Ask Dr. Schwartz: Psychotherapy and Mental Health questions
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I was wondering how having a mood disorder will affect pregnancy. I first had trouble with anxiety and depression that I noticed in my first pregnancy 5 years ago now I realize I did have some issues before that fit the descriptions of mood disorders. I have since then stuggled all the time with it going through a really bad point over the last year but I have not really been treated because my anxiety really gets to much and makes treatment worse. So I sort of gave up with the thought of a better and want to just jump forward but I am afraid of having post partum issues again worse then what I still struggle with. I worry that mabe I have a mild sort of bipolar because I never stay just depressed about every six weeks I have a great 2 weeks or so where everything is smoother I don\'t sleep as much or think as negative and I feel more wanting of my future which is when I really get excited for another baby but my irritability is bad and hard to control. My husband has wanted to have a baby for over a year now but I am just started to think would be ok for me. I worry that the depression that has bothered me before can get really bad short but bad and I don\'t want my thoughts on this topic to change in that moment. If I have not treated mood swings will it all just get worse with a pregnancy and if it does what do I do? also do you think this sounds like a bipolar type?

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