My lifeline throughout my recovery from postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety was social media. I credit Google for leading me here to Postpartum Progress. From this website I found the blogs of fellow Warrior Moms. I found my tribe, a community of fellow Warrior Moms who helped encourage, commiserate and inspire me with messages of struggle, solidarity and hope. I felt more comfortable with expressing myself on Twitter and in private Facebook groups. Those women had been through it, and they understood exactly where I was at. The key for me was taking my emotional temperature. I felt loved, supported, validated and heard when I expressed my fears and frustrations. Just a simple “me too” warmed my heart as much as a hug.
The opposite side of this coin is knowing when to take a break from social media. Mental health bloggers and Warrior Moms are fantastic at letting readers know if a post contains potentially triggering content. If you are feeling fragile, limit your consumption of social media. Notice how you are physically feeling. Does a certain social media application make you feel less than? I love to look at Pinterest, but I personally get overwhelmed by all the beautiful crafts and recipes. Does watching or reading the news on Facebook exacerbate your anxiety? Hide those feeds from your timeline. Stick to private Facebook groups instead of the general news feed on Facebook. Use your lists on Twitter to curate the social media that you allow. Boundary setting on social media was key to my recovery.
As someone who is in recovery, it is crucial to give yourself grace. Our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest feeds can at times compound a struggling mom’s belief that she is not a good enough mom. The limits are different for each mom. The most important skill that I cultivated during recovery was critical reading. I chose when to consume certain types of media. I hid some friends on Facebook because I fell into the comparison trap. I unsubscribed from blogs that did not actively assist me in my recovery efforts. I do not regret those decisions at all. I made the choice to surround myself with social media that inspired me and supported me. That also meant that I did not engage in any type of political debate of any kind. Since recovering from postpartum depression, I have begun to share my political views more. I still keep my mental health and well-being a priority. The support I received from the Warrior Mom community helped me to find my voice as a mental health blogger and advocate.
