Identifying Antenatal Anxiety

July 14th, 2021 | Blog, Pregnancy

If you find yourself in a constant state of worry, stress, or you’re on edge most of the time, you may have Antenatal Anxiety.

Antenatal Anxiety is more than being anxious about a particular situation. You will know the difference when you cannot control feelings of stress as quickly as you would like, or those feelings are excessive and come on without a specific reason.

Its symptoms can be sudden and intense, or you can experience them gradually. Once you’ve seen a change in your behavior, seek treatment because Antenatal Anxiety can worsen if not treated. Antenatal Anxiety may cause you to develop one or more of the following symptoms during pregnancy:

Social phobia

Social Phobia is where you become worried about being criticized or humiliated in public. It’s perfectly normal to feel some level of anxiety in particular social situations. A date or giving a public address are common examples of situations that cause butterflies in your stomach and the feeling of worry. But with social phobia, common everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, self-consciousness, and embarrassment because you fear being scrutinized or judged negatively by others.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD may manifest itself in you finding a hard time relaxing based on traumatic events from your past. With PTSD, you may even have nightmares that cause you to lose sleep. Many people associate PTSD with military veterans and those who experienced significant trauma, but it can occur from a wide range of causes, including pregnancy.

Generalized Anxiety

Generalized anxiety refers to the feeling that every day for you is an anxiety-filled day; there are no specific circumstances that contribute; you wake up feeling anxious about everything. It is important to acknowledge that while there is no specific cause to this form of anxiety, that does not mean that it “made up” or “irrational.”

Panic Disorder

Shortness of breath, chest pains, and dizziness can be symptoms of Panic Disorder, especially when you feel overwhelmingly anxious. Many who experience panic attacks have a different stimulus that causes the attack. Listen to your body and talk to your friends and family. Avoiding the stimulus and having supportive friends around when the stimulus occurs can be invaluable.

Summary

Many expectant mothers with Antenatal Anxiety can also become exposed to antenatal depression. It is essential to seek help when you notice changes as there are safe ways to treat you for Anxiety and depression during your pregnancy. It is very easy to think that “it’s all in your head” and you just need to “tough it out”, but don’t disregard the help that therapy and professional help can provide. And simply talking to your friends and family about what you’re going through has been shown to be one of the best methods for easing and managing Antenatal Anxiety.

In addition, some forms of relaxation therapy, such as yoga and breathing exercises, are a popular treatment method that will improve mental health for mommy and keep the baby safe. Be honest with those around you, don’t suffer in silence. Anxiety during pregnancy is common, so do not be afraid to get treatment.

Here at Three Lollies we spend much of our time working to help you overcome physical issues you might experience during pregnancy, but we’ve noticed that all too often the mental issues that arise are overlooked, forgotten, or ignored.

More Info:

https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/anxiety/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26650969/

https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/during-pregnancy/symptoms-of-antenatal-anxiety-and-depression