Do you need help with postpartum depression?
Finding help with postpartum depression can be difficult. You may not even realize you have postpartum depression. Or you may know but you just haven’t told anyone or sought help.
Postpartum is hard for many new mothers. The lack of sleep, the stress of becoming a new mother, healing, and worrying about your precious baby can all be overwhelming. Throw in postpartum depression and it becomes extremely tough.
What is postpartum depression?
According to Medline Plus, ” Postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later.” Postpartum depression stems from a change in hormones but the exact reason is unknown.
Symptoms include:1
- Change in appetite
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Crying for “no reason”
- Difficulty making decisions, thinking, and concentrating
- Feelings of being a bad mother
- Lack of interest in baby or trying to bond with baby
- Sleeping too much or trouble sleeping
- Thoughts of suicide or death
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Having a depressed mood or feeling sad
- Fear of harming oneself or baby
If you’ve noticed you’re feeling off and have a few or several of these symptoms, you may have postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression tends to have a negative stigma, just as many mental health issues do. But the truth is, mental health is just as important as physical health. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having postpartum depression! In fact, many women experience postpartum depression.
“1 in 10 women will experience postpartum depression after giving birth, with some studies reporting 1 in 7 women.” 2
It helps the people you are close with to know you have postpartum depression so they can help you as best as they can. Don’t suffer alone! Having a support system during this time will be extremely beneficial.
Treatments for postpartum depression
Psychotherapy is the first step to treating postpartum depression. Talking with a licensed professional can help significantly. Licensed professionals can teach you healthy ways to cope with your feelings and emotions. Find a therapist near you!
Support groups are a great way to reach other mothers who are dealing with postpartum depression. Sometimes it really helps when we have others to talk to who are going through the same exact thing. Talking to friends and family may not always be helpful since they don’t know exactly how you’re feeling.
Medication can be prescribed if you have moderate or severe postpartum depression. Medication and psychotherapy combined can get you feeling back to yourself.
Self-help. Pay attention to your symptoms and monitor them closely. If you begin feeling overwhelmed, ask your family and friends for extra help. Try to stay active and eat a healthy diet. Having a healthy body can help you have a healthy mind. Try to get more sleep. I know that can be difficult with a newborn. But ask your partner, your family, or a close friend to watch the baby while you sleep.
If your symptoms are becoming too intense and you need immediate assistance please call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
It’s important to bring awareness to postpartum depression so mothers can seek help. By bringing awareness, we can destigmatize mental health issues.
Mothers should not feel ashamed for having postpartum depression but instead should feel empowered to seek help.
It’s also important to shed light on postpartum depression so mothers and family members can see the warning signs. Many mothers may feel they just have the baby blues or are just going through a hormonal change.
If we as a society make the symptoms more known, mothers and family members can catch postpartum depression early on and seek help.
References
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 2013. American Psychiatric Association.
- Postpartum Depression. https://www.postpartumdepression.org/resources/statistics/
