Postpartum Depression and the Baby Blues

Having a baby can be very challenging for every woman, both physically and emotionally. The birth of a baby can trigger a mix of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. It is natural for many new mothers to have mood swings after delivery, feelings of joy one minute, and moments of sadness the next. But it can also result in something one might not expect like the onset of depression. These feelings are sometimes known as the “baby blues” depression that normally fades away within 10 days of delivery. However, some women may experience a deep and ongoing depression which lasts much longer. This is called postpartum depression.

The earliest medical records about postpartum depression dates back to as far as the 4th Century BC. However, despite the early awareness about this form of depression, the postpartum sadness has not always been formally recognized as an illness. As a result, it continues to be under-diagnosed. There is no single cause for depression after childbirth. Physical, emotional, and lifestyle factors may all play a role. Unlike the ‘baby blues”, postpartum depression does not go away quickly. Very rarely, new moms develop something even more serious. They may stop eating, have trouble sleeping or develop insomnia, and become frantic or paranoid.

Postpartum depression affects 10-28% of new mothers. It can begin days, weeks, or months after delivery. Studies show that depressed mothers are less involved with their infant. They are also shows signs of inconsistentcy in terms of how they respond to their infant. They can be loving and attentive one minute, and withdrawn the next. In addition to the signs mentioned, some other symptoms of postpartum depression may include:

Exhaustion

Excessive sleeping but still feeling exhausted

Loss of sexual interest

Crying spells without obvious cause

Feelings of guilt

Sadness

Anger

Feelings of despair and/or worthlessness

Forgetfulness

Difficulty making decisions

Poor concentration

Treatment for postpartum depression can be as varied as the symptoms. Some of the more common approaches to therapy or treatment include:

Creating a supportive environment for the mother;

Self-Care;

Joining a support groups;

Counseling;

Psychotherapy; and

Medication

More often, postpartum depression is not recognized or adequately treated because some normal post-pregnancy changes which cause similar symptoms in new mothers. Moreover, some women do not tell anyone about their symptoms because they feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about being depressed about their pregnancy and childbirth when the normal response would be that of elation or happiness.

Early detection and treatment of postpartum depression is critical not only for the mother but for the infant as well. It can also help if the father or another caregiver can assist in meeting the needs of the baby while the mom is depressed or is still recovering from depression. The less exposure the infant has to the mother’s depression, the lower the risk of long-term problems in the child.

Research shows that infants of depressed mothers are at increased risk of behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, and delays in growth and language development. If the mother’s depression is not treated promptly, the baby can be greatly affected. Women with postpartum depression may feel like they are bad or inefficient mothers and might become increasingly reluctant to seek professional help. It is crucial to remember that hope and treatment are available to them. With a combination of proper medication and therapy, a woman can overcome postpartum depression and regain the ability to love and care for her newborn child.

Depression With Some Other Illnesses

When it comes to depression, it is a chemical imbalance. This imbalance could end up having serious side effects on your health.

You will notice that those who are diagnosed with a serious disease (normally terminal) they will become affected by depression and this is typical. However, you will want to make sure that your depression or illness is not going to make your life harder. You want to make sure that your illness won’t cause you to have a serious depression and you will want to make sure that your depression doesn’t cause you to have other serious ailments.

There are some illnesses that may give rise to depression. Disorders such as bipolar and some other mental illnesses can cause a person to feel depressed. Physical problems such as heart diseases, cancer and diabetes can also be causing depression. Many people are trapped in their depressed state because of the health conditions they are in.

Do you know anyone suffering from diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease or AIDs? You may have noticed that these people will go into shock and denial when they first know about their illnesses. However, after some time the truth sinks in and they become very depressed about their condition. However, they can overcome their depression. They can learn to control it with treatment. Once they managed to control their depressive state, they’ll find that their general health condition is drastically improved.

As for those with depression and other mental illnesses, you will find that there is long lists of disorders that will co exist with your depression. Those who are bipolar is most common. For those who have depression and bipolar disease, they are two times as likely to commit suicide. They will also become triggered by anything to go into a deep depression and will have violent mood swings.

If you know of anyone suffering from a combination of depression and bipolar disorder, it is very important that you get this person to seek help in order to receive proper treatment immediately. If no treatment is given, this person very often will result in committing suicide. People in this condition are quite unpredictable and unreliable and can cause harm to themselves and others.

People who are suffering from depression and are also been diagnosed with other disorders will need your help. You’ll need to make sure to get them the help and treatment required in order for them to overcome their disorders. At the same time, you’ll also need to keep a watchful eye over them because, while receiving medical attention, they are still in jeopardy of hurting themselves or others. You should consult a doctor on how to help this person. You need to know what signs to look out for so that you can take appropriate actions to keep the person and others from harm.

Depression does not usually exit alone. Typically, it is associated with some other conditions. You need to look into all conditions involved for proper treatment.

Depression And Other Disorders

How does depression come about? It is basically a chemical imbalance in the body. Your health can have some serious side effects from this imbalance.

Those who have been diagnosed with some serious illness, especially those with terminal illnesses, will usually be affected by depression. However, it is important for these people to make sure that their illness do not result in a serious depression. Otherwise, they may find that they’ll end up with other serious problems caused by the depression.

Bipolar and other mental disorders are some examples of illnesses that can cause people to be depressed. Besides mental problems, there are a lot of other health problems that will cause depression too. Some examples are diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. These illnesses can cause some people to be lost in their depression.

Do you know anyone suffering from diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease or AIDs? You may have noticed that these people will go into shock and denial when they first know about their illnesses. However, after some time the truth sinks in and they become very depressed about their condition. However, they can overcome their depression. They can learn to control it with treatment. Once they managed to control their depressive state, they’ll find that their general health condition is drastically improved.

Those people with depression and other mental illnesses will find that they have a long list of problems and disorders that will exist together with their depression. This is especially so for those who suffer from bipolar depression. They are two times more likely to end up committing suicides. Almost anything can easily cause them to fall into deep depression which can result in violent mood swings.

For those with this combination it is important that they get treated immediately for their depression and for their bipolar. If someone was to go untreated they will be more likely to end their own life, and that is why it is so important that you seek help for your depression and bipolar disease. They are in a state of unreliable and unpredictable manners and can even be harmful to others.

People who are suffering from depression and are also been diagnosed with other disorders will need your help. You’ll need to make sure to get them the help and treatment required in order for them to overcome their disorders. At the same time, you’ll also need to keep a watchful eye over them because, while receiving medical attention, they are still in jeopardy of hurting themselves or others. You should consult a doctor on how to help this person. You need to know what signs to look out for so that you can take appropriate actions to keep the person and others from harm.

It is not common for depression to exist in isolation. There are usually some other problems involved. It is important to have all problems looked into and treated.