What help is appropriate for postpartum depression?
What help is appropriate for postpartum depression?
Depression during or after pregnancy, occurs in about 10 to 15 percent of women. If depressive symptoms are present during pregnancy, it is referred to as perinatal depression.
If the symptoms begin after childbirth, it is called postpartum depression (PND). Women who experience depression during or after pregnancy are more likely to experience depression again in the next five years afterwards.
This article provides more information on what PND is and what symptoms are associated with it, how PND occurs and what help is appropriate for PND.
What is PND?
The postnatal period is a period of six to eight weeks after childbirth. Having a child is very drastic and can bring many worries in addition to all the physical changes. So it is also quite normal to suffer from fatigue or insomnia in the beginning.
In the first few days after childbirth, some women experience depressed mood with symptoms such as irritability, decreased appetite, headaches and mood swings. This too is normal and a common occurrence after childbirth, and it goes away on its own.
This is different with PND, when someone develops PND, daily functioning is affected and the bond between mother and child can also be negatively affected.
Symptoms common to PND include:
- Gloom
- Peak
- Listlessness
- Fatigue
- Crying
- Concentration problems
- Not feeling “motherly” or just being overly concerned about the baby
- No joy about motherhood
- Altered sleep pattern
- Changed eating patterns
- Not feeling a bond with your baby
- Low self-esteem
How does PND arise?
Other factors that may influence the development of PND include hereditary factors, stress and social factors.
You are more likely to have PND if you suffered from depression during your pregnancy, if you have suffered from depression before, or if you had a very difficult delivery.
At GGZonline, we offer specialty mental health services.
What therapy can help with PND?
It is important to intervene quickly if you suffer from PND because it can negatively affect the bond with your child and your child may develop behavioral problems later. There are a number of things you can do yourself with PND, namely by bringing as much rhythm to your day as possible, maintaining a good sleeping and eating pattern, and exercising every day.
Furthermore, it is wise to seek professional help if you cannot get rid of your symptoms. It can be very relieving to be able to talk to someone about it. We can help you with this.
For example, a common therapy for PND is cognitive behavioral therapy, where you gain a better understanding of your own thoughts, thinking, feelings and behavior in certain situations. This also allows you to learn what is not functional for you and what new behaviors might be helpful. This therapy is offered at GGZonline from your safe home environment.
Help with postpartum depression at GGZonline
Are you suffering from postpartum depression and don’t know how to get rid of it? The therapists at GGZ online can help you with this.
First, your symptoms will be explored during an online intake interview. This allows the therapist to assess whether you are indeed suffering from postpartum depression and estimate its severity.
Then there will be online therapy sessions to work on your symptoms together.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or to make an appointment!
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