Multiples studies have reported that infertility in both men and women often result in increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression. In some cases, recurrent pregnancy loss can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Infertility is usually related to age, underlying physical conditions, or behaviors that temporarily interfere with fertility; these are some factors that are usually out of your control.
Table of contents:
- Give yourself a mental health check-up
- Try cognitive restructuring
- Talk to others
Here are some of the ways in which you can cope with infertility stress:
Give yourself a mental health check-up
If you feel yourself mentally slipping, give yourself a mental health check- up. Look for the three “D”s which might be signs of psychological overload.
- Disorganization - The pen was in your hand and now nowhere to be found. Even worse, when you spot it, it’s right in front of your eyes.
- Decision-making difficulties - Not the big decision where you obviously need to deliberate but the little decisions, like what to order for lunch.
- Dependency needs - Wishing for others to take care of us in our daily life.
If you have even one or all of these symptoms, it is time for you to prioritize your mental health.
Try cognitive restructuring
You need to choose to think in a new way that can result in new habits and new feelings. When you focus on hopeless thoughts, you convince not only yourself but everyone around you that hope is not worth wasting your time or energy on. These thoughts are one of the most common reasons patients drop out of fertility treatments. On the contrary, if we choose to remain hopeful and optimistic, we are more likely to approach problems with strategic behavior that results in instances that justify our hopes.
Talk to others
Infertility is rarely discussed out in the open. There are many reasons people are reluctant about discussing infertility with friends, family or co-workers. You may want to keep this private as people tend to give unsolicited advice, or tell you stories about someone else’s unsuccessful infertility stories or because of the stigma that is still attached to infertility. This may result in you feeling isolated longing for understanding and support. These negative emotions are far more manageable when they are said out loud than they are buzzing in your head. There are numerous support groups both online and offline that connects you to other men, women, and couples going through the same thing.
Ramkrishna IVF is one of the best IVF clinics bringing comprehensive solutions to the problem of infertility and also provides counseling for infertility stress .
