Postpartum depression: causes, symptoms and treatment

This mood disorder is suffered by almost 15% of mothers.

Having a child is one of the most rewarding experiences a human being can have. However, some mothers experience what is known as postpartum depression..

Scientific studies show that between 10 and 15% of mothers may suffer from this disorder, as the College of Nursing of Valencia was able to verify.

Fortunately, patients with this condition have a good prognosis thanks to the work of psychologists.

In the following lines we will go deeper into this phenomenon and we will delve into its causes, symptoms and treatment.

Types of depression

It is common to suffer a slump from time to time, because life has good and bad moments. In fact, some experiences can affect us so intensely that we find it difficult to get back to normal. Feeling sad about an event that has occurred is normal, the problem happens when the suffering becomes too important a part of our life and affects our daily life, negatively influencing our wellbeing .

In these cases we speak of depression, and according to different manuals of mental disorders, depressive disorders can be classified in different ways.

• Major depression: This is the most severe type of depression. There are two types: single episode and recurrent.
• Dysthymia: known as mild depression.
• Manic depressionappears in bipolar disorder.
• Seasonal depressive disorder: occurs during a time of the year. For example, in winter.
• postpartum depressionsome mothers, especially new mothers, may suffer from this disorder.

If you want to know more about the different types of depression, you can read our article, "Are there several types of depression?"

What is postpartum depression?

Having a child with the person we love is one of life's great gifts. But sometimes this great experience can bring with it postpartum depression. The first few weeks after childbirth can be a time of vulnerability for the mother, who may experience a Wide range of emotions, not all of them positive.

Sometimes this feeling can appear without explanation. Anxiety, sadness, insomnia, fatigue, irritability, excessive tiredness, nervousness, pessimism, etc., can affect the first weeks or weeks after delivery.can affect the first weeks or months of motherhood.

Symptoms

One of the most prominent features of this type of depression is that it occurs after childbirth, and can last up to a year after the birth of the child. But what symptoms do people with postpartum depression experience?

• IrritabilityIrritability: irritability may be present in mothers with postpartum depression, who may feel agitated with their family, partner and even their new child.
• Sadness: the most common symptom. The person experiences a negative mood, an urge to cry and may experience low self-esteem.
• Insomnia: sleeping problems and difficulty falling asleep are common.
• Anxiety: people with postpartum depression experience high levels of anxiety.
• Lack of sexual appetiteLack of motivation for sex may appear as a consequence of postpartum depression.
• Loss of appetiteAs with other types of depression, people with this disorder often have less desire to eat, especially in the early stages. However, some individuals eat sweets and fats in excess to alleviate psychological distress.
• FatiguePostpartum depression causes the person to feel tired, exhausted and fatigued, both mentally and physically.

Causes

Postpartum depression can appear for different reasons. These are the following:

• Difficulty adapting to change. For example, when the mother has no time for herself.
• Changes in social and/or work relationships.
• Concerns related to her ability to be a good mother.
• Lack of sleep
• Irrational expectations about being a mother, especially in the first few months.

Treatment

Postpartum depression can occur especially in new mothers, and one in ten parents experience it. Fortunately, psychological treatment works very well so the patient usually has a good prognosis.

Many patients go to their family doctor for help, but the ideal is to go to a psychological center such as those listed in our "Top 10 best psychology and psychotherapy clinics". For those people who do not wish to or cannot go to a face-to-face clinic, they can benefit from the help of a psychologist such as those mentioned in our ranking: "The 6 best online therapy clinics".

The importance of psychotherapy

The ideal is to have psychotherapy sessions with an expert in perinatal psychology.which is a branch of psychology oriented to the period between conception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and raising a child.

Generally, psychologists use cognitive behavioral techniques, which, according to research, have a high success rate.

• You may be interested in this content. You can learn more in our article: "The 10 most used cognitive-behavioral techniques".

New therapeutic models for the treatment of this pathology.

Now, in recent years, new types of psychotherapy have begun to be used, and the results are also positive.

Cognitive therapy based on Mindfulness or acceptance and commitment therapy are among the most used, and both belong to the third generation therapies, also known as contextual therapies.

If you want to know more about these types of therapies, you can read our articles:

• Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy: what is it?
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): principles and features