Postpartum Depression – How Do I Know If I Have It?


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More and more, we are learning about mental illness. While in many ways we have just scratched the surface about how exactly the human brain works, the fact of the matter is that we are better equipped to recognize and treat mental illnesses than we were just fifty years ago. This is no more true than it is regarding postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression can be debilitating and even dangerous. During those early days of your infant’s life, postpartum depression can steal some of the joy of motherhood from you, and can even create difficulty for you bonding with your baby. Some studies suggest that around one out of every eight women will experience postpartum depression. Being able to recognize the signs of postpartum depression are an important part of knowing whether or not postpartum depression will affect your family.

There are several sorts of signs and symptoms that you may experience with postpartum depression. These signs include things like anxiety, agitation, weight loss, sleeplessness, suicidal thoughts, frequent or unexplained crying, a loss of pleasure, lessened interest in sex, difficulty making decisions, difficulty concentrating, chest pains, dizziness, shortness of breath, and even headaches. If you have several of these symptoms, it is likely that you have postpartum depression.

When left untreated, postpartum depression can lead not only to difficulties with family life, but it can even lead to postpartum psychosis, in which you become a danger to yourself and/or to your newborn baby. If you think that you may have postpartum depression, it is important that you speak with your health care provider immediately. There are a variety of treatments options available to help you through this time of postpartum depression, and your health care provider can help you identify what those treatment options might be and which ones may work best for your individual situation.

Treatment for postpartum depression might include a combination of methods. Therapy, a social support structure, and antidepressant medications can all help a woman as she struggles through the difficult time of postpartum depression.



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This entry was posted in About Your Baby, After Pregnancy.



 



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