Michelle2's sister played an important role in making sure she received the right help after being discharged.
Transcript
My mom just being here. Even if I was here and to her looking OK, it was so much – I felt so much better to just have that presence and to have that company. I just wasn’t alone. And then my sister was huge in pushing through the system. Because we didn’t know how to navigate through the system. And I didn’t know, and she pulled in all her favours from friends of hers. And even getting me into the program after being discharged. She found out about that and she said we will be back. What’s the number? And just kept pushing and pushing. And then also during these appointments she would look after my baby. Or make sure that I got to all of them. Because a lot of the appointments were a two hour drive away.
More from: Michelle 2
More content
- Coping with Perinatal Mental Health – Michelle2Exercise, getting outside and taking vitamin D made a huge difference for Michelle2.
- Medication and Treatment Approaches – Michelle2 (clip 2)Michelle2 finally slept once in hospital and on anti-psychotic medications.
- Medication and Treatment Approaches – Michelle2Michelle2 was reassured by her doctors that the medications were safe for breastfeeding.
- Seeking and Finding Reliable Information – Michelle2Using social media helped Michelle2 to find information and think about her own condition and how she was handling it.
- Work, Finances and Mental Health – Michelle2For Michelle2, not going back to work was not an option; she needed to work to maintain her mental health.
- Support from Family and Friends – Michelle2Michelle2's sister played an important role in making sure she received the right help after being discharged.
- Stigma and Feeling Judged – Michelle2Michelle2 didn't want to go to the hospital as she didn't want her coworkers and friends to find out.
- Symptoms – Michelle2Michelle2 experienced intrusive thoughts and continued to get increasingly worse until a psychosis set in.
- First Symptoms – Michelle2For the first three months after giving birth, Michelle2 felt great, but then she began experiencing sleep issues and her mental health started to decline.
- Before and During Pregnancy – Michelle2After mental health issues with her first pregnancy, Michelle2 was proactive during the next pregnancy.