I had no idea how deeply I would feel about protecting my mental health until I went through my postpartum OCD. Before this, mental health was something that was not even on my radar. I knew deep down I had issues with my mental health, but didn’t know what to do. I just assumed everyone lived with obsessions and anxiety. Obviously, living like this is actually miserable, but if you don’t know what is going on, it is really hard to try to deal with it.

Before I had my baby and dealt with postpartum OCD, my mental health was on the brink of collapsing. I was surviving day to day, but barely. My job as a teacher was my current obsession at the time. I would cry regularly about my job. I couldn’t handle anything I perceived as a mistake at work. I would obsess over them for months. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how I functioned at the time. No one should have to live with that kind of anxiety.

The postpartum OCD was what led to my mental health awareness that I have now. It caused my mental health to completely collapse. The lid that I had put on my mental health struggles finally blew. I could no longer “control” my anxiety or function as a normal person. I could only live in the space of my postpartum OCD. I was no longer myself. At this point, everyone could tell something was wrong with me. I knew that I was no longer hiding my struggles.

My postpartum OCD diagnosis finally helped me realize that I had been living with OCD my whole life. I learned how to manage my anxiety. Lexapro has helped me tremendously. For my entire life, I never knew what it was like to live and be able to relax and enjoy my life. Mental health is equally important to your physical health. Not being able to function mentally can cause so many problems. Make sure you always pay attention to your mental health, and know that you don’t have to live in the space that I did. I will forever protect and prioritize my mental health.