POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
Giving birth to a child is one of those experiences that can only be described as bittersweet, but mostly sweet because you get to bring another human into this world. What we meant to say when we were talking about the bitter part, is how excruciatingly painful the whole process is. And if you’re a mother, or if you’ve ever given birth before, you know what we’re talking about.
But today we’re not here to talk about giving birth. We will be talking about postpartum depression, which is a mental illness experienced by mothers right after giving birth. Therefore, if you’ve just delivered, and you feel like something is not quite right, you should reach out to a mental health specialist. You could be suffering from postpartum depression, and if left untreated, you’ll be exposing yourself and the child, to medical complications down the road.
Childbearing years are often considered important for many reasons. And if statistics are anything to go by, then it’s been proven that women who experience this type of depression during that period are more likely to experience a second or even a third episode later on in their lives. So just think about what you’ll be exposing yourself to, if you keep on living without any medical assistance or treatment.
But, what exactly is postpartum depression?
From a medical standpoint, postpartum depression is characterized by loss of self-confidence, tearfulness, terrible moods, extreme anxiety, and a lack of interest to engage in anything pleasurable.
Motherhood is no walk in the park, and people handle stressors in life differently. After birth, some women often find themselves trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, constantly questioning if they can cope will all the demands. They’ll always want to drop everything and run away, and this is what often leads to extreme guilt and more self-doubt. And even though it is said that postpartum depression is an illness that mostly affects childbearing women, mental health specialists have found out that the symptoms are much worse among women who have suffered some form of abuse in the past, those who have had to deal with anxiety or depression, and those who suffer from OCD. Postpartum depression will directly affect their entire family, if left unchecked.
Symptoms of postpartum depression
Are you pregnant, or have you given birth in the past one year? Have you noticed you lack interest in taking part in the things that you used to love? If that’s the case, you might want to go see a therapist or doctor before it’s too late. Other signs or symptoms include:
· Always feeling hopeless and disengaged
· Most of the time you feel like walking out and never looking back. You just want to run and keep running from your current situation.
· Anytime you are alone, the kind of thoughts that you have are all about harming other people or harming yourself
· You find life boring.
· You are always anxious and not able to cope with different demands
· You feel guilt and bad about your situation
What are the known causes of postpartum depression?
The two main causes are hormonal imbalance during childbirth and life changes. So you can see how difficult it can be to prevent postpartum depression even if you wanted to. Bu there’s some good news, and it’s the fact that treating or managing it is no longer a myth.
Do you know someone suffering from postpartum depression? Help them get the help that they need, from us.
Email me at info@soteldotherapy.com
Call for an appointment at 613-400-0128