Signs of Post partum Depression?

Signs of Post partum Depression may be ignored because of the stigma attached with unhappiness after the birth of a baby. For many women, this is the caseMost women believe that pregnancy and childbirth bring fulfillment and great joy. .

Postpartum or Postnatal Depression is the most common mental illness experienced after pregnancy. Signs of Post partum depression include feelings of emptiness and confusion that may lead you to question your ability to be a good mother. You may have difficulty concentrating and performing tasks necessary to care for your child or fulfill your other responsibilities. You may feel a terrible sadness, in the place of the expected joy. This can cause a tremendous sense of guilt, a painful and paralyzing emotion.

Anxiety

Signs of post partum depression may also include anxiety. If you have Postpartum Depression you may be frightened to be near your baby because of all the uncomfortable feelings that arise. This may even cause you to avoid interactions with your child.

Physical symptoms

Other signs of Post partum Depression include sleep and appetite disruption, and physical exhaustion and tiredness (beyond what would be expected for a new mother.)Some women often also report experiencing a lack of joy in previously enjoyed activities.

Some women with Postpartum Depression describe a loss of their sense of their identity. They express that they no longer remember or recognize their previous selves or feel disconnected from their current self. It is not uncommon for these women to say “ I don’t feel connected to my body, or I feel like I’m in a dream”. Women with signs of Post partum Depression may struggle with questioning their purpose in the world. “What’s wrong with me? I’m not a good mother, I’ve failed at this most important responsibility, why am I here?” They may also feel tremendous uncertainty and anxiety about their ability to know what their child needs and perform basic functions as a mother.

Different from the Baby Blues

Postpartum Depression is not just a few days or a week of sadness. Many women ( up to 50 percent of all new moms) experience the “ baby blues” for several days immediately after child birth. Postpartum Depression is more debilitating and intense and lasts for months as opposed to days. It interferes with a woman’s ability to care for and bond with their baby and in the performance of other necessary daily functions. It is a unique form of depression in that it can seriously affect two lives.

Women who have Postpartum Depression have the additional stress of the stigma attached to being an unhappy mother. They may already think to themselves “What’s wrong with me? This should be the most wonderful experience of my life”. This causes guilt, shame and embarrassment that can prevent women from asking for the help they require. Often those closest to them, not understanding that they have an illness, echo those same sentiments.

If you have a history of any form of previous depression, you are more likely to develop Postpartum Depression. If you have limited social and family support, mixed feelings about the pregnancy itself, or are in a high conflict marriage you are also at risk. Please note if you have any of these signs of Post partum Depression, please get help!

If you develop Postpartum Depression, it does not mean you are a bad mother or that you don’t want or love your child! The depression causes the feelings and behavior, not your baby. If you experience these symptoms, you need help. Research shows there can be detrimental effects for the child when the mother is suffering severe depression.

Treatment

Your child deserves a healthy happy energized mom.Women who are experiencing Postpartum Depression, a medical illness, require treatment. Treatment focuses on their body, mind, and spirit.

Physically they need to have more sleep and rest. They need to be relieved of stressors that are currently in their lives and contributing to the depression. The responsibilities of motherhood are overwhelming to a mother who has Postpartum Depression. Family members and spouses need to pitch in to help with these responsibilities.

Women are also likely to need therapy to assist them in combating their depression. It helps to talk with someone knowledgeable about this issue who will not judge or criticize them. It is also helpful for family members to understand that Postpartum Depression is an illness and not a choice, and it needs to be treated as such. A therapist can often provide psycho- education about this as well as signs of Post partum Depression to important people in a woman’s support system.It may be that antidepressants are needed to assist in alleviating the symptoms of the illness. All of the reasons for Postpartum Depression are not understood, however, we know that levels of hormones and neurotransmitters contribute to this depression. If you have Postpartum Depression, you should discuss medication options with your doctor.

Postpartum Depression is an illness that often goes untreated and can create difficulty for both the baby and the mother in the future. If you have Postpartum Depression, you are not alone. Please reach out for some help. If you see signs of Postpartum Depression in someone you love , please encourage them to get help.