postpartum depression
Have you ever heard of postpartum depression? Does it only affect women or can it affect men? Read more about postpartum depression with us.
what is Post delivery depression
Postpartum depression is defined as a combination of physical, emotional and behavioral changes that occur in some women after childbirth, and new fathers are at risk of depression in the year the child is born as well.
Postpartum depression usually begins in the first four weeks after birth, but the medical diagnosis depends not only on when it appeared but on the severity of the depression, as it can be classified in some cases as major depression.
Postpartum depression is caused by chemical changes, as the hormones estrogen and progesterone increase during pregnancy and then decline sharply after childbirth, and psychological and social changes occur that increase the risk of postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression symptoms
There are many symptoms, including:
- Feeling sad and suffocated.
- anxiety and irritability;
- Fatigue and lethargy.
- Despair and a feeling of worthlessness.
- Withdrawing from friends and family.
- Difficulty thinking and lack of appetite.
- Lack of interest in the child.
- Not feeling responsible for the child.
Types of postpartum depression
1. (Postpartum blues)
It is more often affected by 50% - 75% of women, as the mother suffers from frequent and prolonged episodes of crying without reason or may experience sadness or anxiety.
Symptoms begin to appear within the first week after birth, and this type of depression usually subsides within two weeks without treatment.
Reassurance and help with child care and household chores help relieve depression.
2. (Postpartum depression)
It usually affects one in ten women, and the risk increases in this type of depression, where women have alternating ups and downs, frequent crying, irritability, guilt, anxiety, and inability to care for the child or self.
Symptoms are mild or severe, can appear within days after birth up to a year, last for several weeks and may reach a year, can be treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy according to the doctor’s advice.
3. (Postpartum psychosis)
It is rare and affects one in every thousand women.
It is a very serious form of depression that requires emergency medical care. Symptoms occur quickly after birth and are severe and last for weeks to months.
The woman usually suffers from confusion, severe irritability, feelings of despair, delusions, hallucinations, and may even commit suicide. The treatment is that the mother is admitted to the hospital immediately and receives medical and psychological treatment.
Postpartum depression: women most at risk
There are a group of women who are more likely to develop postpartum depression, including:
- Having had depression before, including postpartum depression.
- Family history of postpartum depression.
- Severe stress during pregnancy.
- Suffering from medical problems during pregnancy or after childbirth.
- An unwanted or planned pregnancy.
- Difficulty offering breastfeeding.
treatment
Treatment depends on the type and severity of depression that the woman suffers from. Once the problem is identified, the doctor prescribes a combination of psychological and medical treatment, including:
pharmaceutical
Some medicines are used in treatment, including:
Antidepressants: relieve symptoms and improve mood, and may take 6-8 weeks to work.
Antipsychotics: They are often used in the case of psychotic depression.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy may help treat postpartum depression, as it aims to find new ways to deal with and interpret situations and develop more positive ways of thinking.
Diagnostic therapy can also be resorted to, as it aims to improve communication skills and help develop social relationships, thus helping the patient to deal with challenges.
Postpartum depression: Does it affect parents?
Some new fathers may suffer from what is called paternal postpartum depression, which negatively affects the father's relationship with his partner or new child, as occurs in postpartum depression in mothers.
Fathers show symptoms similar to those that appear in mothers with postpartum depression, including: the emergence of sadness and fatigue, and a change in eating and sleeping pattern, symptoms may begin to appear during a woman’s pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth.
The chances of developing paternal postpartum depression increase if the father has a history of depression or has social or financial problems.
When symptoms appear, the father should see a health care professional, and he can also resort to a doctor and prescribe a treatment similar to the treatment used for women with postpartum depression.
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