Feeling Depressed, Mama?

This is a sponsored post by me on behalf of Lifescript.com. All opinions are authentic and my own. Please see my disclosure policy.

This post was written as a contribution to the Perfectly Imperfect: Parenting with Mental Illness Blog Carnival. The participating bloggers are sharing their experiences, thoughts, and opinions on how living with mental illness affects their daily lives and parenting practices.

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:

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!

Read other posts from the Perfectly Imperfect:
Parenting with Mental Illness Blog Carnival:

the bipolar mom

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.