After giving birth, many women often feel a little anxious and even a little depressed; however, if these feelings last for a long time and are accompanied with an inability to function normally, you may have postpartum depression.
It is very common for a woman to get anxious or a little depressed in the days immediately after the birth of her baby; in fact, many new mothers refer to this phenomenon as a case of "the baby blues." However, if the depression and anxiety last for much longer than this and continually get worse, a woman may be diagnosed with postpartum depression. There are essentially three levels, or stages, of postpartum depression. The first level is simply when a new mother experiences those "baby blues" we discussed earlier. These symptoms of irritability and moodiness (or simply crying for no reason) usually only last for up to two weeks after delivery. Once a mother gets into the swing of things with her newborn, these blues simply go away.The second level is called postpartum depression. With postpartum depression, a woman has the same symptoms as the baby blues (irritability, mood swings, depression, anxiety), but the feelings are much more intense and last for a longer period of time. These symptoms also prevent a mother from functioning normally, which is why it is crucial that a woman experiencing these symptoms visit with her physician or therapist immediately. The highest level is called postpartum psychosis and occurs when a new mother begins to start having hallucinations, both mentally and physically. She may begin to act strangely and become extremely hostile. A woman experiencing these symptoms is usually sent to therapy and put on medication until she can resume her normal behavior.
While it is possible for any woman who recently gave birth to fall prey to postpartum depression, people with the following factors are often at higher risk of succumbing to postpartum depression: past history of anxiety or depression, single mothers, history of hormonal imbalances (i.e. thyroid), mothers who are going through tough times with their marriages or relationships and a history of depression or anxiety in the immediate family.
If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms after the birth of your baby and they last for several weeks and start to impede on your life, immediately see your physician or health care provider. Speaking with a professional, or even joining a group of other mothers going through the same issues can be extremely helpful.
