Sun Behavioral Columbus Publishes Article Examining Effects of Postpartum Depression on New Mothers

Sun Behavioral Columbus, a center providing mental health and substance use disorder treatment in Columbus, OH, has published an article that examines the effects of postpartum depression on new mothers. The article is an excellent resource for new mothers going through feelings of depression and anxiety following the birth of their child.

The article begins with the perspective of a mother who is feeling mentally detached and aloof from her baby after birth. It then lists the misconceptions about postpartum depression before saying that it is different for every mother and a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t apply. Though some might associate it with feelings of wanting to hurt the baby, it can manifest itself in different ways such as feeling numb, unattached, depressed, anxious, or even lead to psychosis.

Postpartum depression affects 1 in 7 women according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is a stigma around discussing it that creates an obstacle to accessing proper treatment. Postpartum depression (PPD) is much more than the short-term feelings colloquially described as “baby blues”. PPD is much more severe and long-lasting. The article says that proper treatment exists to help mothers overcome this condition. Sometimes symptoms might remain dormant and only show up months after the delivery.

Common symptoms of PPD include feeling exhausted but having trouble falling asleep, constantly feeling sad or crying without knowing why, oversleeping, eating too much or too little, unexplained bone aches, pains, and colds, feeling more anxious, nervous, and angry than usual, frequent mood swings, feeling a loss or lack of control, trouble remembering things, trouble concentrating, becoming indecisive over simple choices, loss of interest in usual activities, difficulty connecting with the baby, wondering why one isn’t as joyful as they expected to be once they had the baby, feeling like an unworthy or bad mother, withdrawing from the baby, wanting to escape from everything (including the family), experiencing intrusive thoughts, and wanting to hurt oneself or the baby.

Postpartum depression is natural and can affect any mother no matter her age, language, income class, education level, race, or culture. Factors that may contribute to postpartum depression include stress from responsibilities such as work, traumatic past experiences related to giving birth, the drastic hormonal changes and fluctuations that occur during pregnancy and after delivery, and the heavy physical and emotional toll that goes along with caring for a newborn.

Along with postpartum anxiety (PPA) and postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression rounds up what is known as the umbrella term perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). The article stresses that these are real illnesses that need to be treated seriously, and an effort has to be made to ease the mental condition of the woman who is going through them.

Common symptoms of PPA include constantly feeling worried, continuously racing thoughts, changes in appetite and sleep, increased restlessness, increased sense of dread, fear of leaving the house or going out even for errands, and unusual dizziness or nausea. Postpartum psychosis, which is relatively rare, can include symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, feeling increasingly irritated, hyperactivity (being unusually active), experiencing a lack of need for sleep or inability to sleep, frequent mood swings, paranoia, increased suspicion, and trouble communicating properly.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), PPD can be treated through medication (antidepressants) and talk therapy. Talk therapy is more commonly known as psychotherapy, and it involves the patient opening up to the therapist who helps them identify their feelings and work through them. Support from family and friends is very important during this time of treatment as a lack of support can contribute to extending the duration of PPD. Midwives serve an important role in identifying the first signs of postpartum depression as the first OB/GYN appointment might be scheduled several weeks after the delivery.

Sun Behavioral Columbus says that it hopes the article will help shed some light on postpartum depression and help new mothers in their journey through motherhood.