Tag Archives: peer support

#PPDChat: 02.29.16: The Great Medication Debate

PPDChat 2-29-16No, we’re not going to tell you if you should medicate or not. But we will be discussing the various methods women use to treat their Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders. Everything from natural to pharmaceutical medication. The methods vary just as greatly as the women who end up in battle with a Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder. Yet, many of these women still find themselves judged for whatever method they choose. You know what? It’s all about finding what WORKS for you, not what works for those around you and makes them feel better. They’re not the ones inside your heads.

Please join me tomorrow evening for this chat. We’ll let it all hang out – vent away about any judging you have received, how stigma may or may not have kept you away from a certain method, or what kind of surprising support you received – we’ll be there to hear ALL of it. Because in the end, we’re all just moms who want to get back to living and loving our lives.

See you on Twitter at 8pm ET, y’all!

#PPDChat 02.01.16: NICU & Mental Health

NICU PPD February

My second daughter spent 21 days in the NICU. 21 long days. We had no idea there was an issue prior to her birth so the complications which arose were a complete shock. To go from expectations of a typical normal birth experience to one which involved a lengthy hospital stay and separation threw me for a total curve. The emotional roller coaster was not one I anticipated.

Tonight, we will discuss the emotional upheaval which occurs within families who spend time in the NICU, how parents can care for themselves, how NICU parents often delay treatment, and the crushing guilt which crashes down upon us in addition to any mental health challenges we are facing. We’ll also discuss knowing the difference between NICU stress/fatigue and PPD. It’s nuanced, but there is absolutely a difference.

I sincerely hope you will join us tonight at 8pm ET as we open up about the difficulty of navigating the NICU as a parent. See you on Twitter!

#PPDChat 01.11.16: That Pesky Thyroid

PPDChat 01-11-16: That Pesky Thyroid. Join us at 8pm ET on Twitter.Did you know that the thyroid can cause issues that mirror several symptoms of Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders? It absolutely can. But – not a lot of people know it can. This is why tonight’s chat is SO important. I hope you will join us as we discuss the various ways in which the thyroid can cause symptoms which mimic PPD, how to deal with them, how to push your doctor to test for them, and why it is important to test for any thyroid issues.

Look forward to seeing you this evening at 8pm ET on Twitter!

 

#PPDChat 01.04.16: Just The Facts – 8pm ET!

ppdchat 01-04-16 8pm ET Just The Facts http://twubs.com/ppdchatNew year, new time, back to just the facts.

#PPDChat moves to 8pm ET for 2016. 9pm is just a smidge too late for everyone, I think. Attendance really dropped off since changing the time so we’re going to try something new for this year.

Tonight, we’re doing what I like to call our “primer” chat – addressing signs and symptoms of Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders. Feel free to join us and hang out to learn all about what to look for not only in yourself but in those around you as well.

Hope to see you there!

#PPDChat 12.07.15: When Disaster Strikes

PPDChat 12-07015It’s been a rough month.

So much has happened. So many lives lost, so many of us not knowing how to respond but knowing that we are affected by what has occurred, even if it doesn’t directly touch our lives. It still winds its way into our hearts, our minds, and it toys with us as we go through our daily lives.

Monday’s chat is open to all – not just moms or families struggling with Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders. This touches all of us.

We’ll be talking about how to protect our mental well being in the face of a crisis, how to support someone who is struggling as a result of a crisis, and how to talk to your kids about it. Most importantly, however, we will be providing a safe politics non-solution focused space for people to simple exhale and let their feelings flow. That said – we will not be discussing anything political or any solutions to the situations which have occurred over the past month. Just us, our feelings, how they’ve affected our daily living, and how to move toward processing them and making a difference in our lives and those around us. That’s it.

I sincerely hope you will join me on Monday evening at 9pm for this very important chat. See you then.