
DECIPHERING ANTENATAL AND POSTNATAL DEPRESSION
Written by Feba Maryann
The ride to becoming a parent is a roller-coaster of emotions, varying from happiness and anticipation to anxiety and apprehension. The changes you go through can affect your mental well-being and your relationship with everybody you love. Whilst hormonal fluctuations can increase the severity of your mood swings, depression is a lot more than a sad phase. It’s a serious issue that needs to be recognised at the right time, before it gets worse.
It’s important to seek help and speak to someone before it cripples you completely.
Symptoms:
Women suffering from perinatal depression suffer from a host of symptoms which vary uniquely. Some common experiences that you might encounter are:
- Constant irritable mood
- Low self esteem
- Feel overwhelmed
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Negative stream of thoughts
- Feeling like a failure, or feeling like you’re not doing enough
- Can’t enjoy hobbies you used to previously enjoy
- Struggling to cope with everyday tasks
- Have trouble making decisions or concentrating
- Constant irritable mood
- Low self esteem
- Feel overwhelmed
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Negative stream of thoughts
- Feeling like a failure, or feeling like you’re not doing enough
- Can’t enjoy hobbies you used to previously enjoy
- Struggling to cope with everyday tasks
- Have trouble making decisions or concentrating
- Significant change in sleep patterns
- Appetite issues
It’s vital for you to find if you’re just exhausted or depressed. If you’re able to remain optimistic about the future despite being tied down to all the new responsibilities, you’re probably just exhausted. However, if they prolong for more than two weeks, consider seeking professional support. If you have a history of mental illnesses, there’s a possibility of it coming back.
Rarely, few women experience postnatal psychosis after giving birth, if you feel like you’re starting to behave differently than you usually do, consult your healthcare provider immediately.
Contributing Factors:
Even if the exact causes of PND aren’t known, listed below are some contributing factors:
Social Changes:
Dealing with the expectations of the society on a new mother can turn out to be quite overbearing. She might not feel like she lives up to the ideal image of a mother which can take a toll on her mental health. She might feel judged for her decisions which might force her into social seclusion.
Physical Changes:
Postnatal pain is an extremely painful aspect. According to the statistics, 45 percent of mums said the level of pain was comparable to extreme menstrual cramps, 16 percent said it was like back pain and 15 percent said the pain felt like a fractured bone. Changes in sleep patterns, postnatal pain and physical fatigue prove to be contributing factors to postnatal depression. Hormonal changes and the drop in pregnancy hormones also affect your brain’s equilibrium.
Emotional Changes:
Coping with the advent of parenthood is intimidating for many new mums. This might result in frequent fights and a change in the dynamics of their relationship. New mums also need to learn to administer to the constant needs of their baby.
Overcoming PND
Currently, there are many treatment options to help you overcome perinatal depression. Talk to your doctor and draw a mental health care plan to help you manage your feelings.
Medication
Antidepressants are helpful for antennal and postnatal depression. Make sure you check if the prescribed antidepressants are safe to use during the breastfeeding phase.
Medication as well as cognitive/ interpersonal therapy are extremely effective solutions for perinatal depression.
Professional Help
Women who experience suicidal thoughts or extreme depression need immediate hospital admission. Women with postnatal psychosis also need to be admitted as soon as possible. Contact your healthcare provider if you feel like harming yourself or your baby.
Extra Help
Family, friends and your partner play a vital role in your recovery from PND. Reach out to loved ones for extra help with household chores. Asking someone you trust to help you with practical help gives you a chance to do something relaxing, rest or sleep.
You could also talk about the problems you face to someone you trust. This makes you to understand your feelings better which helps you control them.
Recovery is a slow process; it takes time and a lot of effort. You need to give priority to your physical health as well as your mental well-being. Get regular exercise, eat healthy and make sure you get plenty of sleep. Try to take time to reconnect spiritually and do things you enjoy. This phase shall pass.