Livin’ Strong With Lex

Lex At 17, she was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. Addicted to prescription pills and ‘managing’ her condition with drinking and partying, she spent the next four years in and out of hospital following multiple suicide attempts. There was a time she didn’t expect to live past her 21st birthday. Now an extremely successful wellness coach and blogger, this is the story of the inspiring Lauren Patterson (@__laurenkate) and how becoming a mother saved her life. with LIVIN’ STRONG Lex X @actionalexa

PHOTO CREDIT: FIFI ROCHET

CONTENT WARNING: THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Motherhood portrayed in movies is about the joy of a new life and limitless love – which is absolutely true. But what most movies fail to mention is a mental health condition that impacts one in every seven mothers after giving birth. I was one of them.

After living with severe depression and anxiety for most of my life, I had managed to come recover just in time for my first pregnancy, so I got to experience the epic happiness of being a new mother. However, after having Max, I was diagnosed with post-natal depression – which not only hit me hard, but it hit the kids’ father pretty hard, too. He dealt with it the only way he knew how.

At the age of 22, I was a single mother.

I remember sitting on the kitchen floor with my head in my hands, both my newborn and my toddler screaming at me. I remember crying hysterically with them. I remember not leaving the house for weeks on end. I remember breaking down because my newborn wouldn’t sleep more than 20 minutes at a time. I remember thinking that I was a horrible mother because my milk dried up. I remember telling myself that my kids deserved a better mum.

But even on those days that I broke down and felt that it was all too much, I also got to cuddle my babies to sleep and sing them lullabies. And that was pretty awesome. So yes, it does get better. Becoming a mother changed my life in so many ways. It gave me a reason to live, a reason to work hard, a reason to be excited every single day and a reason to smile.

Now, whenever I see a mother in the middle of the street who looks like they could break down at any second, I smile at them and send them a subliminal message that says: ‘Babe, I feel you’. I hope it makes them feel less alone. If they want to throw their handbag on the ground while their children scream and they want to yell every curse word known to man in the middle of the street – well, I’ll stand right there with them and do it, too. @__laurenkate

I was told that I’d never make it, but I did. And I did it alone.

And here I am, voicing what I try and tell myself daily – the result of listening to one thousand Melissa Ambrosini and Lewis Howes podcasts, because that was the beginning of change:

I am a great mother. I do make a difference. I can achieve anything I put my mind to. I am worth the opportunities that are given to me. I have come so far, so I need to keep going.

If you are reading this and any of the words resonate with you, acknowledge them, write them down, say them out loud – scream them from the rooftops if you need to – and make this your moment for change. S

If you’re experiencing a hard time, need someone to talk to or are in crisis, there is always help available through these national 24/7 support lines: Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467