Should I get sterilised?

[Anonymous]

I’m going anonymous, because I’m sharing very personal information. I’m a high functioning schizophrenic with severe depression and severe anxiety disorder. I really suffered in my teens and twenties, from confusion, mental illnesses, paranoia, mood swings and sadness. As much as I love kids; and would love to have a big family and work hard to support everyone, I feel certain that I would be unfit to be a mother, because of my abnormally low energy from being on psychiatric medication.

I’m always tired and often I have mood swings. Also, I like to be unaccountable to anyone else. Also, I can’t work. Because of my low energy and my schizophrenia (it triggers psychosis). If I work through psychosis, it ends up triggering my depression and anxiety and wears me out. There is no way I could work full time and raise kids. I don’t want to be a mum who neglects her kids or adds stress to their lives. I am currently on the pill. I am sexually active. Should I just go ahead and get my tubes tied, knowing I don’t want or plan on having kids? Or should I continue taking the pill?

[sawno]

Very tricky, here's the issue. The pill is not an inherently safe thing to take and it may be worsening your condition. At the same time you don't seem to be in the state of being ready to raise kids and depending of your condition is curable you may never be.

So I can't really give you a clear cut recommendation because lets say I tell you to get your tubes tied and suddenly you vastly improve. That would suck. Simultaniously I don't think you should be taking the pill either. If its viable to do options that don't involve hormones (such as condoms) do that exclusively for a month or two and see if it changes anything.

[boggboss]

If your are on the pill and it's working why not just stay on that I dont see why u would need to take the jump to aomthing permanent when in the future u could learn to better handle your conditions or get with a partner that can help support u in making kids a reality

[integrale77]

If your wanting a lower maintenance birth control go with a copper coil there are no hormones involved and it's not as permanent as getting your tubes tied.

[slatyb]

If you are certain then it's reasonable to have the procedure and end the drugs and the worry.

[Anonymous]

Keep taking the pill. You never know if you'll want to change your mind and don't do anything permanent. Who knows what you'll want in 5 years

[Staximus]

Maybe you should. This is a very brave post.

[jahaims]

Yeah