The flowers, the dress, the cake, the honeymoon, the undivided attention! Oh, the wonders of being a bride! However, being princess for a day can also have its pitfalls. After months of busy planning and numerous presents and parties, you might find yourself left with a sense of emptiness and loss once the fairy tale is over and reality starts to sink in.
You’re probably thinking: “There isn’t a grey cloud large enough to storm the memories of my big day!” But you might be in for a surprise because post-wedding blues are actually quite common. In fact, one in ten brides usually experiences some kind of post-wedding depression. Understandably so; because when the work involved in building a strong relationship takes over at centre stage, many newlywed women can feel confused, scared and anxious.
According to Douglas G. Jacobs MD, founder of National Depression Screening Day, feeling a sense of emptiness after the wedding is completely normal, and you can expect to shake it off in a month or two. However, if sadness and anxiety continue to prevent you from enjoying your newlywed life, then you might want to consider seeking outside help.
“Post-wedding blues can be totally normal. Many women may go through a period of feeling sad, anxious, or irritable after their wedding plans are over,” says Jacobs. “However, if these symptoms last longer than a few weeks, it could be an indication of a mood disorder such as depression. Depression is a common, yet treatable illness that affects thousands of women every year and can be related to life changes—even if they are positive.”
If the wedding day has passed, but you’re too sad or anxious to enjoy your new status as a Mrs., then it might be worth talking to a professional, accessing community resources, or attending a free public event such as National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), held on October 11. With public events across the country, NDSD offers anonymous testing that can gauge your likelihood for depression, anxiety or a related disorder. Each participating location offers a wide range of educational resources on these disorders, geared toward a variety of audiences—so you can attend a screening for yourself, as well as if you’re worried about someone close to you. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a mental health professional to find out what steps you can take to clear your mind and get back on track.
If you’re feeling down, take a few minutes to find a participating screening site near you at mentalhealthscreening.org. You’ll find that taking a minute to learn more about your emotions might be the first step toward feeling a whole lot better.
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