I Wish I Knew About Postpartum OCD When It Happened to Me
What I've learned about the effects—and treatments—for postpartum OCD.
Posted June 21, 2024 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
Thirty-three years ago, I had my firstborn and knew nothing about something terrible happening to me. Postpartum disorders had not yet made it into the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (a.k.a. bible) of Mental Disorders , so what I was experiencing essentially didn’t exist. I was a nurse-midwife, but I was terrified. Thoughts of poking my newborn in the eye with something sharp, or dropping her, intruded unbidden into mind, hitting me as I unloaded the dishwasher or climbed the stairs. I was too horrified to mention these thoughts to my care provider.
Three years later, I had my second child. The anxiety and intrusive images grew worse (as they tend to do over subsequent pregnancies, worsening like any illness over time). This time, I did mention it, and my nurse-midwife tried to reassure me, not shaming or alarming me, but she knew no more about reproductive psych disorders than I did. I didn’t find help for two more years.
Gratefully, perinatal OCD—more often known as postpartum OCD (though it can also begin in pregnancy )—is now a known entity. Yet just because the name is known doesn’t mean it’s well understood. Here’s everything I wish I’d known then. Pass it on to anyone it could help!
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Diane Solomon is a Harvard-trained writer, Yale-trained nurse-midwife, and Oregon Health & Sciences University-trained psychiatric nurse practitioner and Ph.D.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.