Symptoms of post partum depression

Are you suffering from symptoms of post partum depression?

Post partum or post natal depression is the most common mental illness experienced after pregnancy. Prevalence rates vary from 4.5 – 28 percent.

Just what is postpartum depression?

Post partum depression, sometimes referred to as post natal depression, is actually a specifier that can be tagged on to any disorder of depression.

It is not an actual separate disorder. Postpartum depression occurs within the first four weeks after pregnancy(Mallikarjun P. K., 2005.)

Some of the symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as those of depression, but with a postpartum onset.

For example:

• Emptiness confusion
• Poor concentration
• Lack of hope for the future
• Guilt
• Physical exhaustion or tiredness
• Disruption in sleep and appetite
• Sadness

These are all symptoms of depression, which if they occur in the period immediately after pregnancy would be considered symptoms of post partum depression.

Unique symptoms of post partum depression are feelings and thoughts of not wanting to care for or be around their baby, severe anxiety panic attacks and physical symptoms related to anxiety. (Abell, 2007)

Are you having some feelings of sadness that have lasted a few days to a week? Postpartum depression is not the baby blues! Many women experience the baby blues. Post partum depression lasts longer and is more severe. Post partum depression actually interferes with your ability to lead your life and care for your baby. (Abell, 2007)

Post partum psychosis is another mood disorder which occurs after the birth of a child. This consists of hearing voices, having delusions or seeing things and /or feelings of wanting to harm yourself and your baby. This usually occurs within three months after the birth of a child. (Abell, 2007). Women who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder have been found to be more likely to have this kind of post partum depression (Jones Craddock 2001)

Symptoms of post partum depression are often easy to identify, however women do not readily admit to feeling this way after the birth of child. The stigma in society is fairly high for these women, particularly if they thought this would be the most wonderful experience of their lives. Having post partum depression does not mean you are a bad mother or that you don’t want or love your child! The depression is causing the feelings and behavior not your baby.

Studies of post partum depression have shown an interesting but predictable pattern in the narratives of women who have experienced it. Symptoms of post partum depression seem to consist of an underlying struggle for women, a grappling with their identity as a person in the midst of the depression.

Who am I?

Women may often feel a tremendous sense of loss of who they were before the child was born or confusion about who they are now. Women with symptoms of post partum depression have said they don’t recognize themselves or no longer know who they were before.. (Maigun Edhborg, 2005)

In post partum depression these feelings contribute to the appearance of and fuel the existence of depressive symptoms. Just having these feelings does not mean that you have post partum depression; actual symptoms of depression must be present.

Meaning of Life

Many women with symptoms of post partum depression also struggle with feelings of failure and guilt. They may struggle with completely redefining of the purpose of life. (Maigun Edhborg, 2005) What is the meaning of life? Why I am here when I am so sad and I just had a child, which should be one of the most fulfilling moments of my life? Will I ever experience happiness and where did I go wrong?

Guilt over Being a Bad Mother

The severity of symptoms of post partum depression may severely impede a mother ability to parent their child. Research shows there can be detrimental effects for the child when the mother is suffering severe depression (Maigun Edhborg, 2005). Women who are depressed after giving birth often struggle with tremendous guilt over their depression and believe that it means they are a bad mother.

Feeling Uncertain that they are have the skills to be a mother

Women with symptoms of post partum depression also described Tremendous uncertainty about their ability to know what their child needs and perform basic functions a s a mother (Maigun Edhborg, 2005)

Treatment for Symptoms of Post partum Depression

Less Stress and More Sleep

Women who are experiencing post partum depression, a medical illness, 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

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Women who have symptoms of post partum depression often 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.

Help with child care

The responsibilities of motherhood are overwhelming to a mother who has post partum depression . Family members and spouses need to pitch in to help with these responsibilities.

Antidepressants

Often women will need antidepressants to assist them in alleviating the symptoms of their illness. All of the reasons for Post partum depression are not understood, however, we know that levels of hormones and neurotransmitters contribute to this depression.

Bibliography

Abell, S. (2007). Postpartum depression. Clinical Pediatrics , 290-291.

Maigun Edhborg, M. F.-M. (2005). ``Struggling with life'': Narratives from women with signs of postpartum depression. Scand J Public Health , 261-267.

Mallikarjun, P. K. (2005). Prevention of postnatal depression. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health , 221-226.

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Jones, I. & Craddock, N. (2001) Familiality of the puerperal trigger in bipolar disorder: results of a family study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 913 -917.