Question:
I have read many articles on women seeing psychologists for stress relief
during treatments. Has anyone tried this or can you recommend any books
for a do-it-yourselfer?
Answer:
I can't say that I've spent much time on technique, but have
read through them. Took 2nd book out of town with me to my IVF cycle
and read through it. Mostly I tried to remember to keep breathing.
Sometimes during a difficult blood draw stick or other stress
I'd note that I'd stopped breathing and I'd remind myself to
take deep breaths. Other times during the day I'd take
deep breaths also.
I also tried to keep an attitude of neutrality (easier said than
done) and not get upset until I had some bad news to get upset
about. I tried to take it just one step at a time and let my
body do what it would. Guess this is letting go of things that
you can't control (again easier said than done).
I don't view the mental coping tricks as helping me
get pregnant per se, but they do help one keep going through
treatment cycle after treatment cycle and bear up under the
strain. It helps one cope and be persistent, which can be
what ultimately pays off. Plus if it doesn't work, then the
coping methods will help with life in general.
I have had some infertility friends see counselors, join living
room discussion groups with Resolve, acupuncture,
chiropractic and even massages. Taking breaks from treatment
can also help sometimes when it is just too much, as long
as you are the one deciding to stop.
Seeking therapy during the ride on the infertility rollercoaster is
certainly a viable idea. We haven't done it, but know many who have. My
advice is to make sure that whomever you decide to see specializes in
dealing with infertility issues. You might contact your local chapter of
RESOLVE for recommendations, or just try going to some of their meetings.
As far as self-help books go, I recently purchased a book called Healing
Mind, Healthy Woman by Alice Domar and Henry Dreher. The subtitle is
"Using the Mind-Body Connection to Manage Stress and Take Control of Your
Life." I highly recommend it.
Guided Imagery works well to relieve stress in any situation. It is
simple, easy to do, and doesn't require any equiptment. A book that can
teach you how is called: Staying Well With Guided Imagery by Belleruth
Naparstek ISBN: 0-446-51821-2 Cost $19.95.
When I was in Nursing School, I gave an inservice to all the nurses, and
the other students, on how to do this for stress and pain relief. If you
need more help, let me know, and I'll take you through it step-by-step,
but I'll have to ask you a bunch of questions before we start, so I can
personalize to something you like, and can do easier.
I have another book to recommend.
"Getting Pregnant When You Thought You Couldn't -- The interactive guide
that helps you up the odds" by Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D., and Yakov M.
Epstein, Ph.D.
They are a married couple, both psychologists, who experienced infertility
and then dedicated their practice to helping infertile people. It's a
pretty heavy-duty book but big into relaxation, breathing, stress
reduction, etc. They don't promise to help you get pregnant, but to help
you be able to handle it all, and thereby up your odds. Written with
the perspective of people who have been there.
