Post Natal Depression-What To Look Out For and How To Treat It

Having a baby is a major life event for a woman and in some cases may trigger Post Natal Depression. This occurs in approximately 16% of women in Australia and usually occurs between 1- 12 months after giving birth to a baby. It can be difficult for women to cope with a major life change as well as the day to day stress of a new baby.

The Cause of the Post Natal Depression:
Since 75-80% of mothers experience post natal depression, it's pretty safe to say that the cause is biological, not psychological. It's caused by the hormone balances in your body; over the nine months of your pregnancy your body has learned to depend on the raised levels of estrogen, progesterone and endorphins. So after the birth, when these chemicals are suddenly no longer coursing healthily through your veins, you enter a sort of 'withdrawal' period, just as you would if you'd just quit smoking, for example. Combine the biological elements with the fact that you're exhausted from the mental and physical exertions of giving birth and caring for a newborn baby and you have a recipe for, frankly, a rough couple of weeks. But those rough couple of weeks will pass.

Symptoms of Post Natal Depression:
There are many symptoms that can be symptoms of post natal depression. If you happen to have any of these symptoms after pregnancy and they last for more than a couple of weeks, you could be dealing with depression.
- Very little energy
- Feelings is restlessness
- Irritability
- Loosing interest in activities
- Crying more often than usual
- Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless
- Problems staying focused
- Too much sleep or not enough
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Withdrawing from family
- Dealing with chest pains or headaches

Effective Treatments For Post Natal Depression
1. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
This type of treatment focuses on the way that you 'think'. Basically, this form of therapy is a program that recognises that the way you think affects the way that you feel. It helps you to replace irrational thoughts with realistic thoughts. It teaches you to think more positive rather than negative thoughts.

2. Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Interpersonal Therapy helps people find new ways of getting along with others and coping in difficult situations. It is common when you have Post Natal Depression, to feel easily upset by others comments, even when others did not mean to criticise. This type of therapy may be offered by psychologists or psychiatrists.

3. Family support is the key factor that can keep her going despite her post-natal ordeals. Family members should never leave her unattended. You can take turns among yourselves to take care of her. Most importantly, understand that what she is going through will not last forever. Hence, you should be tolerant of her and not be too pushy for that period of time, and always remind her that the illness will gradually fade away.

4. Avoid consuming pills because they will exacerbate the depression in you rather than reducing it. You should especially avoid them during that point in time when you had just given birth to your child. Remember that pills are not the easy way out for you. As mentioned earlier on, seek advice from doctors with regards to the prescription of medications if you really need a form of medication for yourself.

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