Alissa
pnda
Each day I read the real stories on Gidget Foundation Australia's website. It was the only thing that gave me hope that one day I might recover.
I had my dream job - a role I thrived in until I reached the career crossroad that is motherhood.
When my eldest daughter was five months old, I fell pregnant with my son. I went back to work when I was 20 weeks pregnant, and cried most days. After 8 weeks I was back on maternity leave.
From the moment I gave birth to my second child, my anxiety was debilitating. Small tasks overwhelmed me, and when a close friend lost her battle with cancer, I crashed into a deep, dark depression.
I lost my appetite, this went on for years, my soul had left my body. My weight plummeted. I looked and felt incredibly unwell. I was high functioning even through my darkest days, but the inner turmoil was truly excruciating. It felt like a nightmare that I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life.
I started seeing a psychologist and was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder but therapy and medication alone weren't enough. I read the real stories on Gidget Foundation Australia’s website, as it was the only thing that gave me any hope that one day I might recover.
Perinatal depression and anxiety almost killed me, but it also strengthened me to be the most resilient person I have ever been. There is hope.