Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a medical condition that can cause a woman to experience extreme depression and anxiety after birthing a baby.  This occurs when she should be her happiest.  It has received a lot of attention because celebrities, such as Brooke Shields, have spoken out about their own personal experiences.  It has also received a lot of attention because of the unspeakable crimes that some mothers have committed against their own children.  Part of this problem stems from the fact that a lot of women are afraid to say to how they feel.  This is why more education is necessary on this topic so that women realize that PPD is a very real medical condition.

There are a variety of symptoms that accompany PPD.  These are as varied as women themselves are.  Patients may actually show some, or just a few, of the numerous symptoms.  It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms must be present for at least two weeks, for most of the time throughout the day.  Most women who experience PPD complain that they have an overall feeling of depression.  Other symptoms that accompany PPD are crying, and feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy.  Oftentimes there will also be a change in appetite as eating becomes difficult.  Sometimes though, a woman may experience an increase in appetite, which she simply cannot explain.  These women will not find activities that she previously enjoyed to be pleasurable any longer.  They will also oftentimes experience extreme, uncontrollable anxiety and fatigue.  These women also feel no desire to take care of their newborns.  In fact, they feel disconnected and apathetic whenever they do think about their infant.  Sometimes a woman may even go to the extreme and find herself having thoughts about hurting the baby.  Whenever a woman feels this way she should tell someone that she trusts, immediately.

PPD is caused by a change in hormones, which occurs after pregnancy.  While a woman will usually experience a period of blues after giving birth, sometimes this turns into PPD, especially if the woman's family or spouse is unsupportive.
 
It is difficult to treat PPD because most women will not request treatment.  This is due to the fact that the majority of these symptoms occur on a small scale after giving birth and thus women sometimes have difficulty seeing when these things actually become problematic.  For this reason, spouses and family should keep a close eye on new mothers.  Whenever necessary, they should step in and intervene, asking for help. 

There are two ways in which PPD can be treated.  First of all, when most doctors diagnose a woman with PPD, they will set her up with professional counseling.  The counselor will then be able to teach you ways in which you can deal with the anxiety that you are experiencing.  The second option is to place the woman on antidepressants.  This is oftentimes done in combination with the counseling because the antidepressants can alleviated the outward symptoms while you work with a counselor to ease your anxiety. 

The most important thing for a woman who is suffering from PPD to do is remember that she will get better.  She simply needs to begin by seeking the appropriate medical attention so that she can finally begin enjoying motherhood.

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