Understanding Postpartum Depression and Anxiety by Lindsay Menigat, LPCC-S

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that affects nearly 1 million women in the U.S. each year. Symptoms of PPD can begin during a woman's pregnancy through the first year following childbirth. PPD is beyond baby blues, which is a normal adjustment period that happens during the first 2 weeks of birth affecting 80% of new moms.

Many people have heard of PPD, but did you know symptoms of PPD can expand beyond depression symptoms and include anxiety, OCD, as well as other psychiatric symptoms? Postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD symptoms can impact a mother's daily functioning, potentially interfering with her ability to take care of herself or her family.

Symptoms of Postpartum Depression may include:

• * Feeling constantly overwhelmed.
• * Feeling guilty (i.e. "I should be handling new motherhood better than this.")
• * Feeling like you are not bonding with your baby.
• * Feeling very confused or scared.
• * Feeling impatient, irritable, or angry.
• * Feeling empty or numb.
• * Feeling sad & tearful.
• * Feeling hopeless or like a failure.
• * Changes in appetite.
• * Trouble with concentration or focus.
• * Sleep problems, such as trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, even when baby is sleeping.
• * Feeling disconnected or that you can't snap out of it.
• * Thoughts of running away, leaving your family, or hurting yourself in some way.
• * Fearful if you reach out for help people, will judge you or that your baby will be taken away.

Symptoms of Postpartum Anxiety & OCD may include:

• * Racing thoughts.
• * Unable to relax.
• * Feeling restless or on edge.
• * Trouble controlling worry or having constant "What if ... " thoughts.
• * Fearful to be alone with your baby because of scary thoughts or worries.
• * Feeling the need to check things constantly (i.e. is my baby breathing?).
• * Experiencing physical symptoms like shakiness, stomach aches, or headaches.
• * Trouble eating or changes in appetite. 
• * Feeling a sense of dread, like something bad is going to happen.
  
• * Sleep problems such as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, even when baby is sleeping.
• * Fearful or afraid that if you reach out for help people will judge you or that your baby will be taken away.

Any woman who is pregnant or has had a baby in the last year can be at risk for PPD. However, factors like history of mental illness, being a first time mom, ambivalence about the pregnancy, lack of support system, partner problems, infertility, complications during childbirth, and recent stressors can all increase of woman's chances of developing PPD.

A woman's health care provider can help her choose the best course of treatment. Treating PPD can include individual counseling, medication, and postpartum support groups.