How to cope with the emotional crisis of infertility?

Infertility is not just merely a medical problem but does affect one emotionally as well. One has to earn to cope with the crisis as one comes to know that one cannot bear a child normally.

Every couple is eager to have a child of their own. It is a universal dream. Infertility can be emotionally distressing. Infertility treatment in Hyderabad is similar to chronic illness and involves a lot of finances as well as emotional strain.

What emotional responses one faces due to infertility?

The individual responses do vary. Much would depend upon their coping levels emotionally. One must be well prepared for these distressful moments and have much emotional support as well as mental preparation to reduce the potential pain of suffering from infertility.

Realizing one has an infertility problem

The news of being infertile is always rather unexpected and couples find it difficult to swallow.

Shock: Difficulty in accepting the health issue.

Denial: One finds it difficult to accept the situation that one will not have a child at all by the normal process.

Denial tends to be unhealthy if it continues for a prolonged period. One should accept reality.

Fantasizing:

One tends to fantasize when faced with denial. They are of the view that their problems will get solved if they get pregnant. They tend to lose touch with reality and every time they go for treatment, they feel they will conceive. They are much disappointed when they do not.

Guilt:

Guilt is a common response to infertility. Some individuals tend to feel that they are being punished for past sexual activities or elective abortions. Often infertile partners do feel that they are actually depriving fertile partners of the opportunity to have children. Family expectations of having a child are also not met. The latter can cause such stress.

Bargaining:

Religious pursuits are undertaken such as believing in God, fasting, penance, offering money, and being good for the rest of one’s life if one gets pregnant. Couples visit “holy men” and visit temples and perform “yagnas” and “Tapasya”.

Blame:

Couples blame each other for not being able to conceive. One tends to become resentful

Sadness and Depression:

Infertility can cause depression and make one feel sad. One’s dream is not fulfilled as one cannot bear a child. Relationships with partners, family, and friends get affected.

Hopelessness: One feels hopeless.

Loss of Control: One feels the loss of control over one’s life. One suffers from a feeling of failure in life.

Anger: One tends to get angry and loses one’s temper as one feels irritable about not being able to conceive.

Isolation: Infertile couples feel isolated and lonely. People often make insensitive remarks.

Infertility does cause much distress and one has to learn to cope with it. It is indeed a devastating feeling to be told that one cannot bear a child the normal way. One tends to react negatively and therefore infertile couples have to work hard in controlling their emotions.

Relationships with family and peer groups get strained as infertile couples often feel sad and feel that they are “different from others. They find it difficult not to be able to conceive normally.