Is there postpartum depression? Symptoms and causes of postpartum depression. Prevention of postpartum depression

For most women, the last stages of pregnancy are accompanied by a growing feeling of unstable mood and anxiety. On the eve of childbirth and after the birth of the child, these sensations intensify even more. They are a kind of harbinger and in some cases develop into a depressive state of varying severity.

Postpartum depression is an atypical neuropsychic condition in which a decrease in a woman’s mental and physical activity in the postpartum period is combined with a sad mood. The development of such a disorder is possible not only among women, but also among men.

Relevance of the problem

Affective disorders pose a significant problem both for the mother and her child, obstetricians and gynecologists, pediatricians who are not sufficiently aware of the manifestations of postpartum depression, psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists, and for health care in general in terms of public health.

They are an important factor that negatively affects family relationships and relationships with other people. However, most importantly, maternal depression largely determines the future life of the child, since it is one of the reasons for the formation of infant mental disorders in him.

Depressive disorders in the mother negatively affect the processes of psychophysiological and mental development of children in the early stages of life, lead in the future to a more severe course of other diseases and increase the risk of suicide among them.

This is due to the mother’s partial or complete loss of interest in the development and behavior of her child, and, accordingly, adequate reactions of an emotional nature, which negatively affects his sense of security, leading to deficiencies or lack of satisfaction of his necessary physiological and psychological needs.

According to epidemiological surveys, the prevalence of postpartum depression ranges from 10 to 17.5%, but only 3% of mothers are diagnosed and treated. At the same time, according to some authors, mild and moderate severity (non-psychotic level) range from 50 to 90%.

This is explained by the fact that the disorders are often not recognized by the majority of primary care physicians, who regard these conditions, especially among first-time mothers, as a short-term natural reaction to a stressful situation (childbirth).

When does depression begin and how long does it last after childbirth?

In the first 1-4 months after birth, the risk of developing depression is on average 10%. The presence of this condition in women in history increases the risk to 25%, in previous pregnancies - up to 50%, and during this pregnancy - up to 75%. The most typical is the spontaneous development of symptoms from the second day after birth to six months. However, symptoms of a neuropsychiatric disorder may appear within a year.

Often the main manifestation of a mental disorder gradually fades away, but the disease imperceptibly becomes chronic. In 20% of mothers, symptoms of a primary depressive state are detected even a year after the birth of the child, and in severe cases in some mothers they last for several years, while mental disorders already acquire signs of other types of depression.

Prolonged postpartum depression is associated not only with a lack of awareness among obstetrician and gynecological doctors, but also with the fact that women do not seek medical help. She strives with all her might to overcome this condition or artificially “disguise” it, so as not to spoil the opinion of others about herself, for fear of being condemned by them as a negligent mother.

In many cases, it would be possible to avoid postpartum depression if primary care physicians and women planning pregnancy are sufficiently familiar with this pathology, and if risk factors and the propensity of the expectant mother to develop this disease are identified in its early stages.

Causes of depression after childbirth

In recent years, depression that is associated with the female reproductive period has been identified as a separate category. The formation, establishment of the reproductive function and its reverse development represent a continuous life chain with critical periods of restructuring of the hormonal system and the entire organism as a whole.

The development of depression in previous links is a predisposing factor for its relapse in subsequent links in the chain. Thus, mental disorders associated with the menstrual cycle can manifest or worsen in the premenstrual period, during pregnancy or after childbirth, during natural or artificially induced menopause, and in the postmenopausal period.

For a long time, mental disorders were associated mainly with rapid hormonal changes in a woman’s body during these periods, especially in the body of a postpartum woman (a rapid decrease in the concentration of sex hormones and thyroid hormones in the blood). However, as a result of multiple studies, this assumption was not confirmed.

Currently, it is believed that the causes of postpartum depression lie not only in crisis biological (hormonal) changes. The mechanism of development of this disease is considered on the basis of the so-called biopsychosocial approach, that is, a complex combination of biological factors with negative psychological, socio-economic and everyday factors.

At the same time, the implementation of the pathological influence of social factors occurs not directly, but indirectly - through the personal characteristics of each individual woman through a system of relationships that have special meaning for her.

An example would be chronic stress against a background of low compensatory capabilities. It can arise as a result of obstacles (the birth of a child) in the way of a woman’s fulfillment of social needs that are of high importance to her. This approach is especially important for psychotherapeutic doctors and clinical psychologists.

Multiple causes and factors that contribute to the development of pathology can be grouped into 4 groups:

1. Physiological and physical causative factors arising in connection with the characteristics of changes in the body during pregnancy, the postpartum period, etc.
2. Anamnestic data on predisposition to depression.
3. Social reasons - family characteristics and the specifics of the social environment.
4. Factors of a psychological nature - personal characteristics, perception of oneself as a mother, woman, etc.

First group

The first group of factors includes dysfunction (usually hypofunction) of the thyroid gland, a sharp decrease in the content of progesterone and estrogen in the blood after childbirth, which leads to a change in the emotional state, the appearance of lethargy, sharp mood swings from unreasonable depression to irritability, from apathy to excess energy . These changes are identical to .

The reasons may also be a change in the intensity of metabolic processes, a decrease in circulating blood volume, severe anemia in the postpartum period, the condition after and complications during and after childbirth. And also, the presence of obstetric, gynecological and endocrine diseases, severe pain during childbirth and their stressful perception, the occurrence of problems associated with child care (lactation and breastfeeding, insufficient and restless sleep, etc.).

Physical factors include physical fatigue, a woman’s perception of her appearance after pregnancy and childbirth - changes in the shape and shape of the abdomen, temporary loss of skin elasticity, slight swelling of the face and pallor, swelling of the eyelids and “bruises” under the eyes, etc.

Factors of the second group

Considered to be high risk causes. They can be determined based on medical history and as a result of clinical monitoring of the course of pregnancy.

These include severe premenstrual syndrome, alcohol abuse, the presence of a hereditary predisposition to affective disorders (mood disorders), depression, and mental pathology. In addition, depression after a second birth may be due to the negative experience a woman acquired as a result of her previous birth.

In all these cases, pregnancy and childbirth are only a moment that provokes depression. Some of these factors can be detected in a woman already during pregnancy in the form of increased fatigue and severe emotional instability - little motivated or even unmotivated tearfulness, sudden attacks of irritability, manifestations of feelings of hopelessness and emptiness.

Social reasons (third group)

They are very numerous, varied and individual for each mother. The main ones include the lack of positive experience in family life, changes in the family’s way of life that developed before the birth of the child, intra-family disunity and difficulties in relationships with the husband and relatives, their insufficient attention or refusal of physical and moral support in caring for the child, lack of social security.

Very important in the development of postpartum depression are:

• incorrect behavior and misunderstanding on the part of the husband;
• financial and material dependence on parents or relatives;
• cessation of career growth;
• a certain isolation from the usual social circle, a change in place of residence or poor living conditions;
• loss of loved ones;
• incorrect, inattentive or rude attitude of medical workers;
• the desire of the postpartum woman to maintain maternal ideals generally accepted in society.

Psychological factors (fourth group)

If it is possible to provide a woman with optimal social and physical conditions for the birth and care of a child, then, in contrast, changing the basic psychological (personal) factors is impossible.

The main psychological factors that contribute to the formation of postpartum depressive syndrome include:

• emotional instability, increased anxiety, infantilism;
• low degree of resistance to stressful situations;
• suspiciousness and tendency to a hypochondriacal state;
• low degree of self-esteem and lack of confidence in one’s capabilities, as well as a tendency to self-blame;
• easy suggestibility, dependence and high psychological sensitivity;
• a negative type of thinking, expressed in a negative assessment of most events occurring around oneself in relation to oneself;
• tendency to depression and self-hypnosis of pathological fears (phobias);
• the type of woman’s perception of herself as a mother, depending on which maternal orientation is divided into helping and regulating. The first is characterized by a woman’s perception of motherhood as the highest degree of femininity and self-realization. The second task is to regulate the behavior of your child and treat him and household chores associated with the child as a threat to the realization of his desires. The discrepancy between orientation and opportunities for their implementation leads to a state of depression.

Manifestations of mental disorders in men

Postpartum depression in men is 2 times less common than in women, but most often it goes unnoticed. This is due to the absence of exclusively female problems in men - social, psychological, family, related to domestic discrimination, the menstrual cycle, infertility, etc.

Its causes in men are significant changes in the existing lifestyle and family relationships. For example, if previously they were accustomed to attention from their wife, relative freedom of action, interesting pastime, etc., then after the birth of a child everything depends on the newborn’s regime, the need to help the wife, allocating time for activities with the baby, sexual relationships, increased financial demands of the family arise, etc.

The man begins to feel that his wife pays little attention to him, he becomes demanding, irritable and aggressive, and withdraws into himself. Mild sedatives for postpartum depression in a man sometimes help eliminate feelings of anxiety and restlessness, but often the advice of a psychologist is more effective, both for the man and for his wife, as well as the help and attentive attitude of parents, relatives and close friends.

In the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), 10th revision, postpartum depressive states (depending on the causes) are distinguished as:

• current depressive episode;
• recurrent (repeated) psychopathological disorder, determined on the basis of anamnestic data;
• psychotic and behavioral disorders not classified in other categories that are associated with the postpartum period.

How does postpartum depression manifest?

The most typical is an episode of depression of a spontaneous (spontaneous, associated with internal causes) nature, occurring in the 2nd to 6th months after childbirth. Symptoms of the disease are more severe in the first half of the day, especially in the morning.

In accordance with the same classification (ICD-10), the symptoms of postpartum depression are divided into basic (classical) and additional. The diagnosis is established by the presence of (at least) two classical and four additional signs.

The classical criteria for the disease include three main groups of symptoms (triad):

1. A mood that, compared to the previously usual and normal mood for a given woman, is reduced. It prevails almost every day for most of the day and lasts for at least 2 weeks, regardless of the current situation. Characteristic features are a sad, melancholy, depressed mood and a predominance of laconic, slow speech.
2. Decreased interest and a pronounced loss of satisfaction or pleasure from activities that previously, as a rule, aroused emotions of a positive nature, loss of a sense of joy and interest in life, suppressed drives.
3. Decreased or lack of energy, increased and rapid fatigue, slowness in thinking and action, lack of desire to move, even to the point of stupor.

Additional manifestations include:

• unreasonable feelings of guilt and self-deprecation (present even in mild cases of the disease);
• decreased degree of self-esteem and self-confidence, indecisiveness;
• decreased ability to pay attention, concentrate on something specific, and comprehend current events;
• the presence of gloomy, pessimistic ideas in views on the future;
• sleep disorders and appetite disorders;
• the emergence of ideas or actions aimed at self-harm or suicide.

The clinical manifestations of postpartum illness correspond to the structure of major depressive disorder of varying severity, and its depth is mainly a mild depressive episode, in 90% of cases combined with a state of anxiety. Quite often, with this pathology, multiple complaints of a somatic nature become predominant.

The woman complains about:

• increase or, conversely, decrease in body weight;
• constipation and/or diarrhea;
• insomnia and decreased libido;
• vague and intermittent pain in various parts of the body (in the heart, stomach, liver), having unclear localization and unmotivated nature;
• rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure;
• increased dry skin and brittle nails, increased hair loss and many others.

Features of postpartum depression are a woman’s poor performance of her usual household duties, untidiness, a feeling of apathy and alienation in relation to her close circle - her husband and parents, friends, limited communication with them, the disappearance of a previously harmonious relationship with her husband due to a decrease in sexual desire .

A woman loses the feeling of love for her children that she previously experienced, becomes unemotional and indifferent, or even feels irritated due to the need to breastfeed and care for children, from which newborn children suffer the most. They gain or lose weight poorly, often get sick and suffer from illnesses more severely than their peers. Sometimes the mother has suicidal thoughts or unreasonable fears about possible harm to the newborn.

In rare cases, in the absence of psychological, material and physical support, actual attempts at suicide or extended suicide (with a newborn and other children) cannot be ruled out.

The clinical picture and time of onset of symptoms are significantly influenced by the nature of the origin of the disease. For example, the manifestation of depression of endogenous origin (in the presence of epilepsy, schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis) occurs without any external reason on the 10th - 12th day after childbirth, which proceeds without complications.

At the same time, directly neurotic postpartum depression can begin even before the onset of childbirth due to any stressful situation, fear of the birth process, or after childbirth under the influence of psycho-emotional stress or psychological trauma, for example, due to the loss of a child or the loss of a loved one . The clinical manifestations of neurotic-type diseases are dominated by anxiety-depressive and asthenic-depressive syndromes.

Thus, clinical variants of the disease may be:

1. The classic version is the above-mentioned triad of symptom complexes.
2. An alarming variant, characterized by unmotivated concern for the health of the newborn, fears about its accidental or deliberate substitution, fears associated with the difficulties of caring for the child.
3. An atypical variant of a mental state, manifested by such basic symptoms as tearfulness, as well as a loss or decrease in the ability to experience joy or pleasure with a simultaneous loss of activity in achieving them (anhedonia).

Severe postpartum depression

It can occur atypically - in the form of psychosis in the postpartum period, when depressive and manic syndromes develop simultaneously. Depending on the causes and mechanisms of development, the following types of postpartum psychoses are distinguished:

1. Toxic infectious - exogenous origin. Develops on the second to twelfth day of the postpartum period against the background of a septic condition, usually associated with, and occurring with high body temperature and severe intoxication of the body. The mental disorders caused by this condition are not, in fact, a mental illness. Their symptoms are quickly relieved as a result of detoxification and antibacterial therapy.
2. Postpartum endogenous psychosis. Arises as a pronounced clinical manifestation of an existing mental pathology (manic-depressive psychosis, schizophrenia), which still occurs in an erased or asymptomatic form. In women with a hereditary history of mental pathology, depression of the endogenous type may develop before the manifestation of psychosis.
3. Postpartum psychosis as an exacerbation of mental pathology that has already been diagnosed earlier.

The most typical clinical manifestations of such psychosis are confusion, aggressiveness and desire to escape, and increasing agitation. They are accompanied by symptoms such as delusions of guilt, depressive delusions, hypochondriacal delusions (the presence of an incurable or medically unknown disease or pathology that degrades human dignity, etc.) or nihilistic (denial of the reality of obvious truths, for example, the reality of the world or one’s own “I” ") content.

It is also possible to experience hallucinations and obsessions, even causing harm to the baby, and depressive stupor. It is not uncommon for outwardly correct behavior to occur, but at the same time the woman refuses to eat, expresses unreasonable distrust of her relatives, the medical staff and other postpartum women in the ward, and insists on immediate discharge from the hospital.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of postpartum depression should be carried out with:

• The “sadness of women in labor” syndrome, which in specialized literature abroad is called “postpartum blues.”

The feeling of sadness, which is a normal psychological reaction after childbirth, is known to many postpartum women. The “sadness syndrome” itself develops in 80% of mothers in the first days after the birth of a child and reaches its maximum severity on the 5th day. Its manifestations are emotional instability, increased fatigue, sleep disturbance. The syndrome is not regarded as a deviation from the norm. It is subject to independent reverse development as hormonal levels normalize. A woman can easily overcome this condition, especially with the moral and psychological support of her husband and loved ones.

• The reaction of “grief under severe stress” is of a non-pathological nature.

This reaction may be the result of severe psychological trauma suffered relatively recently, and is manifested by decreased mood and increased anxiety. As a rule, you can cope with these symptoms on your own with proper proper rest, the participation and caring attitude of family and friends. In rare cases, it is necessary to take additional infusions of medicinal herbs that have a slight calming effect (motherwort, hawthorn, lemon balm, chamomile).

Treatment

Psychotherapy

For mild cases of postpartum depression, the main type of treatment is psychotherapeutic intervention. The psychotherapist can use methods of individual, marital, family, interpersonal psychotherapy, training in autogenic relaxation methods, etc.

These measures for mild mental disorders very often allow a woman to cope with the manifestations of the disease on her own, without specific medications. They make it possible to get rid of feelings of anxiety and loneliness and provide a way out of postpartum depression without the use of medications. After completing the main course, further maintenance courses of psychotherapy are necessary.

Drug treatment

The lack of effect from such therapy after 1.5-2 months or insufficient effect after 3 months is an indication for drug treatment, for which psychotropic drugs are used - tranquilizers, neuroleptics, antidepressants, the main ones of which are the latter.

Antidepressants for postpartum depression have a wide range of psychotherapeutic effects. They have a psychostimulating effect, help improve mood, reduce or eliminate autonomic disorders, which is especially important in the presence of concomitant somatic pathology, anxiety and fear, relieve muscle tension and tremors, and have a calming and, to some extent, weak hypnotic effect.

Some antidepressants used, of course, can also negatively affect the baby during breastfeeding. However, in severe cases and even with moderate severity of the disease, with the correct individual approach to treatment with these drugs, the benefits of their use justify the possible risks of side effects on the child.

In addition, it is possible to transfer the newborn to artificial feeding, especially if it is necessary to use high dosages of medications. In case of severe manifestations of the disease, antidepressants are prescribed immediately along with psychotherapy, and sometimes in combination with sedatives and antipsychotics.

Postpartum depression of mild to moderate severity, especially in the presence of affective disorders, feelings of increased fatigue and malaise, can be treated with Negrustin, Gelarium, Deprim Forte capsules. They contain a herbal antidepressant derived from St. John's wort extract.

Positive results can be achieved on average within 2 weeks, but it is possible to finally get rid of postpartum depression only with regular, constant use of one of the drugs for several weeks or even months. If the symptoms of the disease are detected during pregnancy, then preparations with St. John's wort extract are recommended to be taken together with the Magne B6 complex.

Another antidepressant is Sertraline (Thorin, Zoloft, Deprefolt, Stimuloton). It is prescribed in daily doses from 25 mg to 200 mg, usually 100 mg twice a day (in the morning and evening). According to modern data, it is the drug of choice for mothers who are breastfeeding, since its concentration in breast milk is negligible and has practically no effect on the baby.

In addition, this drug, compared to all others, does not interact with other drugs. Alternative antidepressants (if well tolerated) are Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine and Citalopram.

The lack of sufficient effectiveness in antidepressant therapy is mainly due to three reasons:

1. Negative attitude of the patient towards treatment.
2. Incorrect dosage of the drug (insufficient doses).
3. Insufficient duration of treatment.

Antidepressant therapy begins with minimal doses, which (if well tolerated) are increased every 7-14 days. It is unacceptable for a woman to increase dosages on her own. It is also unacceptable to quickly stop taking the drug, which can lead to “withdrawal syndrome”. Since their side effects usually develop at the initial stage of use, medical supervision should be carried out weekly.

Prolonged postpartum depression, as well as prevention of exacerbations of the disease, require such treatment for six months to 1 year. The need to prescribe further ongoing therapy with a maintenance dosage of an antidepressant arises with 3 repeated or 2 repeated, but in the presence of risk factors, attacks of the disease.

The effectiveness of the therapy can be assessed after an average of 3 weeks. If the condition does not improve after 1 month of treatment or its effectiveness is insufficient, after 2 months the attending physician should change the antidepressant or refer the patient for consultation and treatment with a psychiatrist.

Indications for emergency hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital for a woman with severe postpartum depression are:

1. Severe anxiety and lethargy or, conversely, pronounced agitation.
2. State of psychosis, with the exception of toxicoinfectious. In the latter case, the woman should be admitted to the intensive care unit or intensive care unit, and treatment should be carried out using antipsychotic drugs and benzodiazepines (intravenously and intramuscularly), taking into account the recommendations of a psychiatrist.
3. Refusal to eat.
4. Any type of mania.
5. Signs of possible harm to yourself or your newborn, as well as suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Disease prevention

Prevention is necessary not only in the maternity hospital and after the birth of the child, but also at the stage of planning a pregnancy by a couple and throughout the entire period of dispensary observation by a gynecologist at the antenatal clinic, so that the young mother herself can cope with postpartum depression.

Depending on the tasks at each stage, primary and secondary prevention are distinguished. The objectives of primary prevention are a careful study by an obstetrician-gynecologist of the anamnesis (history) of a woman’s life, her heredity, and social status. He should conduct psychoprophylactic preparation for childbirth, familiarize the woman and her husband with the sensations that she will experience during pregnancy and childbirth, with the possible development of the “postpartum blues” syndrome and the “grief reaction under severe stress”, explain their non-pathological nature and familiarize with control measures.

In addition, a pregnant woman needs to be taught psychological auto-training, explain the importance of communicating with her friends, other pregnant and young mothers, the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and daily routine, walking in the fresh air, and also give recommendations on physical activity and gymnastic exercises.

The objectives of secondary prevention are to teach the pregnant woman how to deal with postpartum depression at home. If there is a history of depression, special attention is paid to changes in her self-esteem, conducting psychoeducational conversations with relatives and people close to the woman in order to create for her a supportive family atmosphere, emotional and physical support, favorable living conditions and comfort. Secondary prevention is carried out by a general practitioner or family doctor.

If alarming symptoms of the disease persist for 2–3 weeks, as well as with a mild degree of pathology, the woman should be provided with medical assistance from a family doctor or psychiatrist together with an obstetrician-gynecologist in the form of non-drug therapy.

Most women in the last stages of pregnancy experience a feeling of anxiety. Unstable mood intensifies on the eve of childbirth and after the birth of a child. A nervous condition often develops into prolonged depression of varying degrees of severity and can pose a big problem not only for the mother and her child, but also for the environment.

What is postpartum depression

Many mothers after giving birth experience fear before the first feeding of the baby; they are worried about whether they will be able to care for the baby. Often a woman becomes afraid for the health of her child, but very soon her fears are left behind. Unfortunately, this period does not end quickly and safely for everyone. Some women continue to experience fears even several months after giving birth. In medicine, a painful state of anxiety, which is unreasonably caused by objective reasons, is called depression.

This is a serious mental pathology that develops only in the postpartum period. Depression after childbirth is characterized by a loss of former interests and a depressed mood, which occurs already in the first week after childbirth, and only increases over time. This disease has a direct connection with psychological, social and hormonal changes in a woman’s life.

Causes

Postpartum depression occurs in women for various reasons. To date, doctors do not have a unified theory on this matter. All available causes are divided into two groups: socio-psychological and biological. The most proven is hereditary predisposition. If one of the woman’s genetic relatives had depressive disorders, then the pathology can be inherited and manifest itself under certain life circumstances.

The socio-psychological group explains a woman’s postpartum anxiety by her personality traits, communication problems in adult life, the psychology of growing up, and the level of stress resistance. Psychotherapists distinguish two bases of human well-being: physiological and psychological. The first include the following causes of depression:

• postpartum imbalance of chemical elements;
• malfunction of the thyroid gland;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• side effects from taking certain medications;
• infectious diseases;
• long-term chronic diseases.

More often, psychoses occur due to psychosomatic disorders. The main psychological causes of postpartum depression in women:

• problems with breastfeeding;
• fatigue from lack of sleep;
• pain after difficult childbirth;
• increased degree of responsibility;
• changes in figure;
• lack of finances;
• problems with your partner.

Forms

Experts divide postpartum mental disorders into three forms. They are formed exclusively after the birth of a newborn baby. Among them:

• Neurotic. Manifested by irritability and frequent mood swings. The woman has an aggravated hostility towards the people around her. Sometimes she experiences panic attacks, which are accompanied by profuse sweating, tachycardia, and high blood pressure.
• Postpartum psychosis. Severe form of depression. It manifests itself as delusions and hallucinations, which are embodied in aggression directed at the child. It is more common in women giving birth with bipolar disorder (manic-depressive psychosis). This pathology is treated in a hospital setting under the supervision of a psychiatrist.
• Prolonged postnatal depression. The disease begins as a blues associated with postpartum difficulties. A woman tries to be a good mother, but any problem (for example, the inability to swaddle a baby) leads to panic. Over time, the condition worsens, the blues develop into despair, long-term depression.

Symptoms

The first signs of postpartum depression are emotional exhaustion and loss of strength. The woman feels persistent depression, intensifying in the morning and evening. Thoughts about the lack of meaning in life increasingly arise in the head, and a guilt complex towards the child develops, especially if he has health problems. The woman in labor increases emotional sensitivity, expressed in excessive tearfulness with or without cause. This condition begins immediately after childbirth and can last from several weeks to several months..

You should not let these symptoms go unnoticed, as they can very quickly turn into serious psycho-emotional problems. Conditions in which a woman needs to see a doctor:

• changeable mood;
• short-term memory loss;
• constant fatigue;
• tearfulness;
• increased or decreased appetite;
• sleep disorders;
• constant feeling of guilt;
• apathy;
• indifference;
• migraine;
• intestinal disorders;
• hypochondria.

Complications

Postpartum syndrome, like any other disease, does not always go away without leaving a trace. The prolonged depressed state of a woman in labor adversely affects the baby and spouse. Children who are fed by mothers who are in melancholy are prone to increased excitability or abnormal passivity. During the first year of life, a child may not show bright, intense emotions at all. Such children experience inactivity, insufficient concentration of attention, and a late onset of speech skills.

Men are also dissatisfied with their spouse’s depressive behavior, and some even consider this pathological condition a whim. They try to restore their sex life, but they cannot achieve it. Ignoring this issue puts men into a depressive disorder, which poses a threat to the partnership as a whole. Depression after childbirth can cause serious consequences for a woman and her family:

• suicide attempts;
• worsening depression requiring hospitalization;
• attempted infanticide;
• impossibility of restoring relations between spouses.

How to deal with postpartum depression on your own

With a mild degree of postpartum disorder, you can get rid of it yourself. The main thing for a woman to realize is that this is a temporary condition, and a positive attitude will give quick relief from depression:

1. Remember more often that a miracle happened in your life. Feel the peculiarity of the situation, then your home routine will no longer cause negative emotions.
2. Think about the fact that your child is helpless in this world and most of all needs your love. Breastfeeding and tactile contact contribute to the production of happiness hormones, so take your baby in your arms and talk to him affectionately as often as possible.
3. Be sure to find time to be alone with yourself. Every person should have personal time, otherwise he loses his individuality. Take a day off, go to the hairdresser, shopping or to the cinema. Even the period of lactation should not prevent a woman from living a full life.
4. Don't be ashamed of the extra pounds - this is a temporary phenomenon. Do not listen to those who will give advice to go on a diet or exclude some favorite foods from your diet. During times of stress, you need to eat well and gain strength.
5. Practice relaxation and meditative techniques. Find time to relax (bath, massage, aromatherapy).

Treatment

If you cannot cope with the disease on your own, then if signs of depression continue to develop, you should visit a psychologist or psychotherapist. The specialist will give recommendations on how to correct behavior. Treatments for depression are prescribed individually. The most effective therapeutic techniques:

• NLP. Neurolinguistic programming techniques allow you to unlock a person’s reserves of strength. An NLP specialist will help a woman in labor realize her true values ​​and needs, formulate desired goals and show the way to achieve them. If the treatment is based on negative experience, then the doctor will not tamper with the woman’s psyche, but will teach new behavior and form positive attitudes.
• Psychoanalytic techniques. Doctors are working through childhood memories. If the patient’s mother was depressed after her birth, then the woman’s need for emotional contact was not met, so she repeats her negative experience in adulthood.
• Hypnotic method. Hypnotherapy is effective in the initial stages of the pathological condition. Hypnosis will quickly relieve depressive symptoms. As a rule, a woman’s well-being improves after 2-3 sessions. After the course of treatment, she experiences the whole gamut of positive emotions.

Drug treatment is prescribed for severe forms of the disease, when the above methods do not help to get out of a depressive state. The following groups of drugs are prescribed:

• Antidepressants. Correct brain function impaired by depression (Imipramine, Pirlindol).
• Tranquilizers. They reduce the speed of mental reactions and have a sedative and hypnotic effect (Nitrazepam, Tofizopam).
• Neuroleptics. Strong psychotropic drugs, the action of which is aimed at treating bipolar disorder (Aminazine, Haloperidol).

The most common method of treating postpartum mental disorders is complex therapy with antidepressants, psychotherapeutic sessions and folk recipes. Medications are prescribed in the form of tablets (oral administration) or in the form of an injection solution (intramuscular or intravenous administration). Effective sedatives that can be purchased at a pharmacy (as discussed with your doctor):

• Nervochel. Homeopathic remedy with sedative effect. For increased nervous excitability, you need to dissolve 1 tablet 3 times a day for 2-3 weeks. Contraindications for use: children under 3 years of age, hypersensitivity to components.
• Alora. Combined medicine of herbal origin, non-addictive. It has a sedative, anticonvulsant, analgesic effect. To reduce mental stress, take 1 tablet 3 times a day for 10-14 days (if there is no individual dosage). Caution should be exercised when taking the drug to people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to Avoid Postpartum Depression

If you know about the possibility of postpartum mental health problems, you can prepare for it. Prevention should begin during pregnancy. To prevent depression you need to:

• create a warm microclimate in the family;
• visit a family psychologist;
• strengthen the immune system through proper nutrition, accessible physical exercise, daily walks in the fresh air;
• avoid overwork;
• learn to increase stress resistance (positive attitude, self-control, emotion management).

Video

Many women in the first days after the birth of a child experience feelings of anxiety, irritability, depression and apathy. Sudden mood swings, causeless tearfulness, increased vulnerability, fear of not being able to take care of the baby - all these are signs of so-called postpartum melancholy. This is a natural reaction to stress.

It takes time to adapt. And as soon as a woman gets used to her new worries and daily routine, her emotional background will normalize. As a rule, this condition goes away on its own within a few days and does not require special treatment.

Before you continue reading, take a depression test (ed.)

The support and help of relatives will help the new mother get through this difficult period. If a woman remains depressed for a long time; indifference to the world around is replaced by a strong sense of guilt and deep despair; it is necessary to pay attention to the painful experiences in time. All of these may indicate postpartum depression.

Depression, unlike postpartum melancholy, is a severe emotional disorder and requires mandatory treatment. It can only be dealt with with the help of specialists.

Symptoms of postpartum depression

Depressed mood, irritability, guilt and causeless tears. Feelings of deep sadness and despair. Apathy and indifference to the surrounding world. Constant anxiety, fears, panic attacks. Loss of strength and inability to take care of yourself and the child. Sleep and appetite disturbances, lack of sexual desire.

With depression, a woman’s condition only gets worse every day. The world seems gray and joyless. Lack of meaning in life and hope for the future are serious signs of postpartum depression.

The woman feels abandoned, left alone with her painful experiences and her child. Loneliness and social isolation only make depression worse.

Losing control over your emotions makes you feel helpless. An overwhelming feeling of powerlessness interferes with caring for the baby and doing household chores. An endless feeling of guilt has now become a constant companion. Being in the grip of despair and feeling like a “bad” mother, a woman is unable to give emotional warmth to her child. Warmth, which is vital for him. After all, the period of infancy is an important stage in the formation of the baby’s psyche.

The consequences of maternal postpartum depression for a young child

Maternal depression is an obstacle to the formation of emotional closeness, which is vital for the baby. The alienation and emotional detachment of the mother traumatizes the baby.

The lack of maternal love, affection and warmth can lead to serious mental disorders in the child. The emotional connection between mother and child gives him a sense of security, and the absence of this connection is always a tragedy for the baby.

Depression prevents a mother from feeling and emotionally responding to her child’s wants and needs. He feels rejected and unwanted when left alone with his fears and anxieties. Such isolation in the future can lead to serious personality disorders - pathological self-doubt, increased anxiety, fears and phobias, depressive disorders, difficulties in establishing close relationships, etc.

Causes of postpartum depression

Unwanted pregnancy, difficult childbirth, illness of the woman or newborn can lead to depressing emotional experiences and, as a result, depression. And if complications after childbirth and the baby’s illness are an understandable cause of depression, then what about a situation where, it would seem, nothing should overshadow the happiness of motherhood? Unfortunately, a successful birth and a long-awaited baby are not able to protect a woman from postpartum depression.

A woman's life changes radically after the birth of a child. And no matter how much she prepares to become a mother, such changes are difficult to come to terms with. It’s hard to accept that life now entirely belongs to the child. A strong internal conflict arises between the desire to be a good mother and one’s own desires and needs.

As a rule, women expect that maternal love, with which they will be overwhelmed immediately after the birth of a child, will solve the problems of adaptation to new conditions. But it takes some time to establish emotional contact with the baby.

The woman experiences disappointment, which turns into a feeling of guilt and shame for her inability to discover her attachment to the baby. And while the child is felt as a “stranger,” the woman suffers from remorse and feels like a bad mother.

Depression or other emotional disorders of a woman before pregnancy can also cause postpartum depression. Excessive vulnerability, increased anxiety and self-doubt, instability of the nervous system make a woman vulnerable to depressive disorders.

Pregnancy and childbirth, being a strong stress, deplete an already vulnerable psyche, which can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, a woman’s emotional well-being is the key to happy motherhood.

Treatment of postpartum depression

Many women feel guilty about their condition. Relatives aggravate the situation, accusing her of pretense and urging the young mother to pull herself together. But depression is a serious illness and requires qualified help.

Popular on the site: How to avoid postpartum depression (editor's note)

Timely help from a psychologist will help you get rid of painful experiences, understand the causes of emotional distress and cope with depression. In a particularly serious condition, a woman needs to be monitored by a psychiatrist and take antidepressants.

“I don’t want and can’t do anything, I just cry and run around smoking. Even the cry of a child irritates me,” this is how some women who have recently given birth describe their condition. Severe postpartum depression, and these are precisely its symptoms, according to statistical indicators, occurs in 12% of new parents.

The situation is also complicated by the fact that those around her, and even the mother herself on maternity leave, do not always consider this phenomenon to be a serious illness. And yet, depressive moods after childbirth are a pathology, and if left to chance, it often leads to serious consequences for both mothers and children.

At the end of the third trimester, many women begin to worry about themselves and, above all, the child. Anxiety arises due to a certain loss of control over the situation, not always pleasant emotions and sensations. Concern grows even more when mommy realizes that she cannot live up to the image of the “ideal mother.”

Most likely, many people have an idealized idea of ​​a mother on maternity leave: a rosy-cheeked toddler, a new mother sparkling with happiness and a proud head of the family nearby. Imagine what happens to a woman’s psychological state in the first month after childbirth, when a newborn baby makes serious adjustments to her life.

What is postpartum depression in new mothers? Despite the ambiguous attitude towards this phenomenon in society, in medicine it is considered a rather serious illness - a form of depressive disorder that develops during the first months of interaction between the mother and the newborn.

About 12% of mothers who give birth are depressed, but only 2-4% receive qualified support after diagnosis.

In fact, experts say that mild episodes of postnatal depression occur in almost half of women on maternity leave.

It is necessary to separate depression from the usual blues, sadness that occurs in the first month after the birth process. A moping woman sometimes describes her feelings using the same words (“I’m crying,” “I can’t sleep,” etc.), but at the same time she is happy about the appearance of a child in her life.

Sadness and melancholy usually go away after a month or two; besides this, these conditions do not require any specific help. What are its characteristic differences?

1. Postnatal depressive disorder usually occurs within a few months after the birth of a newborn, but its symptoms can appear up to a year after birth.
2. The symptoms of postnatal depression not only last significantly longer (from 5-6 months to a year or more), but are also distinguished by the severity of all manifestations and the inability to do anything. The symptoms are very similar to those of other types of depressive disorders.
3. Blues usually goes away completely after a month (a little more), while postnatal depression often becomes chronic. Such “disguise” arises due to the woman’s non-recognition of this condition and reluctance to ask for help (the mother has to play the socially approved role of a happy and caring parent). A fifth of women with depression do not notice improvement even after 2-3 years!
4. Psychologists are confident that postnatal depression leads the mother to rethink the role of her own parents in raising children. Such identification causes the activation of various problems and conflicts that were not worked through in childhood.

In addition to the above features, postnatal depression is characterized by a woman’s categorical refusal of medical or psychological help and inability to cope with the problem on her own. The reason for this is a feeling of guilt - “I can’t take care of the child, which means I’m a bad mother.”

The situation is constantly getting worse, and it “falls on” everyone: the child, the husband, the rest of the household, and other relatives who do not understand the reasons for the low mood and reproach the new mother for insufficient attention to the baby and maternal responsibilities.

Forms of postpartum depression

Postnatal depressive disorder can occur in various forms, each of which is distinguished by special symptoms, their severity and duration. Let's take a closer look at them.

Neurotic depression

This type of postnatal depression usually occurs in mothers who had certain neurotic disorders before childbirth. Since the birth process is a stressful situation, existing disorders worsen.

In this case, the woman experiences:

• irritability, anger and aggressiveness;
• hostile attitude towards close people;
• constant panic;
• cardiopalmus;
• increased sweating;
• loss of appetite;
• insomnia and other sleep disorders;
• sexual problems;
• fear for one’s health, especially acute at night.

In addition, it is common for mothers to experience their own lack of independence. Her self-esteem drops sharply, as a result of which she begins to emotionally depend on the people around her.

Postpartum psychosis

This type of postnatal depressive disorder has its own characteristics. Thus, mothers in this state are characterized by a feeling of guilt, lethargy, loss of orientation in certain situations, and inability to recognize their relatives.

In especially severe cases, a woman may experience obsessive thoughts after childbirth, which relate to the idea of ​​suicide or the desire to harm her own newborn child.

Postpartum psychosis is quite rare in new mothers - in four out of a thousand women giving birth. Its symptoms appear in the first month after the birth of the baby - within 10-14 days.

It is impossible to say exactly how long it will last, since sometimes its prerequisite is manic-depressive psychosis in the mother.

This is the most common form of postnatal depression. However, it is quite difficult to define it, since it is “masked” as a variety of problems that are associated with the care and upbringing of children.

Prolonged postpartum depression develops gradually, and it begins with the usual blues, which continues after returning home. Women are constantly tired, but relatives attribute this condition to the birth process.

Distinctive signs are constant irritation and tearfulness. But it’s extremely unpleasant for a mother to hear children’s tears, and she blames herself for this and for insufficient care. Guilt also arises because caring for a child does not bring happiness to a woman.

Prolonged course of postnatal depression is most often observed in two types of mothers:

1. Women with hysterical manifestations or obsessive fears of doing something wrong, especially if it concerns a child.
2. Individuals who were deprived of maternal tenderness and affection in childhood.

It is impossible to determine how long the depressive state will last. Usually the time period does not exceed 10 months or a year. However, in especially severe cases, the process of withdrawing into oneself can last 2-3 years.

General signs

As can be seen, different types of postnatal depressive disorder have distinctive characteristics. However, experts identify several symptoms that are found in all varieties of this psychological condition. Among them:

Somewhat less often, in mothers, the above-described features can be combined with suicidal thoughts or with a desire to harm the child. Such thoughts often arise simultaneously with a reluctance to approach the newborn at all.

A woman’s well-being especially deteriorates in the time interval from three to 10 months after the birth of a baby. When the baby reaches the third month of life, the mother’s irritability and anxiety actively progress.

Many experts associate the occurrence of postnatal depressive disorder in a new parent with changes occurring at the psycho-emotional, social, and physiological level.

Despite the fact that there is still no clearly proven connection between a depressed mood in mothers and hormonal levels, this factor is not discounted. The assumption has a right to exist, since in pregnant women the level of certain hormones changes.

During pregnancy, the amount of female sex hormones increases almost 10 times, and after delivery there is a significant decrease in such indicators - almost to the level at which they were before conception.

In addition to hormonal changes, the mother is also “threatened” with colossal changes in all aspects of life with the newborn child. The psychology of women who have given birth is changing, and changes are also occurring in social status. Such “transformations” seriously increase the risk of postnatal depression.

In addition, experts identify several factors that can provoke the development of symptoms of depression in mothers who have given birth:

1. Hereditary predisposition. These words mean the characteristics of the nervous system that a woman adopts from her own parents. More specifically, a mother with a weak nervous system inherited from the older generation tends to react more sharply to a variety of stressful situations, and there are a lot of them after the birth of a baby. In addition, the birth process itself is one continuous stress.
2. Changes at the physiological level. In addition to surges in female sex hormones, the mother experiences a change in the volume of thyroid secretions. As a result of this decrease, fatigue begins, the mother has to do everything through “I can’t”, and this can result in depression. After the end of pregnancy, metabolism, blood volume and even blood pressure change, all this affects the psychological health of the mother.
3. Fear of not living up to the “title” of the mother. Some anxious individuals strive to become a kind of “supermom” who manages to take care of a child, enjoy life, be a good wife and friend, and look good. In reality, it is impossible for a mother to get closer to such an ideal, as a result of which her self-esteem decreases and a feeling of helplessness appears. And from here it is not far to depressive disorder.
4. Lack of free time. The natural desire of any mother is to restore moral and physical strength after childbirth. However, almost immediately she has to perform household duties and care for the child. These troubles are often combined with the process of contraction of the uterus, recovery after suturing the perineum or sutures from a caesarean section. Such time pressure often ends in depression.
5. Problems with breastfeeding. The process of establishing lactation brings mother not only pleasant emotions, but also various difficulties. For example, the weaker sex after childbirth often expresses milk and feeds the baby at night (this makes it difficult to sleep). The lactation period is often accompanied by pain during feeding. In addition, there is a temporary decrease in milk volume, repeating after several months. We must not forget - stagnation of milk secretion.
6. Selfishness of a woman. An unexpected factor, however, the fair sex does not always like to share the attention of others, even with their own children. Postpartum depression of selfish origin is especially typical for young and first-time mothers. After giving birth, the mother has to rebuild her usual routine to suit the baby’s needs, and she also needs to enter into “competition” for her husband’s attention. In addition, some mothers are not able to accept responsibility for the child.
7. Changes in figure. Some mothers begin to almost panic when they notice changes in appearance that are the result of pregnancy and the birth process. Gaining weight, stretch marks or sagging breasts - all this, coupled with low self-esteem, leads to real depression.
8. Lack of finances. It is not always possible for a mother to provide her child with a decent infancy. Because of this, a woman begins to consider herself a bad mother, which again causes a depressive state, which intensifies under other conditions (psychological characteristics, low self-esteem).
9. Problems with your partner. The process of labor often leads to further difficulties with sexual life. First, there may be a variety of physical limitations. Secondly, fatigue, accompanied by decreased libido. Thirdly, sometimes women even develop an extremely negative attitude towards sex in the first few months after childbirth.
10. Unfavorable atmosphere. This cause consists of several factors leading to postnatal depression. Among them may be the husband’s indifference, rejection from his loved ones, the spouse’s addiction to alcohol (he likes to smoke and drink in front of the child), and the lack of any support.

In some situations, postpartum depression occurs after a spontaneous abortion or after the birth of a stillborn baby.

Consequences for children and spouse

What is the threat of postpartum depression in a mother to her child? First of all, a depressed woman is simply not able to fully fulfill her maternal responsibilities. Sometimes a mother refuses to even feed her baby with breast milk because she does not feel love for him. What are the consequences?

• The development of the baby also slows down. The child sleeps poorly, worries, and in the future he may develop various mental disorders (for example, a predisposition to depression).
• Due to the lack of skin-to-skin interaction, the child suffers from various processes associated with emotional development. Subsequently, the baby may develop speech disorders (for example, logoneuroses), problems with concentration, etc.
• Children raised by depressed mothers rarely show positive emotions or interest in contact with objects and loved ones. It’s curious, but such a child tends to worry less when separated from his mother (other children have a sharply negative attitude towards such a development of events).

How does the stronger sex react to female postpartum depression? Men are naturally dissatisfied with this behavior of their spouse. Some of them generally mistake a serious mental disorder for some kind of whim, and therefore treat women's problems accordingly.

The stronger sex naturally strives to restore their former sex life, which is usually not possible to achieve. It is no secret that among all the global changes in family life associated with the birth of a child, men strive, first of all, to maintain stability in the matter of intimate relationships.

In some situations, men also experience postnatal depression. Some of the reasons for its appearance are in certain ways related to development factors in women.

The stronger sex falls into the trap of depression due to a feeling of uselessness to the spouse, lack of finances, lack of sex, etc.

It is much easier to prevent the development of postnatal depression than to fight it later. Moreover, it is unknown how long it will take (days, weeks, months) for the symptoms of this psychological disorder to subside.

So, postpartum depression can have a negative impact on both the mother, the child, and other household members. And you don’t need to think that this condition certainly won’t affect me. That is why there is no need to let this problem go by itself.

If a woman doesn’t want to be disconnected from a full-fledged life for half a terrible year, she needs to act even before she ends up on maternity leave. What to do?

Let us repeat the common rule once again: it is easier to prevent a disease than to then try to get rid of it. Postnatal depression is also a disease, so you shouldn’t expect it to go away on its own. The help of a specialist is extremely important in such a situation.

If your condition after childbirth is expressed by the words “I’m crying, I can’t stop, no one understands me,” it’s time to help yourself and your child. Expert advice will help you get rid of postnatal depression.

1. A doctor will help you cope with the problem. To save yourself from possible troubles, you must follow medical advice. For example, when prescribing drug treatment, all necessary procedures should be followed. However, taking medications on your own is strictly prohibited, even if the women’s forum says that “such and such a remedy saved me.”
2. Do not refuse the support of loved ones. The help of a spouse or mother-in-law is not something shameful, but an important necessity, especially when you cannot get rid of negative thoughts on your own. Your husband, mother, grandmother or close friend will help you get out of the emotional “trap”. You should accept their support before you cross the line.
3. There is no need for a new mother to be ashamed of being overweight. Remember that you have been eating for two for at least half of the prescribed period, so additional kilograms are a completely natural phenomenon. Do not go on diets according to the recommendations of “well-wishers”. Natural feeding helps you get rid of excess weight, so do not neglect breastfeeding, especially in the first month.
4. Try to negotiate with your spouse about short-term “vacations”. Going to the cafeteria, visiting the pool or store, walking around your favorite place - all this will distract you from the need to constantly be close to your child. Believe me, no one will think that you are a terrible mother, abandoning the baby to the mercy of fate.
5. As we have already noted, the stronger sex pays special attention to the intimate side of married life. Try to talk with your husband about this topic, very calmly and tactfully. If you don't want to make love, give serious arguments. For example, it takes a month or a month and a half for the uterus to recover. This argument is better than saying, “I don’t care about sex right now.” By the way, making love is another effective method to escape from postnatal depression.
6. Try to step away from kitchen chores for a while, since it is much more important for a child to spend more time with mommy than to watch her culinary talents. Perhaps the stronger sex in the person of your spouse will take on the responsibility of preparing dinner.
7. Postpartum depression is often aggravated by lack of sleep, when mommy tries to earn the title “supermom” for a year or longer. Have you put your child to bed? Lie down next to each other for at least 10 minutes. Believe me, the opinion “no one can replace me” is wrong. A woman will be more likely to get rid of depressive thoughts if she buys a baby monitor or shifts some of the worries to household members.
8. Include in your diet foods enriched with calcium-containing foods and ascorbic acid. These substances help get rid of depression in some situations as effectively as medications. This recommendation is another argument in favor of abandoning various dietary restrictions.
9. A new mother will get rid of postnatal depression if she does not refuse to communicate with friends and close girlfriends while on maternity leave. Talk to other women who are facing a similar problem. Probably some of them coped with depressive thoughts and blues. In any case, even emotional support is half the job successfully completed.
10. Mommy will be more likely to cope with the problem if she walks with her child more often. Firstly, it’s a change of scenery, and secondly, it’s always good to get some fresh air and walk some distance. By the way, this will help you lose extra pounds in a more natural way.

Often, the monotony of actions seriously complicates the course of postnatal depression. Follow these tips through “I can’t”, focusing on the benefits for yourself and your child.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of postnatal depressive disorder involves observation, examination of the woman, collection of information and comparison of symptoms.

If the doctor suspects that the cause of postpartum depression is a hormonal shift, he will suggest taking a blood test to determine the level of certain hormones.

Experts identify only two effective ways to get rid of depression: taking special medications and psychotherapeutic techniques.

1. If the condition is caused by hormonal imbalance, a drug is prescribed to correct it. Another group of medications is the latest generation antidepressants, which maintain the necessary balance of hormones (in particular, serotonin). Some mothers are afraid to take antidepressants for fear of harming the baby or losing breastfeeding. However, a tense and irritated mother is much worse for the baby than medications allowed during feeding.
2. Mommy will cope with difficulties faster if she uses the help of a qualified psychotherapist. Moreover, a specialist can offer NLP, psychoanalytic techniques, and the hypnotic method to solve the problem. It all depends on how severe the woman’s postpartum depression is. In addition, psychologists often suggest using methods from family or cognitive psychotherapeutic schools. These techniques work through deeper problems, youthful or even infantile complexes that smoothly flow into adulthood and lead to depressive moods.

Postpartum depression is a complex psychophysiological condition, the course of which depends on many factors. Sometimes the blues go away in a few weeks, in other cases it takes about two to three years.

In many ways, the effectiveness of treatment is related to a woman’s ability to get used to a new role and the desire to get out of a vicious circle. However, the support of a spouse and the help of close relatives are no less important.

Postpartum depression, as statistics indicate, is a condition that affects approximately 5-7 women out of 10 after childbirth. Postpartum depression, the symptoms of which are observed in women of the main group of reproductive age, consists of increased sensitivity, which, in turn, manifests itself in a whole “bouquet” of corresponding manifestations. Our article today is about the features of postpartum depression and how to deal with it.

general description

Already by the end of pregnancy, and even on the eve of childbirth, the expectant mother becomes passive, loses control over the entire situation accompanying her condition, and encounters unusual sensations, which, unfortunately, are more comparable to anxiety. Such harbingers of postpartum depression worsen by the time the child is born, and the feeling of anxiety is further reinforced by the fact that, with all her desire, the new mother is simply unable, given her condition, to correspond to the “picture” with which the birth of a long-awaited baby is usually identified.

Surely the reader now has an approximate image of such a “picture”: a mother glowing with joy, overflowing with tenderness, a rosy-cheeked, smiling strong man, an equally happy husband nearby, etc. All this can be supplemented endlessly, but the birth of a baby, exactly the opposite, not only destroys such a picture, but seriously corrects it. This is not surprising, because from this moment the life of the family changes completely, and even with all the readiness for the appearance of a child in it, some things will have to be overcome, making serious efforts for this. And although our article, in general, is aimed at women, which is determined by their experience of postpartum depression in direct connection with this process, it also concerns men. And the point here is not only in general recommendations, which you can also learn for yourself further, but also in the fact that the state of postpartum depression specifically for men is no less relevant.

So, what is postpartum depression in women? In fact, despite the difference in attitude towards it, it is a fairly serious disease, which, in turn, can become the basis for even more serious conditions. It is important to note that postpartum depression is not just the “blueness” that occurs during the first few weeks after the birth of a child. What is characteristic of this state of “blues” is that during it one can experience characteristic conditions (anxiety, tearfulness, sleep and appetite disorders, mood swings, etc.), but at the same time a feeling of happiness from the new state and from the birth of a child in particular is present. The blues go away after a few weeks; moreover, it does not require any treatment. Another thing is postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression usually develops during the first few months after the birth of a child, although it can manifest itself at any time during the first year after this event. Symptoms of postpartum depression appear not only much longer (here the count goes on for months, and in more severe forms for years), but also in greater intensity, in violation of the ability to perform any actions. This condition is not a fad or a close analogue of the blues, but a mental disorder whose manifestations are similar to other types of depression.

Gradually, the main manifestations of this type of depression fade away, but this only indicates a tendency to transform it into a chronic form of its course. The reason for this is the attitude towards postpartum depression on the part of the mother herself and the people around her, which in particular concerns the non-recognition of this disease as such and, accordingly, the refusal of the need for its treatment. Thus, postpartum depression is masked in a unique way, because an almost indisputable fact is the already noted “picture” of the happy state in which a woman should be due to the birth of a child, which she has to support by hook or by crook. At the same time, about 20% of women remain in a primary depressive state even a year after childbirth.

It should be noted that in some cases, postpartum depression also occurs against the background of a miscarriage or against the background of the birth of a stillborn fetus in a woman.

The peculiarity of postpartum depression also lies in the fact that the birth of a child causes the mother to identify with her own parents and attempts to find out how they once coped with their functions after her birth. Based on this analysis, motherhood becomes the cause that results in reactivation (that is, reactivation) of traumas and conflicts that were not sufficiently worked through in childhood and adolescence.

Thus, to summarize, according to certain data, about 10-15% of mothers are faced with a typical form of a depressive episode, and only in 3% is this diagnosis established and its subsequent treatment. In fact, the depressive state, which plays a significant role in the life of the mother, in terms of frequency of occurrence corresponds to even higher rates, if we talk about specific numbers.

Moreover, as one might assume, the role of this disorder directly affects the child during the early period of his life. In part, depending on the degree and characteristics of the manifestation of postpartum depression in the mother, this condition can also act as a determining factor in the future future of the child, in particular this applies to various forms of disorders. In addition, due to postpartum depression, the mother feels that she is simply unable to cope with her child, and the overall harmony necessary for their successful interaction in the future is disrupted.

In addition to the listed features, the general signs of postpartum depression boil down to the fact that the mother categorically refuses to seek help. The basis for this is the emergence of a deep feeling of guilt, which, in turn, arises due to the difficulties associated with caring for a child. As a result, the relationship between mother and child is in a vicious circle, which later becomes the reason why depression becomes chronic. Against this background, the unfavorable influence that ultimately accompanies the baby’s development intensifies. Needless to say, the spouse, other family members, and simply close people who cannot always accept and understand such an attitude towards them also receive their share of this influence.

Postpartum depression: causes

If we generally consider the reasons for the development of postpartum depression in women, then a generalization can determine the close connection of a woman’s condition with those changes in her life that occur not only at the psychological level, but also at the social, physical and chemical level. All these aspects inevitably become relevant after the birth of the baby. Chemical changes are in particular based on a sharp change in hormonal levels that develops immediately after childbirth.

It should be noted, however, that scientists have not yet given a clear explanation of the connection between postpartum depression and hormone levels. This, however, is not at all a reason to discount this factor - the influence of hormones as a whole on the body and the development of such conditions is undeniable. A precisely known fact is information regarding the amount of hormones. Thus, during pregnancy, the level of progesterone and estrogen increases 10 times, while after childbirth there is a rapid decrease in these indicators. Imagine what large-scale changes occur in the body with such indicators, if it is also known for sure that just three days after the birth of the child, hormones in the specified volume change to the levels at which they were before pregnancy!

Again, in combination with hormonal changes, one cannot exclude psychological and social changes that are relevant in general at the birth of a child and corresponding changes in the life of his parents and mother in particular. All this also determines serious risks for the development of postpartum depression.

There are also a number of reasons that also contribute to the development of postpartum depression, we will highlight them separately:

• Heredity. In this case, heredity refers to the response characteristics adopted by new mothers from their own parents, which arise in response to current stressful situations. By the way, stress after the birth of a child occurs quite often, regardless of the scale of the occasion accompanying it, and this is not to mention the fact that childbirth itself is stressful for a woman, as is not obvious.
• Hormonal changes during the postpartum period associated with a sharp decrease in the level of female hormones (already discussed above). In addition, the physical reasons for which hormonal changes act are also a sharp drop in the production of thyroid hormones, against the background of which there is a feeling of “losing oneself” and severe fatigue, which, in turn, leads to depression. To top it off, it remains to add changes at the metabolic level, changes in blood volume and pressure after childbirth, which also affects the mother’s state of mind.
• Fear of not meeting the expectations of others and one’s own expectations regarding the existing image of a “super-mom”, who, at the same time, manages to do everything everywhere, being in the appropriate mood and in an unlimited state of happiness. In reality, it is quite difficult to comply with all this, which in turn gives rise to a feeling of one’s own helplessness and “spinelessness”, which does not allow one to achieve this. This, as is clear, causes the subsequent development of depression in the mother.
• Lack of sufficient time required for moral and physical recovery after the exhaustion accompanying childbirth. Here it is also necessary to add a combination of household chores that need to be performed, with pain arising as a result of contractions of the uterus, as well as with pain accompanying the healing of sutures in the perineal area or the healing of a scar in the abdomen (as is clear, the area of ​​​​such pain depends on the method delivery).
• Formation of lactation. In particular, we are talking here about the problems accompanying this process, as such the need to express milk is considered, regardless of the time of day (which determines the corresponding damage to night's rest). These are also cracks in the nipples, the formation of which is also accompanied by a certain pain. These are lactation crises (which is defined as a temporary decrease in the volume of milk production, occurring mainly after lactation has been established), the repetition of which occurs at intervals of 1.5-2 months, and the first appearance is noted after a period of 3-6 weeks from the moment the child is born. And finally, the appearance of areas of milk stagnation may be considered a problem.
• Features of the mother's character. It is possible that such a reason may somewhat surprise the reader, but in the development of postpartum depression its relevance is not uncommon. In particular, selfishness is implied, especially when it comes to a first-time mother. Thus, not every woman with a similar character is capable of wisdom in perceiving the need to rearrange her already established habitual diet and lifestyle to suit the needs that are determined by the birth of a child. In addition, often women are simply not ready for the need for a kind of “sharing” with the child of that part of the attention that previously received only from others and from herself. As is clear, all this leads to some kind of competition, which affects the general condition of the mother. Here, in addition, the mother’s inability to accept appropriate responsibility for her own child is noted.
• Changes in appearance. Many women literally panic when they see the changes in appearance that childbirth entails and how they affect their body proportions. Moreover, depending on self-esteem and pre-pregnancy appearance, such changes can be a real blow.
• The financial side, which in certain situations limits the possibility of adequately providing for the child, which, again, becomes a reason that prevents one from properly coping with the role of the mother.
• Changes accompanying sexual relations with a partner. Various aspects are considered here, ranging from purely physiological limitations and fatigue, due to which libido in women is significantly reduced, and ending with complete hostility that arises even at the thought of sex within the period under review.
• Other. At this point, we can list a number of circumstances that, in principle, do not need explanation in terms of the obviousness of their connection with the development of postpartum depression. So, this includes indifference and coldness on the part of the spouse or his relatives, lack of support in terms of household help and psychological support, alcoholism, domestic violence in the family and other factors.

Predisposition to postpartum depression

If we consider the question of who is prone to depression after childbirth, then it can be noted that there are no specific “parameters” for this. Accordingly, age, external features, nationality, etc. - all this cannot reliably indicate the inevitable development of postpartum depression in a woman or, on the contrary, cause it. In addition, the predisposition to depression does not depend on when the woman first became a mother and the second time she becomes one. Depending on certain circumstances, it is possible, however, to identify certain risk groups in terms of the possibility of a woman developing postpartum depression:

• Predisposition. Here, again, heredity is considered, but this time it concerns not the characteristics of the response to stressful situations, but the direct predisposition to depression (regardless of its type, that is, both ordinary depression and postpartum depression).
• Past experience of pregnancy, the completion of which was accompanied by the development of postpartum depression.
• Severe form of PMS (premenstrual syndrome).
• Experiencing a serious form of stress during pregnancy or experiencing it after childbirth.
• The presence of a woman with one or another mental illness.

Consequences of postpartum depression for a child

It is important to understand that if a mother develops postpartum depression, she simply will not be able to provide her child with the care that a healthy woman is capable of. Moreover, a woman with this disorder may refuse to breastfeed her baby, and she may not feel a strong form of emotional connection with the baby, which also complicates the situation.

As a result, as we have already noted, the mother’s attitude can negatively affect the child, this concerns all areas at once, starting from development and growth, problems with slow activity, sleep and behavior, and ending with problems in the future in the form of certain mental disorders (predisposition to depression in particular).

At an early age, it is especially important to establish skin-to-skin contact; naturally, communication with the child and care are important. The implementation of these directions is given to a mother with postpartum depression with great difficulty, if possible at all. Thus, the child’s self-defense mechanisms, concentration and speech development suffer, and he does not feel safe. Subsequently, against this background, children also develop anxiety and difficulties associated with expressing their feelings, because the main “blow” of the mother’s depression falls precisely on the emotional sphere.

The consequences of postpartum depression in the mother manifest themselves in the child in the form of certain characteristics. Thus, the children of such mothers in the future rarely show their positive emotions; their interest in objects and people is less expressed. When contacting the mother, behavior does not synchronize in the way that is typical for children whose mothers have overcome depression or have not encountered it at all. In addition, children with a depressed mother show less dissatisfaction with a certain separation from their mother (compared to other children who react accordingly). On the contrary, attempts to “escape” communication with a depressed mother and dissatisfaction with her condition are noted. In parallel with this, such tactics of behavior are also implemented in relation to contact with strangers who are in a normal state and disposition, without depression.

Postpartum depression in women: symptoms

Postpartum depression can occur in several forms, which are characterized by their own characteristics of symptoms; we will consider their characteristics below.

• Neurotic depression

This form of postpartum depression, as a rule, develops in those women who already have certain neurotic disorders. This type of case is accompanied by an exacerbation of those disorders that occurred during pregnancy. In particular, this is a constant manifestation of dysphoria - mood disorders in which patients are characterized by gloomy irritability, an exceptional feeling of hostility towards people around them, increased irritability, outbursts of anger and aggression. These include somatic disorders, manifested in the form of panic attacks, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), sweating, appetite disorders, and dissatisfaction with one’s own physical condition.

This also includes sleep disorders, sexual function disorders, pain (headache, heart pain), hypochondria (unreasonable concern about one’s health, thoughts about an imaginary disease, often, according to patients, incurable). Here there is also a feeling of despondency, systematically repeated crying, the patients are completely absorbed in the state with obsessive fears, and these fears reach their extreme degree of manifestation towards the end of the day.

A characteristic sign of depression in this case is fatigue and a feeling of inadequacy. Patients have sharply low self-esteem, they are susceptible to states of emotional dependence, often combined with their own persistent desire for tyranny. Neurosis may be based on past pregnancy experiences, in which childbirth was difficult or there was a threat of death during the process, as well as the threat of the birth of a defective or dead child.

The approach of the next birth can be combined with depression that has already begun, combined with anxiety, frequent nightmares and the appearance of obsessive fear associated with the need for sleep. The cause of this state is the actualization of the past, based, accordingly, on the experience of past births.

• Melancholy combined with delusional components

Symptoms of this form of postpartum depression include the appearance of lethargy and guilt in patients, they feel completely incompetent. Ideas aimed at self-destruction prevail, which also determines the connection with suicidal intentions. There is also a disturbance in orientation; patients may not recognize close people. Mood swings are sharp, behavior is generally strange. Hallucinations of rather gloomy content also appear, which subsequently manifest themselves in emerging delusional ideas, this time directed at the child. This form of postpartum depression is quite severe in its manifestation, although it is observed infrequently (up to 4 cases per 1000), during the first two weeks after the birth of the child. This condition is also commonly defined as postpartum psychosis; its symptoms are especially often observed in patients with bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder.

• Depression combined with neurotic components

The main symptoms include somatic disorders (highlighted above), a persistent form of insomnia, and weight loss. In some cases, there is an obsessive fear associated with the commission of any action that could harm the child. Factors contributing to the development of this form of depression include a predisposition to the development of manic-depressive syndrome, a woman’s absence of a husband, and the loss of a relative during pregnancy.

• Protracted form of postpartum depression

This type of postpartum depression is most often observed among women. In many cases, it is this depression that cannot be diagnosed, despite the significant number of women affected by it (according to various sources, from 10 to 20%). In frequent cases, the disorder we are considering is disguised under the guise of difficulties associated with raising a child; its development occurs gradually, starting with the typical postpartum blues, which continues after the mother has returned home. Symptoms include a feeling of complete exhaustion and fatigue, which is attributed to the birth itself. The mother is noted to be tearful and irritable. It is difficult for her to bear the tears of her newborn baby, while she feels guilty and reproaches herself for taking poor care of him. Caring for a child and, in general, everything that happens and surrounds you does not bring joy and pleasure. A woman reproaches herself for everything, and, above all, for her own irritability, combined with such a lack of pleasure and interests; she tries to hide such negative aspects of her perception.

Two main types of individuals are prone to a protracted course of postpartum depression, these are: 1) neurotic individuals with a current tendency to develop hysterical reactions in them or obsessive-phobic individuals - that is, individuals who are dominated by an obsessive fear of performing any action in such a way that the result will be harm to the child; 2) women who were partially or completely deprived of tender affection from their mother in childhood.

In the latter case, women did not have to feel sufficiently safe; they were characterized by the emergence of contradictory drives, especially of a sadistic and aggressive nature. Certain aspects related to motherhood and sexuality are difficult for them to compare and accept. The life of such women is accompanied by a constant feeling of insecurity and underestimation of oneself, a characteristic feeling of one’s own worthlessness, which, in turn, determines a predisposition to depression.

Due to regression (return to the past), provoked by motherhood, a comparison occurs with the existing image of a dissatisfied mother. Due to such “pressure”, it is also extremely difficult for such women to become a “good mother”, if not impossible due to the imaginary and possible inconsistency with such a template.

Few women, as already noted, turn to a specialist for advice on the basis of postpartum depression, which is due to the virtual lack of awareness of this problem. Motherhood, therefore, can proceed in accordance with the following two schemes:

• "Reliever." In this case, there is a predominance of depression in the mother in a situation where she feels that she cannot take care of the newborn according to such an idealized principle, which she has formed for herself, while the result corresponds to the image of a perfect mother. At the same time, she imagines absolute devotion to her “perfect” baby, upon separation from whom her mood changes for the worse.
• "Traffic Controller." In this case, the mother hopes that her child will adapt to normal life. Because of her new role of motherhood, every little thing takes her by surprise, when any activity stops, depression arises, the need to stay at home causes grief. It is believed that when a woman is depressed, being unable to establish adequate two-way communication with a child, her own depressive state shows nothing more than anger disguised and transformed into this form of disorder. A woman, accusing herself of being a bad mother, nevertheless tries to avoid expressing anger towards the child.

Common symptoms of postpartum depression
Based on the consideration of various types of depression and the features characteristic of them, we will highlight the main symptoms of postpartum depression that accompany it:

• lack of mood, mood swings;
• weakness;
• tearfulness;
• lack of motivation and energy to perform any actions;
• appetite disturbances (increased appetite or lack thereof);
• sleep disorders (insomnia or, conversely, too much sleep);
• feeling of worthlessness;
• inability to concentrate and make decisions;
• guilt;
• memory impairment, in some cases - perception of reality;
• lack of interest in usual or favorite activities, lack of pleasure in anything;
• persistence of problems associated with bowel function, headaches and pain of any other type;
• detachment from usual communication and environment, from close people.

In more severe forms, symptoms of depression after childbirth are combined with thoughts of harming oneself and the baby. There is a lack of interest in the child's attitude.

It is also important to note that the noted deterioration in the mother’s mood is most significant within the time period between 3 and 9 months after the birth of the child. Most often, it is from the third month that the mother’s depressed mood, irritability and anxiety are recorded. After three, nine and fifteen months, the symptoms also have a similar pattern of manifestation. Symptoms that generally accompany depression are combined with an inability to carry out daily activities, and the future looks bleak.

The likelihood of postpartum depression, and not the previously noted blues, should be considered if the latter does not disappear within the first two weeks after birth, accompanied by disorders that are generally inherent in the condition of interest to us.

Postpartum depression in men: symptoms

The reasons that provoke this kind of depression in men have common facets with “female reasons”. However, certain factors are specific to them in this situation. In particular, this concerns changes in their social role in the family, as well as the current problem associated with the need to accept the emotional side of the relationships that are formed with the child. Here, too, confrontation with the child arises due to the feeling of uselessness to the spouse, which arose as a result of her complete immersion in caring for him. Not the least role is played by the financial side, because expenses, as is clear, increase due to family circumstances and, in general, the situation at work may worsen, which is associated with additional stress. To top it off, it remains to add problems related to sexual life, which may be completely absent due to the wife’s long recovery or due to a simple lack of time.

By the way, it is sexuality that often plays a decisive role in male postpartum depression, which especially applies, paradoxically, to the first weeks and months after the birth of a child. The fact is that global changes that have affected all spheres of life determine for men the need for stability at least in this matter, which, in the vast majority of cases, cannot be achieved.

If a woman refuses intimacy, the scheme works as follows: the man becomes angry with her, then with the newborn, and then with himself - for the feelings that arise from this, which only aggravates the general condition. It should be understood that a man, unlike a mother who bears and feeds a child, succumbs to emotional contact with him with great difficulty. Add here anger and irritation at the lack of attention and other aspects of the developing relationship - and you will understand that achieving this is much more difficult than it seems.

Postpartum depression becomes especially problematic if a man has had episodes of depression in the past, with his general irritability and current problems in marriage, with fatherhood for the first time, with low self-esteem and with a forced acceptance of his own incompetence in matters related to education.

Symptoms of male depression after the birth of a child are typical of depression in general. Here you can note fatigue, problems with potency, depression, short temper, irritability, problems with sleep and appetite. Dangerous factors in the development of this condition are determined by distance from family and partner, reckless actions, refusal to communicate with the usual environment, refusal of sexual activity. In some cases, compensation for this situation is achieved by men through alcohol, drugs, or throwing themselves into work.

Signs of depression are often noticed by people around a man, which is explained by the wife leaving to take care of the child, during which obvious symptoms and signs of his condition are simply not noticed.

Like postpartum depression in women, depression in men can lead to negative consequences, both in the short term and in the long term, provided that this condition prevails seriously and for a long time. With such depression, it is worse to establish emotional contact with the baby, and subsequently full participation in upbringing is also excluded. As a result, a trusting and adequate relationship with an older child will remain seriously complicated or completely impossible.

How to prevent postpartum depression?

As you can already understand from our article, postpartum depression and the consequences accompanying this condition can subsequently be too costly for the mother, the child, and the family as a whole. Therefore, this problem cannot be left to chance. We looked at what postpartum depression is, how long it can last, and it’s also clear in general terms. Therefore, if you do not plan to renounce life for the next few months, or even years, allotted for this by no means pleasant state, and also if you want to experience in the maximum possible way all those delights that are truly possible during motherhood, then certain adjustments are necessary now .

Let's start with trying to prevent depression. Forewarned, as you know, is forearmed. Therefore, following this unspoken law, it is important to first find out whether depression in any of its forms (and postpartum in particular) has occurred in your family, not only in the mother, but also in close relatives, because the heredity factor can play an important role here role. Next, you need to undergo a preliminary consultation with a doctor - he will help you identify possible factors that determine the risks in this area.

Try to control your own state in terms of any changes related to self-esteem - negative fluctuations in this direction should not be allowed. If you feel that “something is wrong,” do not turn away from the problem and do not write it off, having independently identified the reasons that could have caused it. Remember that help, regardless of your current condition after childbirth, is normal and even necessary. Remember another common rule that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it in the future. Postpartum depression is a disease, and like any disease, it should also be treated.

How to cope with postpartum depression?

So, let's start with some help. If necessary, as has already been highlighted, you should visit a doctor who will help with certain adjustments and prescribe medication, if there are appropriate reasons. By the way, do not forget that independent drug treatment can be dangerous not only during pregnancy, but also now when you are breastfeeding, therefore the use of any medications, even those not related to the condition in question, must be agreed with a doctor.

Outside help is also required. Do not consider this something shameful, because at first, especially if this is your first child, it will be especially difficult for you, and if you have “reinforcements” from part of the same everyday life, then this can already significantly affect the overall situation and your condition in particular. It is better if you find an assistant (sister, friend, mother or mother-in-law) in advance, without waiting until you reach the limit.

It is equally important to share what is happening to you, within reason, of course, with those who really need to know about it - your immediate circle. It may seem to you that your condition and the way you behave are all quite understandable and even explainable, but in reality this may be far from the case, so explanations are indispensable. A certain restraint and appropriate understanding of the situation, of course, should also be on the part of relatives - instructions that you need to pull yourself together or about unfair treatment towards them are not very appropriate in such a situation, a young mother needs love, a certain degree of consolation and real help in the household.

It is also good to agree with your husband about a “day off” for yourself. A sauna, a swimming pool, a cafe or just a walk to your favorite places - any option will be appropriate due to the opportunity to leave the house and change the environment.

A special point concerns sexual life. One way or another, this topic will have to be discussed with your husband. Reluctance to have sex is explained tactfully and with appropriate arguments, and, as you understand, they are available. So, it is necessary to postpone it for a period of 4-6 weeks - approximately this amount of time should pass after childbirth, the reason is strictly physiological. At the same time, keep in mind that sex is often an effective way to get out of depression, but everything, of course, is strictly individual and based on general well-being in this area.

In reality, the birth of a child is not a limitation in life, but it is precisely with them that mothers compare their “new life”. On the contrary, with a rational organization of your own life, you can bring a lot of positive aspects into your life, it all depends on your approach.
By moving away from the kitchen a little, you can devote more time to yourself and your child, and this is much more important now than culinary delights. Think about what alternative is suitable for nutrition, maybe it’s high-quality semi-finished products or even ordering ready-made dishes; the specific option is determined based on possibilities.

Try to sleep more - you have good company for this. Using a baby monitor will allow you to be out of the zone of direct control over the baby, and, accordingly, devote time to other matters or to yourself.

Also, you shouldn’t turn into, figuratively speaking, a “clown”. Step away from the TV program, from the cookbook, because even the time for feeding can be used a little differently, for example, for parallel reading of a book (naturally, not forgetting about the child, contact with whom is no less important).

Walking with your baby will also be a great time for a change of scenery. As he grows up and you get used to your role, as well as to important manipulations, you will be able to master long distances - as they say, if you have the desire!

Try to fill your diet with foods with calcium and vitamin C - it is these, and not antidepressants, that the body needs most now. Moreover, it is quite possible that the condition you are in is eliminated precisely by compensating for their lack in the body.

By the way, now is the time, oddly enough, to start a hobby or return to the old one.

In any of the listed tips, as you may have noticed, actions come down to a change of environment, flexible activity and the absence of “sourness”, which can occur when surrounded by cereals, diapers, diapers and four walls. It is monotony and apparent constraint that act as a serious aid for the development of depression. Simple recommendations, carried out even through force, can be an effective solution.

Treatment

Treatment of postpartum depression, as well as previous diagnosis of this condition, is based on examination, identification and comparison of symptoms. An appropriate blood test will allow you to determine the level of hormones - this will allow you to get a comprehensive picture of the condition. Features of treatment are based on the depth of the condition in which the woman is (and the man as well, if treatment of depression in men is being considered).

Medications that can be used include antidepressants aimed at treating this type of depression; these are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; their use ensures the maintenance of hormonal balance. The side effects of such drugs are insignificant, and there are no risks for the child in taking them. Other pros and cons should be discussed with your doctor.

Psychotherapy may be an additional treatment solution. Due to it, it is possible to restructure the traditional paradigm of thinking in combination with changing the existing pattern of behavior and reacting to emerging situations. By consulting a doctor one-on-one, you can achieve truly effective results in treatment.

If you experience symptoms relevant to postpartum depression, you can contact your primary care physician or pediatrician for advice, or directly contact a psychotherapist or psychologist.