It was around six months into my first pregnancy when I realised I needed to do something about my mental health. Looking back, it seems obvious that something was wrong – obsessive compulsions had begun to rule my every moment. Like any other mum, I worried about the safety of my children, as well as my own wellbeing. But eventually, it was taking me four hours to get into bed each night due to compulsions like checking my child’s breathing or temperature.
When I became a mum, I was hit with the overwhelming pressure of caring for a little life that meant everything to me. Often, the advice people give to mums is to ‘trust your instincts’. But when anxiety is peaking, those instinctive thoughts are very closely related to the fearful ones.
