Managing Depression, Anxiety & Stress During Pregnancy: Resources & Coping Strategies

Question
I think I may be experiencing depression and some anxiety due to extreme stress. It's a hard to break habit I learned from my mom. I'm almost 2 months pregnant and I've been ''researching'' on Google about possible symptoms and reasons. I don't have a doctor because of my lack of income and insurance. I have no way to buy anything other than food. I was wondering if you could suggest any ways to alleviate it. I've thought about yoga or simply walking around. I was hoping you could suggest other things as well, though. Thanks so much.

Answer
One of the hallmarks of stress and anxiety is circular thinking. Our brains go round and round on the same negative thoughts, which creates more stress, which perpetuates the cycle. It's a hard habit to break.

I came from a very high anxiety family with a mom who had panic attacks, communicated negatively, and was psychologically abusive to certain family members, so I've had similar challenges.

Our brains are elastic, we can change our thinking patterns, and this is the key to living a happier, and healthier life. And if you learn this skill, then you will be able to raise your child in a healthier manner than you were raised in.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to exercise and mood. Fitness walking is good. You'll need to get your heart rate up, so you're working at a level you feel is "somewhat difficult." With this method, it will take about 20 to 30 minutes to elevate mood. Fitness walking with a friend would be a good idea too.

Yoga is good for stress, though classes may not be in your budget.

What really changed my life was learning how to mediate. Perhaps you could learn some techniques from the internet, and teach yourself some basic meditation techniques. There's also a lot of info on the web about changing mental habits that might be of use to you.

To kick down an anxiety attack, sit quietly and repeat a positive message, one that has truth and meaning in your life, over and over. This replaces the negative self-talk with positive, and will help you stop the cycle of stress and anxiety.

You should give yourself credit for recognizing that you are experiencing depression and anxiety and for starting on the path to finding solutions. If means you are already on your way to better health.