Infertility can be a shocking, lonely, isolating time in your life. It is something that rarely anyone is prepared for. Many couples feel detached and different from friends and family members as it can seem like everyone around you is getting pregnant.
The desire to shut out the pain can be made even harder as social media announcements appear, making it even harder to cope and get a break from being reminded of what you long for.
You may feel your friends do not understand what you are going through and cannot provide the emotional support you need. You may withdraw from pregnant or mother friends and others may give you well-intentioned, but insensitive advice, such as “you just need to relax” or ask intrusive questions like “which one of you has the issue?”
Even if your loved ones react in the most understanding manner, simply struggling with infertility can leave you feeling alone, anxious, and depressed.
Isolation from family and friends
“Couples undergoing fertility treatment often turn inward and stop confiding in family and friends because of the pain involved in talking about their struggle to conceive,” said Barbara Collura, executive director, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. “It’s important for couples to know that extensive resources exist to support them throughout the process.”
Couples frequently struggle to decide how much information to share with family and friends, and many couples respond by closing themselves off from others.
It is important for people to reach out if someone they love is struggling with infertility. Sometimes, a simple “I’m here to listen, if you want to talk,” is all that is needed.
How isolation and infertility affects your marriage
For some couples, trying to conceive forces them to learn how to support each other. Couples report feeling isolated from their spouse because neither partner knows how or has the energy to help the other.
Many couples report that infertility led to increased tension in their relationship with more arguments about small day-to-day things.
Reach out for help
If you find yourself struggling to cope with isolation and infertility, it’s important to reach out for help. Often, simply talking about your struggles can help provide perspective and teach you ways to cope.
To make an appointment with me, call now, or just fill out the form and click Send. We also offer group sessions for men and women coping with infertility.
