Postnatal depression is one of the most common forms of depression, postnatal depression tends to affect parents a couple of weeks after childbirth. While most people may think that postnatal depression occurs only in women, you will find it surprising to know that fathers and partners can also be affected. It is important to remember that postnatal depression is quite different from what is referred to as “the baby blues”.
When it comes to postnatal depression, it is important to bear in mind that it tends to occur about a month or a couple of weeks after childbirth.
While most women who suffer from this form of depression would only experience it for a short period, others would have to seek the help of a professional therapist to help them out. Mind Spirit Body is skilled in Psychotherapy, PSYCH-K or Hypnotherapy and are ready to assist. Professionals alone are not the only ones that can be helpful to women suffering from postnatal depression; partners and friends can also play a critical role in postnatal depression. To explain this better, most women who suffer from this form of depression tend to withdraw entirely from everyone, often the newborn baby as well. With the correct support from the partner, therapist and family and friends, the new mother can feel that there are improvements and in turn, work towards recovery. Reports have shown that postnatal depression, often called PND, is experienced more by parents having their first baby.
The Various Symptoms Of Postnatal Depression
Depending on several factors, the symptoms of postnatal depression include these;
• Having constant negative thoughts
• Lack of confidence and low self-esteem
• The constant feeling that life is meaningless
• Unable to cope or handle anything
• Irritability and tearfulness
• Low sex drive
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty remembering things
• Heart attacks, panic attacks, and anxiety
• Experience difficulty sleeping or may begin to experience changes in sleeping pattern
• Having the feeling of guilt or incompetence
However, these symptoms mentioned above may be mild or adverse on either parent depending on several factors.
Factors That Contribute To PND (Postnatal depression)
While the exact cause of postnatal depression is not known, several things can contribute significantly to parents experiencing it.
- Social changes; generally, the society at large tend to have high expectations of mothers and most times; the woman may feel that she needs to live up to unrealistic expectations. This feeling may make her less likely to function how she thinks she should, therefore, creating a gap is how she sees her ability as a mother in general. These feelings can have a tremendous impact on partners, family, friends and especially how the mother is towards the baby.
- Emotional changes; everyone agrees that adapting to parenting is daunting. New mothers have to deal with the constant demands of the baby as well as other daily tasks the parents were doing before the baby arrived. This change can bring a different rhythm to the relationship with their partner as well as creating the feeling of a lack of independence. These changes are quite difficult to handle and recovering from childbirth may be too overwhelming for the mother to deal with.
- Physical changes; irrespective of the type of birth, can be often be overwhelming for a woman. Additionally, the drop in hormones may also affect brain chemicals. In several situations, tiredness, broken sleep, changes in the sleeping pattern may also contribute significantly.
If you think you or your partner may be suffering from postnatal depression
Contact Mind Spirit Body to book an appointment and begin treatment today.
