A mother from King’s Lynn has opened up about her struggles with mental health following the birth of her son and relationship breakdown.
From post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), the young woman, Lauren, has suffered with mental illness throughout her life.
But following the birth of her son, Dexter, she knew she needed support after struggling to leave the house due to anxiety.
With no support system around her, Lauren was put in touch with a volunteer from local charity Home-Start Norfolk to help her to integrate back into the community.
“I was referred to the perinatal team when I was three months pregnant, struggling with my mental health, and had just gone through a relationship breakdown,” she said.
“After having Dexter, I got diagnosed with PTSD. I wouldn’t leave the house due to crippling anxiety and because of my OCD, I couldn’t cope with the mess that came with having a child.
“If it wasn’t for Home-Start Norfolk I would have been a totally different mum to my son.”
According to a report from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, problems in the perinatal period – the period of time when a woman becomes pregnant and up to a year after giving birth – affect one in five women, including Lauren.
Now her story has been shared ahead of Maternal Mental Health Week which runs from May 2. As part of Home-Start Norfolk’s week-long campaign, she is encouraging mums to ask for help if they are struggling.
She added: “I got referred to Home-Start Norfolk when Dexter was one. That’s when I met Sylvia, my volunteer.
“Due to the pandemic, we initially talked on the phone and texted each other. Once restrictions eased, we used to meet in the garden and go to the park.
“Sylvia has been amazing, and not just for Dexter. She has been a real support for me too. I know for certain that if it wasn’t for Sylvia, my mental health would have deteriorated. She has done so much and made such a difference to our lives.”
As well as encouraging Lauren to play with Dexter by coming up with activities like painting and baking, Sylvia has also shared coping mechanisms to deal with issues such as mess.
“Sylvia has helped me to find my identity again. She has given me confidence in my parenting ability and had helped me regain my independence.
“I have been through a lot and lost myself along the way but Home-Start Norfolk has been a lifeline for me. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for them.
“It’s still a work in progress but I am now able to take Dexter out on my own, I play games with him, and we love doing little science experiments. I have a lot more patience with him now.
“I would love to become a Home-Start volunteer in the future and give something back. I have completed some courses on mental health and just finished a course to become a peer support volunteer.”
As well as raising awareness of maternity mental health issues, Home-Start Norfolk offers clinical services and confidential peer support via a network of trained volunteers.
The charity’s service manager, Natalie Spurdens, said it was more important than ever to highlight the struggles mums face.
“There is still a real stigma around talking openly about parental mental health,” she said.
“We would love to encourage mums who are finding things difficult to take the brave decision to reach out for support.
“Parenting is hard. It can be wonderful but it can also be lonely and frustrating. That is why Home-Start Norfolk is ready to stand alongside families when they need us most with compassionate, non-judgemental support.”
The Maternal Mental Health Week campaign has been running for eight years and is dedicated to talking about mental health problems during and after pregnancy.
- For more information visit the website https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/news/maternal-mental-health-awareness-week-2022/
- To find out how to access support from Home-Start Norfolk visit the website https://homestartnorfolk.org/
- If you need help and support, call NHS 111 and select option 2 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Both services are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You can also download the Stay Alive app on Apple & Android.
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