Did you know that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT therapy) is not just for treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
CBT is a great tool to reduce the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety and to prevent and manage stress that comes with learning to be a mom!
Let’s test your knowledge and dig a little about how CBT can be helpful.
Correct! Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) converts our negative emotions to positive ones by changing the style of thinking. It uses our conscious and unconscious beliefs, our attitudes, and our behavior to decrease anxiety and fulfill our goals.
So basically this helps you think in a healthier way. Stopping negative thoughts puts you in a better place to care for yourself, your new baby and handle life's challenges.
Sorry, not this time. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) converts our negative emotions to positive ones by changing the style of thinking. It uses our conscious and unconscious beliefs, our attitudes, and our behavior to decrease anxiety and fulfill our goals.
What are the principles of CBT?
We experience anxiety because we think negatively. Psychological problems are, in part, based on negative thinking.
Negative thinking leads to unhelpful behavior.
We can better cope with negative emotions by learning different strategies. These simple behavioral changes can add quality to our lives.
What may be the strategies involved?
All treatment interventions involve changing the behavior of a person toward a situation by changing your thinking. These treatment strategies may include:
Identifying the misinterpretations and accepting the reality. Say to yourself, This is not what I expected but that is not a problem.
Think differently. Changing the angle from which you are looking towards a situation.
Add flexibility to your schedule instead of being a perfectionist.
False! A study showed that CBT started early after delivery can lower your risk of experiencing postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.
Women who had a high risk of postpartum depression based on their score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were started on CBT on day 2 after delivery. These mothers had an improvement of their EPDS score at 40 days postpartum up till 12 months postpartum!
So, if you have risk factors for postpartum mood or anxiety disorders or you have a higher score on a screening test, CBT can help you!
FALSE!
CBT as a preventive tool can be started during pregnancy. Research shows CBT during pregnancy helps the mothers by:
Improving marital relationships during pregnancy and after birth
Reducing postpartum depression
Coping with duties after the baby has been born
No! Literature review of 33 studies found that self-done CBT helped in the reduction of anxiety. CBT with a therapist tends to be more effective than self-help CBT, but you can still learn how to handle the situation and reframe your thoughts.
Starting out with self-directed CBT?
The best way may be to find a book that resonates with you that is based on research. You should make room to focus on the program and stick to the instructions to get the best benefits. There are also worksheets and plenty of apps that help you with self guided CBT. These self-directed CBT tools will guide you through the steps of :
Identify troubling situations or conditions.
Become aware of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs about these problems.
Identify negative or inaccurate thinking.
Reshape negative or inaccurate thinking.
Think of this as mental exercise! As is the case in any exercise, results take time and practice makes progress!
Give yourself time and go easy on yourself !
Think positively!
Negative emotions can ruin your ability to take control of your life which is very important for new mothers. So try to be optimistic and think differently i.e., positively.
Accept the fact that all mothers have gone through pregnancy and face some difficulty after giving birth to their baby but eventually handle the situation. Try to think that all new moms are feeling the same way you are.
Try to think that all feelings are valid. Don't have guilt about the way you feel. Practice makes progress and the more you work on this the better you will get!
CBT is a great way to learn to handle stress and anxiety and can help prevent postpartum depression and anxiety. Think of CBT as a mental coach to help you function at your best!
This behavior of seeing positivity and hope will not only decrease the anxiety as a new mother but also in other fields of life. Remember you may need to reach out to your healthcare provider or therapist trained in CBT for the most effective results.
MaternalWell text support is available for any general questions or please make an appointment with our pregnancy and postpartum mental health specialist if you need more directed advice.
