![]() physical harm, such as sore skin from excessive cleaning.impacts on the relationship with your partner, family and friends.impacts on the attachment and bond between parent and baby.having less physical time or emotional space to spend with your baby or child.Some common impacts of perinatal OCD include: Perinatal OCD affects different parents in different ways, which means the impact on day-to-day life and parenting will be unique. Hormones may be an issue for some, while for other parents a traumatic event may play a part (Miller and Brock, 2017 Payne and Osborne, 2020). A number of additional risk factors could make you more likely to develop perinatal OCD. OCD can affect anyone at any time of life but pregnancy or birth appears to trigger perinatal OCD in some people. personality traits, such as being meticulous or having high personal standards.life events, such as having been bullied, abused or neglected.having differences in the brain, such as areas of high activity or low levels of a chemical called serotonin.Research shows there is a higher chance of developing perinatal OCD through: It is unclear exactly what causes OCD but there are some biological, personal experience and personality risk factors (Payne and Osborne, 2020). repeatedly asking others to tell you that everything is alright with your baby or your parenting.repeatedly checking your baby throughout the night to ensure they are breathing.washing or sterilising your baby’s items repetitively/excessively.having an image or a thought of harming your baby.an intense fear that something your baby uses, such a bottle or toy, is contaminated by germs.After the baby is born, fears around deliberately harming the baby may lead to avoidance of particular tasks, or mental rituals to try to cancel out negative thoughts (Challacombe and Wroe, 2013). In pregnancy, fears around accidentally harming the baby may lead to compulsions, such as excessive hand washing or restricting diet. When OCD occurs in the perinatal period, symptoms might be focused on the baby and parenting. The compulsive behaviour temporarily relieves the anxiety, but the obsession and anxiety soon return, causing the cycle to start again. Examples include: repeatedly checking a door is locked, repeating a specific phrase in your head or repeatedly checking how your body feels (Mind, 2020). Compulsions – repetitive activities undertaken to reduce the anxiety or feelings caused by the obsessions.Intense feelings of anxiety, guilt or depression caused by these obsessive thoughts (Mind, 2020).Examples include an intense fear that something is contaminated by germs or dirt, or having pictures repeatedly coming into your mind about accidentally or deliberately harming your baby (RCPsych, 2018). Obsessions – when unwelcome and often upsetting, persistent thoughts, images or urges, appear in the mind again and again.Perinatal OCD can affect people in different ways but it tends to have three main parts: What are the signs and symptoms of perinatal OCD? It is common to experience OCD alongside other mental health conditions, such as depression, eating disorders and anxiety (Challacombe and Wroe, 2013 O’Hara and Wisner, 2014 Fairbrother et al, 2016). In pregnancy, the rate of OCD may be as high as 5%, and postnatally 9%, with rates of OCD similar in men and women (Walker et al, 2021). In the general population, about 1% to 3% of people have OCD (NICE, 2018a). Other people find OCD starts more gradually (RCPsych, 2018). But for some, pregnancy and birth has no impact on their OCD or can even improve symptoms.įor OCD that starts after a baby is born, some people find it can come on very suddenly in the days or weeks after the birth (RCPsych, 2018). When parents experience OCD in pregnancy or in the first year following birth, it’s called perinatal OCD.įor people who already had OCD, around a third find that pregnancy and childbirth can make it worse. It typically causes particular patterns of behaviour or thoughts, often characterised by obsessions and compulsions (NHS, 2019a). ![]() OCD is a mental health disorder that affects people in different ways. ![]() They can also worsen existing OCD symptoms to the point where they interfere with quality of life (RCPsych, 2018). But for some parents, these worries can trigger perinatal obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or other mental health issues. It‘s normal for any parent to worry about their baby’s wellbeing and to be more careful about avoiding risks during pregnancy and after the birth. Having a baby brings many changes to a parent’s life and some of these changes can be stressful.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |