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Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What is perinatal anxiety? 

If you experience anxiety while you are pregnant or after giving birth, this may be called: 

  • prenatal or antenatal anxiety – while you are pregnant 
  • postnatal anxiety – during roughly the first year after giving birth 
  • perinatal anxiety – any time from becoming pregnant to around a year after giving birth. 

Lots of people are aware that you can become depressed after having a baby. But many people also experience anxiety during pregnancy and after giving birth. In fact, it is common to experience depression and anxiety together. 

The information on this page is about perinatal anxiety, so it is relevant if you are experiencing either prenatal or postnatal anxiety. It covers: 

  • Signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety 
  • Treatments for perinatal anxiety 
  • Self-care for perinatal anxiety 

If you experience excessive anxiety specifically about childbirth, this is called ‘tokophobia’. Pregnancy charity Tommy’s (based in the UK) has information about tokophobia. 

Signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety 

These are some of the common signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety: 

Effects on your body 

The common effects of perinatal anxiety on your body include: 

  • a churning feeling in your stomach 
  • feeling light-headed or dizzy 
  • pins and needles 
  • feeling restless or unable to sit still 
  • headaches, backache or other aches and pains 
  • faster breathing 
  • a fast, thumping or irregular heartbeat 
  • sweating or hot flushes 
  • finding it hard to sleep, even when you have the chance 
  • grinding your teeth, especially at night 
  • nausea (feeling sick) 
  • needing the toilet more or less often 
  • changes in your sex drive 
  • having panic attacks. 

Effects on your mind 

The common effects of perinatal anxiety on your mind include: 

  • feeling tense, nervous or unable to relax 
  • having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst 
  • feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down 
  • feeling like other people can see you’re anxious and are looking at you 
  • feeling like you can’t stop worrying, or that bad things will happen if you stop worrying 
  • worrying about anxiety itself, for example worrying about when panic attacks might happen 
  • wanting lots of reassurance from other people or worrying that people are angry or upset with you 
  • worrying that you’re losing touch with reality 
  • worrying a lot about things that might happen in the future 
  • rumination – thinking a lot about bad experiences, or thinking over a situation again and again 
  • depersonalisation – feeling disconnected from your mind or body, or like you’re watching someone else (this is a type of dissociation) 
  • derealisation – feeling disconnected from the world around you, or like the world isn’t real (this is a type of dissociation). 

Treatments for perinatal anxiety 

There are various treatments that you may be offered for perinatal anxiety. Your doctor should discuss these options with you, so you can make a decision together about the best treatment for you: 

Talking therapy 

The talking therapy you are most likely to be offered for anxiety is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). 

Your local mental health services may also run specific counselling or group programmes for anxiety. You can speak to your doctor or contact your local services to find out what is available. 

See our pages on talking therapy and counselling for more information. 

Self-help resources 

Your doctor could give you access to online CBT programmes to try yourself. Or they may prescribe self-help books to help you learn to manage your anxiety. 

Medication 

There are several types of medication that can help to manage anxiety. If you have any concerns about taking medication, you can talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes discussing any concerns about taking medication during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. 

See our page on talking to your GP if you’re worried about having this conversation. 

A combination of talking therapy and medication 

You may be offered a combination of a talking therapy and medication. Many people find that taking medication helps them feel stable enough to get the most out of a talking therapy. But others find medication or talking therapies are more helpful on their own. 

If there are long waiting lists for talking therapies in your area, your doctor may recommend that you try an alternative to therapy. These can help you manage your mental health while you are on the waiting list. 

See our page on treatments for anxiety for more information. 

“I was dealing with panic attacks, and distressing thoughts about my baby being better off without me.” 

Self-care for perinatal anxiety 

Experiencing anxiety can feel very overwhelming and leave you struggling to cope with daily tasks and interactions. 

Here are some ideas on how to look after yourself and help yourself cope: 

Try shifting your focus 

If you’re feeling anxious about something right now, try to shift your focus onto something small, like the details of a picture or the texture of something you’re wearing. 

If you can, try to keep your thoughts entirely on this one thing, really taking in all the small details. This can help you take a moment to calm down. 

Learn some breathing exercises 

Controlling your breathing can help with some of the physical sensations of anxiety and help you to relax. There’s an example of a breathing exercise on our page about relaxation. 

Try doing some physical activity 

This can help distract you from any thoughts making you anxious, and also use up some of the anxious energy you might be feeling. 

It doesn’t have to be playing a sport or going to the gym. For example, you might want to go for a walk or do some physical activity around the house, like tidying. 

See our pages on physical activity and your mental health for more ideas. 

Contact specialist organisations 

Charities like OCD and Anxiety Support HK offer support, advice and information for people experiencing anxiety. 

For more ideas, see our page on ways to look after your mental health when becoming a parent.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What is perinatal anxiety? 

What is perinatal anxiety? 

If you experience anxiety while you are pregnant or after giving birth, this may be called: 

  • prenatal or antenatal anxiety – while you are pregnant 
  • postnatal anxiety – during roughly the first year after giving birth 
  • perinatal anxiety – any time from becoming pregnant to around a year after giving birth. 

Lots of people are aware that you can become depressed after having a baby. But many people also experience anxiety during pregnancy and after giving birth. In fact, it is common to experience depression and anxiety together. 

The information on this page is about perinatal anxiety, so it is relevant if you are experiencing either prenatal or postnatal anxiety. It covers: 

  • Signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety 
  • Treatments for perinatal anxiety 
  • Self-care for perinatal anxiety 

If you experience excessive anxiety specifically about childbirth, this is called 'tokophobia'. Pregnancy charity Tommy's (based in the UK) has information about tokophobia. 

Signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety 

These are some of the common signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety: 

Effects on your body 

The common effects of perinatal anxiety on your body include: 

  • a churning feeling in your stomach 
  • feeling light-headed or dizzy 
  • pins and needles 
  • feeling restless or unable to sit still 
  • headaches, backache or other aches and pains 
  • faster breathing 
  • a fast, thumping or irregular heartbeat 
  • sweating or hot flushes 
  • finding it hard to sleep, even when you have the chance 
  • grinding your teeth, especially at night 
  • nausea (feeling sick) 
  • needing the toilet more or less often 
  • changes in your sex drive 
  • having panic attacks. 

Effects on your mind 

The common effects of perinatal anxiety on your mind include: 

  • feeling tense, nervous or unable to relax 
  • having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst 
  • feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down 
  • feeling like other people can see you're anxious and are looking at you 
  • feeling like you can't stop worrying, or that bad things will happen if you stop worrying 
  • worrying about anxiety itself, for example worrying about when panic attacks might happen 
  • wanting lots of reassurance from other people or worrying that people are angry or upset with you 
  • worrying that you're losing touch with reality 
  • worrying a lot about things that might happen in the future 
  • rumination – thinking a lot about bad experiences, or thinking over a situation again and again 
  • depersonalisation – feeling disconnected from your mind or body, or like you're watching someone else (this is a type of dissociation) 
  • derealisation – feeling disconnected from the world around you, or like the world isn't real (this is a type of dissociation). 

Treatments for perinatal anxiety 

There are various treatments that you may be offered for perinatal anxiety. Your doctor should discuss these options with you, so you can make a decision together about the best treatment for you: 

Talking therapy 

The talking therapy you are most likely to be offered for anxiety is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). 

Your local mental health services may also run specific counselling or group programmes for anxiety. You can speak to your doctor or contact your local services to find out what is available. 

See our pages on talking therapy and counselling for more information. 

Self-help resources 

Your doctor could give you access to online CBT programmes to try yourself. Or they may prescribe self-help books to help you learn to manage your anxiety. 

Medication 

There are several types of medication that can help to manage anxiety. If you have any concerns about taking medication, you can talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes discussing any concerns about taking medication during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. 

See our page on talking to your GP if you're worried about having this conversation. 

A combination of talking therapy and medication 

You may be offered a combination of a talking therapy and medication. Many people find that taking medication helps them feel stable enough to get the most out of a talking therapy. But others find medication or talking therapies are more helpful on their own. 

If there are long waiting lists for talking therapies in your area, your doctor may recommend that you try an alternative to therapy. These can help you manage your mental health while you are on the waiting list. 

See our page on treatments for anxiety for more information. 

"I was dealing with panic attacks, and distressing thoughts about my baby being better off without me." 

Self-care for perinatal anxiety 

Experiencing anxiety can feel very overwhelming and leave you struggling to cope with daily tasks and interactions. 

Here are some ideas on how to look after yourself and help yourself cope: 

Try shifting your focus 

If you're feeling anxious about something right now, try to shift your focus onto something small, like the details of a picture or the texture of something you're wearing. 

If you can, try to keep your thoughts entirely on this one thing, really taking in all the small details. This can help you take a moment to calm down. 

Learn some breathing exercises 

Controlling your breathing can help with some of the physical sensations of anxiety and help you to relax. There's an example of a breathing exercise on our page about relaxation. 

Try doing some physical activity 

This can help distract you from any thoughts making you anxious, and also use up some of the anxious energy you might be feeling. 

It doesn't have to be playing a sport or going to the gym. For example, you might want to go for a walk or do some physical activity around the house, like tidying. 

See our pages on physical activity and your mental health for more ideas. 

Contact specialist organisations 

Charities like OCD and Anxiety Support HK offer support, advice and information for people experiencing anxiety. 

For more ideas, see our page on ways to look after your mental health when becoming a parent.