from her on Facebook.
Parenting, Depression and PTSD
Catherine writes on her sister’s blog about parenting a toddler and baby as a mother with depression and PTSD, including steps she takes to cope.
Attachment Parenting for Introverts
Can an introverted,
anxious, depressed mom still practice Attachment Parenting? Believe it or not,
with the right amount of planning and forethought, it might actually be
possible. Find more from Prickly Mom on her blog, Facebook, and Pinterest.
I’m Ready to Share: Mental Illness and Parenting
Erin from RoyalBaloo.com talks about mental illness, how it effects her as a
parent, and what parenting with mental illness means to her. She
discusses some common myths regarding Bipolar and gives advice to what to
say/not to say to a parent with mental illness. Erin is a mother to 3
boys who blogs about parenting and their homeschooling journey. Find more
from her on her blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Google +.
Leave a Reply