Postpartum Depression

PostPartum Depression & Anxiety

Postpartum Depression affects 10-28% of new mothers. It can begin days, weeks, or months after delivery. Symptoms may include:

insomnia
exhaustion
excessive sleeping but still feeling exhausted
changes in appitite
loss of sexual interest
crying spells without obvious cause
feelings of guilt
sadness
anger
feelings of despair and/or worthlessness
may become forgetful
difficulty making decisions
poor concentration

Research is ongoing into the causes of Postpartum Depression. Contributing factors may be physiological, sociological, psychological, and genetic.

Treatment for Postpartum Depression can be as varied as the symptoms. Common approaches include:

Creating a supportive environment for the mother
Self-Care
Support groups
Counselling
Psychotherapy
Medication

The duration of a Postpartum depression will depend upon how quickly the condition was recognized and treatment given, but full recovery can be expected.

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PostPartum Anxiety/Panic Disorder

Postpartum Depression With Anxiety/Panic Disorder can be very disturbing. In addition to having symptoms of Postpartum depression, the new mother may experience:

difficulty concentrating and remembering
difficulty making decisions
difficulty completing simple tasks such as doing the dishes or the laundry
insomnia
exhaustion
loss of appetite
may have suicidal thoughts
Anxiety/Panic Attacks

Shaila Misri, MD, FRCP(C) describes Panic Attack as follows:

A discreet episode of intense fear reaching it's peak intensity within 10 minutes from onset. Often associated with or accompanied by feelings of impending doom.

At least 4 of the following 14 symptoms are present during an attack:

shortness of breath
choking or smothering sensation
palpitations or accelerated heart rate
chest pain or discomfort
sweating
faintness
dizziness, lightheadedness or unsteady feelings
nausea or abdominal distress
depersonalization (feeling disoriented or that the world has become unreal)
tingling sensation (parasthesia)
hot flashes or chills
trembling or shaking
fear of dying
fear of going crazy or doing something uncontrolled

Although the panic attacks are discrete episodes, the individual may develop varying degrees of nervousness and apprehension between attacks characterized by tension, agitation, vigilance and scanning.

NOTE: A SINGLE PANIC ATTACK DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A DISORDER

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PostPartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is very rare occurring in approximately one in one thousand new mothers. It is an obvious disorder that requires immediate hospitalization. Symptoms include:

hyperactivity
increased rate of speech
delusions
paranoia
extreme confusion
hallucinations
extreme depression

With immediate treatment, psychotic episodes usually cease in about 8-9 weeks.

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