Having a baby brings a lot of emotions. It’s completely normal to experience a wide range of emotions during the pregnancy stage or the birth of the baby. You would feel depressed and anxious, and it’s not a sign of weakness. You can feel better with the right support and proper treatment. Today, we’ll discuss what is postnatal depression; its symptoms, causes, and treatment.
What is Postnatal Depression?
Postnatal depression is a form of depression that most parents and moms experience after having their children. The “baby blues” is a short phase of feeling tearful, emotional, and low energy after the birth of the child. However, it prevails roundabout for two weeks after the birth.
If the symptoms are starting late and lasting longer, then it’s postnatal depression. It would be at any time of the year after the delivery. It would start suddenly and gradually, and they vary from mild to severe.
It’s troubling for the affected person to talk about the feelings they’re experiencing. At this stage, people expect you to be happy, if you talk about your depressed feelings they would think that you’re a bad mother or parent. The postnatal depressive episode could be at any time and impacts anyone; it’s not your fault.
It’s a fairly common issue, and it impacts roundabout 1 in every 10 females in the first year of birth. It equally impacts the partners and fathers. However, if you’re experiencing a depressive episode, you should remember that it’s never too late to ask for help. The symptoms may last for a month, and they can aggravate and significantly affect you, the child, and the whole family. Therefore, it’s important to reach out for help and support as soon as possible.
Symptoms of Postnatal Depression
Some of the main symptoms of postnatal depression are as follows;
- Fearful thoughts about hurting your child
- Difficulty in focusing and making the right decision
- Withdrawing from your social network and the close people
- Problems in developing the connection with your baby
- Difficult to fall asleep at night and feel dizzy and sleepy during the day
- Lower energy and tiresome feelings all the time
- Limited enjoyment and losing interest in the worldly activities
- Low mood and feeling sad persistently
Most females don’t realize the development of postnatal depressive episodes, it’s because it develops gradually. Your healthcare provider and midwives know the tips and techniques to recognize the condition.
Remember
- No one is taking your child away from you, and your child is growing up in the exceptional circumstances
- A depressive episode doesn’t mean that you’re losing your mind or going mad
- It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad or horrible parent
- It could affect anyone, and it’s not your fault if it’s not happening to you
- A depressive episode is like any other form of illness
- Various types of support and help are available
Causes of Postnatal Depression
It’s not clear to the researcher the exact and precise causes of the postnatal depressive episode. There are a lot of things that would cause the development of the condition, and they’re as follows;
- Baby blues
- Psychological and physically traumatic experiences like domestic violence
- Going through the stressful event recently like bereavement
- Troubling to establish a relationship with your partner
- No support from close friends and family members
- History of mental illness issues in the pregnancy stage
- Also the history of mental health issues like depression before the lifetime
If you haven’t had any of the problems before in your lifetime, then simply having the baby is such a life-changing event that could trigger a depressive episode. It requires a lot of effort and energy to have a baby, and taking care of the child can be exhausting and highly stressful.
Treatment of Postnatal Depression
A postnatal depressive episode can be fearful, distressing, and lonely, but you treat the condition with the right treatment plan and proper support. Some of them are as follows;
Medication
If the depressive episode is severe and aggravating, and other therapeutic approaches aren’t working; then your doctor would prescribe an antidepressant to manage the symptoms. It’s important to discuss with your parent that the medicines are safe at the breastfeeding stage.
Therapy
Talking therapy and counseling are very effective treatment methods. Out of all approaches, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is the most effective one. It helps you to recognize your disturbing thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
Self Care
As the name implies, self-care means discussing with your friends and family members how they can assist you to make your simple easier. You should allocate time for yourself in order to be involved in pleasurable activities; eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting sufficient sleep at night, and resting whenever you get the time.
Conclusion: What is Postnatal Depression? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
After an in-depth study of what is postnatal depression; its symptoms, causes, and treatment; we have realized that baby blues could badly impact your life. If you’re experiencing its symptoms, then you should ask for help as soon as you can.
Ahsan is an accomplished researcher and has a deep insight in worldly life affairs. He goes Live 3 days a week on various social media platforms. Other than research writing, he’s a very interesting person.
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