Depressiya – it’s not just a bad mood and depressed state of mind, but a disease. A woman is in a bad mood all the time, it is difficult for her to make a decision, is she as if she is inhibited? It’s time to go to the doctor.
Features of postpartum depression in a young mother
Postpartum depression, despite the presence of common symptoms with other types of disorders, has its own characteristics:
- as a rule, the feeling of trouble appears on a favorable life background. It is stunning, causes confusion and drives a woman into a dead end. It would seem that she should be happy, because as soon as she recently became a mother. A woman and a child are surrounded by the attention and care of the newly-made dad and all his close relatives. Friends and colleagues congratulate and carry gifts. New parents are opening new rainbow horizons. And the young mother is not happy, she does not have any positive emotions;
- the woman is tormented by a sensation of incomprehensible anxiety, and anxiety is obscure and blurred. It always seems to the young mother that something bad is going to happen, first of all with her or her baby. She exists in her own world divorced from reality, often sad, nervous and crying for no apparent reason. Fear for the life and health of the newborn is combined with an exorbitantly increased sense of maternal responsibility; on duty at his bed;
- in some cases in postpartum depression, women are tormented by feelings such as emptiness, detachment, indifference, indifference and apathy. A young mother is indifferent to her own child and even refuses to breastfeed him. Some women become cold to their own husband or begin to dislike him;
- after childbirth, a woman may be tormented by a feeling of guilt before the child and dissatisfaction with her behavior, but she simply cannot change the situation for the better. Depression in women after childbirth is dangerous because the list of its symptoms sometimes includes thoughts of suicide, aggression towards a child, a desire to harm him or somehow get rid of him. Such thoughts terrify the very mother, which further aggravates her condition. The severity of depression may be different. By the way, according to experts, problems with psycho-emotional background occur in half of young mothers.
Postpartum depression develops regardless of what it is about childbirth. “Cover” can and after the first, and after the second, and after the third birth. The state of the mother is not the best way reflected on the state of the baby. In a depressed mother, a child does not feel safe, which is especially important in the first stage of his life. And the further development of such a baby can be worse than in children of calm and happy mothers.
Hormones and other causes of depression
Causes of postpartum depression can be:
- Hormones
The process of carrying a child and the childbirth itself is necessarily a hormonal adjustment, which is reflected in the psychological state of the woman.
- Diet
Young mother wants to quickly put in shape his figure. So she is trying with the help of strict diets to get rid of those extra pounds gained during pregnancy. Deficiency of vitamins and biologically active substances may well lead to a deterioration in mood.
- The physical state
Severe pregnancy and childbirth can also cause psycho-emotional disorder in a newly born woman. The worse the physical condition, the harder it is to keep a good mood.
- Cardinal changes
Some people do not have any particular difficulties in the process of adaptation to new life conditions, while others bring it out of balance. Another psychological reason for the development of depression is that the woman is not ready for the role of the mother.
- Personal factor
The risk group, as a rule, includes pedantic, sacrificial, hyper-responsible, super-caring and overly demanding moms. Decreased self-esteem and loss of self-confidence is fertile ground for depressive disorders. During pregnancy, some changes occur with the figure and appearance of the woman. If she perceives these changes as negative and worries because of her own imperfections, then depression is not far off.
Prevention and treatment of depression after childbirth
To avoid psychological problems after the birth of a child, you need to learn how to share your experiences. If a woman accumulates doubts and anxieties, preventing them from going out, then depression will not take long to wait. Psychologists in such cases advise:
- talk about your feelings with your husband, mother, girlfriend or psychologist. By the way, you can get the help of a qualified specialist without leaving your home – by phone (there are such psychological services) or via the Internet;
- ask for help from loved ones. We must try to organize our own life as rationally as possible. To do this, it is necessary to divide the cases into main and secondary ones, and also to delegate the execution of some of them to relatives;
- please yourself – fulfill small desires. It may even be a violation of the regime or forbidden food. Who knows, maybe this will be the impetus for getting out of a depressive state;
- communicate with the child – take him in your arms, talk, sing songs, breastfeed. And periodically remind yourself that the baby needs a mom like no other;
- try to get enough sleep. Cut out if possible time to rest. You can sleep with the baby during the day;
- engage in self-suggestion – to list all the good things in life at the moment. And praise yourself more often;
- relax. In this case, help warm bath, massage, autogenic training, meditation, soothing music;
- do not make excessive demands and do not demand the impossible from loved ones. Ideal parents and children exist only in pictures, but not in real life.
If such measures do not help, a woman should consult a specialist.