Facing Postpartum Anxiety and OCD

Lindsay was excited to be a new mom, but her feelings of joy and love were instantly overshadowed by postpartum anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Having built a career in radio, Lindsay was a confident, professional problem solver. She quickly realized, though, that the crippling stream of worries going through her mind was something she couldn’t fight on her own.

“I would just try to suppress the thoughts… but I knew I needed professional help. I didn’t know what was happening to me,” she says.

Lindsay finally felt relief when she received prescribed medication and professional therapy. It took time for her to understand that she could receive healing from Jesus Christ, too, even though she believed her health issues were bigger than His love and sacrifice.

“I know now that there’s no problem too big or too small that the Savior can’t fix,” she says.

Download the Mormon Channel App

Follow Mormon Channel

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[kshixson]

Not an expert, but I got a psych degree for my undergrad, and from my understanding, postpartum depression is one of the most severe mental health issues a person can experience. What a wonderful video from the Church to let these mothers know that the Lords works through our family, friends, and medical professionals. No one can do it alone.

[miriammcgee]

We as mom's need more videos like this that bring to light the private isolating struggles we face. As mother's in the church we know how crucial our roles are, and the depth​ of the feeling of failure and guilt associated with not filling that role to the fullest is overwhelming. It feels shameful to admit it, and therefore easy to conceal and carry alone. We need to be able to say these things out loud to someone and feel like we can get the help we need. thank you for the video.

[joshuacotton]

I'm a Church member with OCD/anxiety, it took a long time to learn to channel that energy into positive things consistently. Without guidance of the Spirit I don't know if I would have overcome it

[Starannify]

Someone who has also felt the broken warning system that is OCD! I have had similar thoughts that refused to let up. It made me wonder if I was a bad person, since I had no desire to hurt myself or others. Took me to realize my brain was giving faulty, repetitive warnings. It took time, medicine, and training (I had to let the thoughts go and not emotionally react to them or dwell on them, which was and is really hard) to ease the disorder that seems pretty much subdued for me at this point in my life.

Compulsion disorders highly vary, but most people seem to only think of people who either 1. Obsessively wash or clean or 2. Have to repeat something over and over. Compulsion disorders include obsessive picking at hair, your brain making a broken warning to not harm yourself or others when you have no inclination or have already taken note of your brain making the warning, and many other varieties of compulsion disorder. People who have these thoughts are actually harmless since the brain is making faulty, and often unceasing, warnings against things we have no desire to do, or making unceasing warnings of making sure to do something or something really bad will happen (OCD: "Make sure to relock that door 5 times to be sure!" "Don't tolerate a speck of dirt, or else!"). (I got that descriptive term "broken warning system" from an informative site I don't remember.)

[Lowebotz]

We aren't alone! It's comforting for me to see in the comments how many people are struggling with the same thing I am.

Thankyou for sharing your story.

[shannonshaw]

I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years now and, even though I'm not a mother, I can so relate to this. Thank you so much for sharing your story!!

[yellowladybug]

I had a baby five months ago, and just this week met with a therapist to get help with postpartum anxiety and depression. This is just what I needed to want to keep going. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can overcome. Thank you!

[SusanDianeHowell]

How I connected to this! I had my first baby at age 42. Life happens in mysterious ways. My identity was to evolve from a major market career woman to a mom. I was confused about my new role. My life, as I knew it, had changed...and I changed and developed a new depth. I discovered a lot about myself through the eyes of a child. The Light comes.

[capitol._reef]

I have OCD and anxiety too, and while I wish I could not have it, it is there. When I would have an intrusive thought about something bad, I used to think that thinking it meant I wanted to do it, and that I was a sinner. I then because anxious and that prevented me from feeling happy, so I thought even more that I had sinned somehow and I can never fix it. Thankfully, every night I prayed and cried for help. And even though I still have anxiety, it is soooo much better, and I know that my recent move to another state, plus getting therapy and medication was all for the best.

[justinewhitney]

This is my story too. I have always had OCD but I never understood that's what it was until my son was born and I became terrified I would hurt him. Thank you for sharing this. Every day is a struggle but I'm grateful to know I'm not alone.

[brittanyworrall]

really needed this. no coincidence right there as i just had a baby 3 weeks ago and have been suffering a lot of anxiety and depression and baby blues the lat week.

[AmberLee-plnz]

Beautiful honesty! Thank you for having the courage to share! I've had severe postpartum anxiety too and could relate to your experiences. Help is available through medication others support therapy etc and over time we can be whole again. One of the biggest moments of peace I had, having suffered severely after all three of my children, came as a impression that god did not want me to hold on any longer to the guilt I felt for the time I essentially lost with all of my babies and children because of my mental struggle, but that he was aware of what I had gone through and instead wanted me to focus on the joyful times I was able to be present with my children as they grew and I entered Into a more emotionally whole state Thank you again for sharing! It's so powerful to know your not alone when this onsets as a young mother.

[jazwar]

thank you for your courage, you will help so many through these things!

[NicksMagicstorytime]

I'm glad she found help, whether it was human or divine. Happy Mother's Day.

[Choosefaithnotfear]

Yes, this! And the dark thoughts are terrifying. When I finally after two years realized I needed help.

[BloodlessKills]

This helped a lot as someone who is having a hard time getting a grip on my ocd and anxiety before my mission this couldn't have been more perfect timing.

[alexavandongen]

We need more videos like this about OCD and other mental health issues from the church. Real member's stories. The harsh realities. Completely vulnerable and relatable.

[amyl]

Thanks for sharing this! I struggle with intrusive thoughts too, and this video was very relatable. The Gospel and getting professional help has really helped me a lot.

[gingerdurbin]

Ohhhh.. you phrased the feelings of postpartum depression so perfectly. Before I experienced postpartum depression I was a "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" kind of girl. I really thought women claiming to suffer from mental disorders we're trying to get attention. Oh boy, did I get put in my place by the time my fifth child came along. By the time she was six weeks old, I could hardly put 1 foot in front of the other.I have always believed that you could fast, pray, and temple attend your way out of any problem.I had to do all the things I swore I would never do such as medication, counseling etc. It was not cured overnight, but as she stated in this video, time is a healer. 12 years later life is fantastic. But I now have much more perspective when someone is suffering with depression which has helped me in different callings in the church. I especially try to keep my eyes open our young mothers when they start to get that "drowning" look in their eyes.

[brookiebakerie]

Thank you. I've had pretty severe PPD with every pregnancy. It is so hard to deal with! We need more awareness. And it needs to not be such a "shameful" thing. It's NOT shameful, but the thoughts tell us it is, and to a certain degree, so does society. It's a good thing to bring it out into the open and examine it in the light so we can see it for what it is.