I have heard mamas worrying aloud about the money spent on therapy or medication for postpartum depression. One recently told me she always thinks about all the other ways she could be spending or saving that money, and thus feels guilty about spending it on psychiatric help. That is a common thought.

Here’s what I told her and what I want you to know:

Getting help is worth the money (if you have it, of course, and I realize not all of you do). Remind yourself of that. You are spending money on therapy or psych appointments because it will help you recover, and allow you to be healthy and live your life. If you are not healthy, it won’t matter what else you think you should have spent the money on — a family vacation, your retirement, something for your baby — because you won’t be able to enjoy those things or do/use those things if you are unwell. Does that make sense?

Getting help for postpartum depression is a good choice to make. How much more it would cost if you became completely unable to care for your child and your partner had to leave work or you had to hire someone to do it? How much would it cost if you had to stop working because you became unable to do so? These are worst-case scenarios, of course, but I’m hoping it helps you to see that in the end getting the help you need may be less expensive than the alternative.

Besides which, and most important of all, you are worth every cent you spend. You deserve wellness.

For those of you finding it hard to afford treatment regardless of how much you deserve it — a situation in which many of us find ourselves, to be sure — check out the folowing for tips on how to save money on mental health care:

How to Get Help If You Have Postpartum Depression & No Insurance (Or No Money)

How to Get Free Or Low-Cost Treatment For Depression (2-page article from About.com)

SAMHSA Mental Health Services Locator (for community clinics providing mental health services, enter your zip code)