Perinatal Anxiety: When Worry Becomes More Than Worry
Pregnancy and becoming a parent naturally bring new things to worry about.
Is the baby developing normally? What will labor be like? Is the baby eating enough? Sleeping enough? Am I doing this right?
Some worry is understandable. But when worry becomes persistent, difficult to control, or begins interfering with everyday life, it may be something more.
What Is Perinatal Anxiety?
Perinatal anxiety refers to anxiety occurring during pregnancy or after childbirth.
For some women, anxiety begins for the first time during this period. For others, pregnancy or postpartum may trigger the return or worsening of anxiety they have experienced before.
Perinatal anxiety is more than simply “being a worried mom.” It can become significant enough to affect sleep, concentration, relationships, daily functioning, and the ability to feel present.
What Can Perinatal Anxiety Look Like?
Anxiety does not always look like a panic attack.
It may look like:
• Persistent or excessive worry
• Racing or repetitive thoughts
• Difficulty relaxing
• Feeling constantly on edge
• Difficulty sleeping because the mind will not quiet down
• Repeatedly checking on the baby
• Frequently seeking reassurance
• Avoiding situations because of fear or worry
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling as though something bad is going to happen
Anxiety can also show up physically through symptoms such as a racing heart, nausea, dizziness, muscle tension, stomach discomfort, or shortness of breath.
Because pregnancy and postpartum involve significant physical changes, new or concerning physical symptoms should also be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.
When Does Worry Become Something More?
The presence of worry alone does not necessarily mean someone has an anxiety disorder.
What matters is how persistent the anxiety has become and how much it is affecting everyday life.
It may be worth taking a closer look if you find that you cannot redirect your thoughts, spend significant time checking or seeking reassurance, cannot sleep even when given the opportunity, avoid activities because of fear, or feel unable to be present because your mind is constantly focused on what could go wrong.
The frequency, intensity, persistence, and impact of anxiety all matter.
What About Intrusive Thoughts?
Unwanted or distressing thoughts and images can also occur during the perinatal period.
Some women may be afraid to talk about these experiences because they worry about being judged or misunderstood.
Intrusive thoughts do not all mean the same thing clinically. Persistent intrusive thoughts accompanied by significant distress, repetitive checking, avoidance, reassurance seeking, or compulsive behaviors may warrant further evaluation.
When Should You Consider an Evaluation?
You do not have to wait until anxiety becomes unbearable before talking about it.
Consider reaching out when anxiety feels persistent, is becoming increasingly difficult to manage, interferes with sleep or daily functioning, changes your behavior, or simply feels different from your usual level of worry.
A mental health evaluation can help clarify what you are experiencing and determine whether treatment may be helpful.
Perinatal Anxiety Is Treatable
Treatment for perinatal anxiety is individualized and may include psychotherapy, behavioral and lifestyle interventions, additional support, medication when clinically appropriate, or a combination of approaches.
The goal is not to eliminate every worry that comes with pregnancy or motherhood. It is to help anxiety become manageable enough that it no longer controls your daily life.
Maternal mental health includes anxiety, too.
At Trinity Holistic Psychiatry, I provide individualized psychiatric evaluation and treatment for women experiencing anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.