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Postpartum Depression And Anxiety
10/24/2012
Guest Posted by
Kim from Simple Musings of an Alberta Oilfield Wife.
Sheryl, from
Mommy Connections Leduc, came to me and asked me if I would be willing to do a blog on Post Partum Depression and Anxiety (PPD/A). I was very flattered that she requested this from me. Professionally I have learned about PPD/A. Personally I have experienced PPD twice and PPA once.
This has led to a great internal debate. How do I write this? Do I write it very professionally? Part of me says yes. I think that would make a lot of people just skim over it. Do I write it as a personal story? Part of me also says yes to this. The risk with that is that people cannot relate and so they skim over the story. It was quickly apparent to becoming a double edged sword. Upon reflection I am going to do my best to combine the two. I want you to know the stats, the risk factors, the treatments. I also want you to understand the personal journey that goes with it and that you are not alone in this.
Above all else though I want you as a reader to understand these 2 things above anything else you read on here:
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Although at times it may feel like it, it is not the end of the world, I don’t say that to minimize things I say it because I want you to still see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
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If you develop PPD/A, it is in NO WAY a reflection of you as a mother, you ARE an awesome mom!
Other important facts for you to know:
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Postpartum depression (PPD) is REAL! It is not all in your head. Well it is biochemically but “mentally” I promise you that you are still all there and you are not imagining this.
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No one is 100% sure what triggers postpartum depression. It is different for everyone. There are mom’s who start to experience as soon as their babies are born. Some of these mom’s even say in hindsight, that they developed it before their child was born. Then there are other women who has that euphoric high that follows childbirth but develop Baby Blues that just never go fully away. There are also women who seem to be doing fine for months. Then 6 months, 7 months, or up to a year later then just start feeling worn out and it becomes a slippery slope down into the abyss.
Risk factors for postpartum depression are:
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past history of depression and/or postpartum depression
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high risk or difficult pregnancy
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treatments for infertility
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past history of miscarriage or abortion
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difficult childbirth
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stressful events (loss of job, problems in your relationship)
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lack of a support system
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financial problems
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unwanted pregnancy
The more risk factors you have the higher your risk. Not having any risk factors does not guarantee you immunity. It just means that there is less chance. Having all the risk factors also does not mean 100% you will develop PPD/A, just that you are more likely too.
Other important facts to know:
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Depression, of any type, is a hidden illness. It is not like you have you leg amputated in an accident. When things are not so black and white to the people on the outside they are not the most understanding. You cannot “snap out of it”. Sorry that does not happen. Sadly people who have not been there do not understand this. They think you are “sad”. They have been sad and they “snapped out of it” and continued on with life so you should too.
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Depression is NOT sadness. Our society uses depression to describe sadness but medically it is not sadness. Most people who suffer from depression will tell you they are not sad. Instead they describe it as “numbness”.
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Ignore the negative talk from others you may hear. Sometimes you may even hear it from your own husband. They may think and even tell you that since you “cannot snap out of it” that you are “weak”. They may tell you that “I thought you could of handled things better than this”. They may even tell you that they are “disappointed in you”.
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YOU ARE NOT WEAK. There is actually something happening in your brain to make you feel this way. You cannot just snap out of it because your brain needs to heal. And you are handling things the best you can. Your baby and/or kids use up all of your energy and that is all you have. Plain and simple. This is one of those times where there is truly only so much of you to go around.
Now let’s understand the basis of depression.
I find once people realize that there is a true physiological thing happening behind it, it can be easier to accept and get help.
Depression, of any type, has a true physiological impact on the brain. When you are depressed parts of your brain actually atrophy (shrink). It will probably be no surprise when I tell you that the parts that atrophy are the parts that control emotion. Makes sense when you think about it – crying over everything for no apparent reason, judgement decreases, anxiety increases (which for many women is one of the first KEY indicators of PPD!!!).
Most interestingly is that as these areas atrophy key brain chemicals (seretonin and norephinphrine the “happy” brain chemicals) production decreases. All this combined makes you feel like you are loosing control. Your anxiety (which we will discuss more in a bit) makes you jumpy, irritable, and even paranoid. Your depression makes you feel exhausted all the time. To the point that some days you cannot find the energy to even brush your hair. And really you are so tired and numb you just don’t care anymore.
The way to “fix” this and help these areas regenerate is to increase the production of these “happy” brain chemicals. Exercise and meditation are two of the more common non-invasive treatments that should be included in any treatment plan. For mild to moderate depression you can possibly look at some of the homeopathic treatments – St. John’s Wort, Valerian Root, and 5-HTP. For moderate to severe depression antidepressants and usually the course of treatment (along with other treatments such as exercise, medication, groups etc).
We tend to say “no” to antidepressants. Sadly much of this is caused by our society and the way they stigmatize mental illnesses. If you had a heart problem you would take heart medication without thinking twice about it. If you needed thyroid medication you would not think twice about taking that either. Antidepressants are no different. They are a medication to help regulate the functions of your brain just like a blood pressure pill helps regulate your blood pressure.
How do I know if I have PPD/A?
Edinburg PostNatal Depression Scale (EDPS) is the questionnaire that most health care professionals use. It is easy to score yourself. The key to doing this is to answer it honestly. The funny thing is, is that many of the days we are asked to take the test we tend to feel pretty good that day. Don’t answer it based solely on the day you are taking it. It says the last 7 days. PPD/A, especially in the mild to moderate stages has what I call “swings”. Out of 7 days 4 might be bad, 3 might be good. So it is important that you look at the weekly snapshot and not just the day you are currently having snapshot
HUSBANDS/BOYFRIENDS/ SIGNIFICANT OTHERS/FAMILY MEMBERS
Okay husbands/boyfriend/significant others/family this part is for you.
One of the most important things you need to know is that YOU will likely notice the depression before your wife/sister/daughter/friend does. You are on the outside, she is an active participant. As a result YOU will see things she is unable to see. Depression puts blinders on the person that has it. It makes one have tunnel vision. They become so focused on just making it through the day, sometimes the next hour that they cannot see the rest of it coming out. My husband noticed it long before I did the last two times. The last time he took me to the Doctor pretending the appointment was for him, even booked it under his name. I hated him for days afterwards. Now I am thankful for his efforts in helping me.
Support/Information
One of the best things for mom’s with PPD/A is to get into a support group. You/they NEED to know that they are not the only ones feeling this way. If they are in denial it may be what helps them admit/accept the journey they are on.
For people in Edmonton there is the
Reproductive Mental Health Services offered through the Royal Alexandra Hospital. You are able to self refer to this program or you can ask your Doctor to refer you. They offer both group and private counselling as well as relationship counselling if there is need due to this journey.
If you do not live in Edmonton contact your local hospital. More and more hospitals are putting services like this in place.
If you cannot find a support group in your area there is help on-line. Sometimes it is also helpful to read about other people’s stories.
A great blog is
In The Shadows of Motherhood it is written by a lady in Calgary about her journey with both Antenatal and Postnatal Depression.
Thanks again Kim.
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