Suicide Awareness Month and Maternal Mental Health: How to Get Help
September is known as National Suicide Prevention Month or Suicide Awareness Month. This recognition first began in 2008 to raise awareness and connect those who are struggling to prevention resources. Part of bringing awareness to suicide is also acknowledging that maternal mental health can be related to suicide.
Many mothers experience the traumatic effects of intrusive or scary thoughts that can show up after giving birth. This can be a difficult time given that during pregnancy, an expectant mother spends all this time preparing for the arrival of a child and then suddenly becomes faced with thoughts she would never have imagined. Unfortunately, this story is all too common, especially for those mothers who experience suicidal thoughts or ideations.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, it's time to seek help. Many mothers fear if they admit that they have scary thoughts, then their new baby will be taken away from them. This couldn't be further from the truth. Learn how you can get the help you need instead of suffering in silence. Suicide awareness means bringing hope to those who don't know where to turn.
5 Tips for Suicide Awareness and Maternal Mental Health
Discover some tips for suicide awareness and maternal mental health. The steps you take now to help yourself through this challenging time will benefit your mental health as a whole.
Reach Out to Your Doctor
The first line of defense is almost always contacting your doctor to ask for help. This means being honest about what you are feeling and sharing the recent things that have been happening in your life. For moms, this means sharing how old your baby is so that your doctor can understand other factors that may need to be considered.
Your doctor can then refer you to a specialist, whether that be a therapist or someone who can analyze your blood work to discover if there are any areas that need improvement. Sometimes, depression and suicide awareness begin with understanding what is happening to your body internally in order to prescribe the best treatment method.
Seek a Therapist
A maternal mental health therapist is a great person to reach out to if you are struggling with scary thoughts. As a therapist, one thing that I hear pretty often about moms experiencing these scary thoughts is that clients have been having them for a while. These moms knew they were scary, but they didn’t want to tell anyone because they were so afraid they were going to be admitted or their new baby would be taken away.
I reinforce to my clients that my job is to evaluate for safety first. If a mom knows that these are just thoughts and they are scary to her and she has no plan or means to act on them, then there is no imminent threat. Admission to an inpatient facility or removing the child is really the last resort. My first goal is to help, which means keeping baby and mom together as long as it is safe.
Medication (Optional)
Medication is an option to help treat suicidal thoughts in mothers. This kind of medication is usually prescribed for depression and/or anxiety, which can often correlate to those scary thoughts. However, medication is optional. It is up to you as the patient to decide if you want to pursue the medication route.
Some patients have discovered that medications really work for them while others may feel like medication makes things worse. It's important to discuss all of the available options and understand any side effects before deciding on the right medication for you.
Find a Support Group
Support groups are a great way to feel like you are in good company. Yes, a support group might share many of the same thoughts and feelings, such as suicide. However, when you are in a group of others who understand what you are experiencing, it helps you feel less lonely.
Many moms think negatively of themselves, which often leads them to believe that they are the only mom who is struggling with intrusive thoughts or ideations. However, there are many moms who face this same struggle. A support group can give you that encouragement, support, and the resources you may need during this challenging time.
Talk About It
The most important thing you can do for suicide awareness is talk about it. Sometimes it doesn't matter who you talk to as long as you aren't keeping it hidden within yourself. Talking is a way of healing. It is also part of helping you not feel alone in your struggles.
In addition, if you bring suicide awareness to those around you by talking about it, you break down the taboo that is associated with this topic. Suicide awareness creates opportunities for people to learn, grow, and heal.
Therapy is Key in Suicide Awareness and Maternal Mental Health
There is more to suicide awareness than just reading about it. In order to have a positive change in your maternal mental health, you have to take action. It can be scary to admit that you are experiencing intrusive thoughts or suicidal ideations. However, letting those thoughts cloud your mind and take over your mental health is not beneficial.
The key to successfully overcoming difficulties in your maternal mental health is to seek therapy. You can quickly set up a free consultation with me by clicking here. My name is Cheryl Reeley LCSW, MS, PMH-C and I help women navigate the uncertain path to a happy family. Learn more about me here.
Your mental health is important. Let's partner together to help you through this journey. All it takes is 15 minutes to make a change. Schedule your 15-minute conversation with me now and we can make a plan of action to get you on the right path to healing.