Postpartum Depression: What You Need to Know

Takeaway: The journey to becoming a parent is full of highs and lows, and can include some overwhelming emotions. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders like postpartum depression can begin in pregnancy and last throughout the first years of parenthood. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are common and treatable.

Mother experiencing postpartum depression

The journey to becoming a parent is full of highs and lows, and can include some overwhelming emotions. You’ve likely heard of postpartum depression or the “baby blues” - even though this is the most common way to talk about the mental health impact of pregnancy and childbirth, perinatal mental health encompasses much more than just this narrow definition.

Many women experience perinatal distress - “perinatal” means from pregnancy to the early years of parenthood, and “distress” can include a range of experiences, from mood changes like the “baby blues” to mood and anxiety disorders. Let’s break it down further - but the most important thing to know is that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are common and treatable.

What to Know about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

They Can Occur During Different Phases of Your Parenting Journey

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders don't happen only after birth, but also during pregnancy and after loss. That's why it's necessary to undergo therapy for new moms before and after childbirth. Lack of early diagnosis of perinatal disorders leads to many undiagnosed and untreated cases. 

According to research, 7% to 15% of women in developed countries experience antepartum depression, and an average of 10% experience postpartum mental health disorders. This shows that mental disorders happen before and after childbirth.

They Can Affect Anyone

While perinatal mental problems are common in women, dads and older siblings also experience it. An average of 5 to 10 percent of dads battle perinatal depression, and 5-15 percent battle perinatal anxiety. This percentage increases when mothers are battling perinatal mental problems, too. 

Some reasons for dads' perinatal mental health problems are the psychological, social, biological, and emotional role changes during the prenatal and postnatal periods. These transitions cause mental health impairment. Like in women, perinatal mental health can cause mood and anxiety disorders and behavioral, cognitive, developmental, and problems in men.

The perinatal mental problems in dads and moms are interdependent. A mom with perinatal issues is more likely to trigger the same in the dad. On the other hand, a dad with perinatal problems can worsen the mother's perinatal symptoms postpartum. It's therefore prudent that you moms and dads get cognitive behavioral therapy for individual and each other's sake.

Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Perinatal mood and anxiety problems encompass varying postpartum disorders experienced by expecting mothers and new moms. The disorders include:

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is the most common of the perinatal mental disorders. It is a complex mix of psychological, emotional, and physical changes that cause severe despair and sadness. The symptoms include:

• Irritability, a feeling of guilt

• Thoughts of harming the baby and self

• Change in sleep patterns

• Feelings of emptiness

• Disinterested in hobbies.

Postpartum Anxiety

Postpartum anxiety is excessive worry after giving birth. Its symptoms include: 

• Racing thoughts

• Inability to sit in one spot

• Fear of the unknown

• Hot flashes

• Dizziness

• Change in appetite and sleep patterns

• Continued stress and worry.

Postpartum OCD

OCD stands for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a period after birth when a mom thinks of harming the infant, and actions lead to avoiding the baby. Postpartum OCD is less common, with 1.7% to 4% of women experiencing their first OCD case after childbirth. Women who have experienced postpartum OCD are likely to have recurrent issues. The symptoms include 

• Prolonged feeling of fear when around your child

• Overprotective behavior toward the child

• Intrusive thoughts manifest frighteningly and annoyingly.

• Uncontrollable needs to repeat the same action to reduce fears

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Have No Cause, But There Are Risk Factors

There is no specific cause for perinatal mental disorders but it has factors that can increase the risk of having it. These factors include relationship and financial stress, hormonal changes, traumatic birth experiences, and previous reproductive health problems. 

The social factor that can increase the risk of perinatal mental disorder includes ethnicity and lack of social support. These social factors and stigma can influence the likelihood of a perinatal patient seeking care.

Get Help for Postpartum Depression

Perinatal mental health concerns are a common problem for parents, but it doesn't have to lead to other problems in the long run. You can seek help early. More important than fitting into a diagnosis is to recognize if you aren't feeling like yourself and ask for support and help from loved ones or through postpartum depression therapy from a professional. If you're experiencing the symptoms we've discussed and are around Los Alamitos or Long Beach book a free phone consultation to begin your therapy journey with Poppy Therapy.