Postpartum Depression: What is it and How to Get Help

Depression is more than being sad for a day or feeling down after your favorite sports team lost. Depression involves a continuous depressed mood or a loss of pleasure in things you typically enjoy, like going to the gym, reading, even couponing- if that’s your thing.

This depressed mood involves feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness and they are there for most of the day and almost every day for at least two weeks. Sometimes you can gain weight or lose weight, based on appetite changes. You may notice that you’re always tired and you may be sleeping too much, or the opposite, you may have trouble falling or staying asleep. Feelings of worthlessness can be crushing and paralyzing and you may find that you are more indecisive than usual.

Finally, thoughts of dying or ending your life may be present- even if you would never act on these thoughts. These feelings combined are incredibly distressing to you, your family and may cause negative consequences in your relationships, at work, at school or any other important areas of your life.

Within a given year, about 7% of the population can suffer from depression with higher rates in those ages 18-29. Beginning in early adolescence, women may experience depression 1.5-3x more often than men.

Postpartum Depression: During and After Pregnancy

So, what makes postpartum depression unique?

Statistics show that 50% of postpartum depression may begin prior to the delivery of your beautiful baby. Symptoms can begin during pregnancy, or any time leading up to one year after the delivery. That’s a huge time frame!

Unique signs and symptoms of postpartum depression include anger or irritability, lack of interest in your baby (i.e. you don’t feel like holding or feeding the baby). You may also have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. The previously mentioned sadness, worthlessness and loss of interest will most likely present.

Experiencing these thoughts and feelings does not make you a horrible mother- it just means you need support to be your best.

There is so much pressure on mothers to make the perfect choices for their child (without mistake) on the first try and smiling while doing it. This is not realistic and the more we talk about these pressures and issues openly, the more emotional weight we can take off ourselves.

So, you may recognize some of the above symptoms- in yourself or someone you know.

Now what?

I’ve compiled a list of ways to reach out for help.

1. Call your doctor or medical provider to schedule an appointment for an assessment. When you call to ask for an appointment, you can request a “mental health assessment or screening appointment, for possible depression.” They may have follow-up questions but that gives enough information for them to understand what your needs are without going into too many small details on your end.

2. Find a counselor in your area.

Ask around to see if anyone you know recommends a good therapist or office. Go to your insurance website and search for “counseling” or “psychotherapy”- it will give you a list of providers in your plan. PsychologyToday.com allows you to search with tons of filters (including gender, insurance plan, specialties). Postpartum.net also allows for you to search for local perinatal mental health specialists (therapists and medical providers) near you.

3. Seek out local support groups dedicated for moms.

Again, Postpartum.net helps you find local postpartum support networks and has TONS of free online support groups. Meetup.com is a website that facilitates local groups in your area to schedule a time for events and meet ups (not necessarily mental health related). You can make new friends and find connections with others with similar interests. This can be another way to meet people and find more social support.

4. If you are feeling unsafe with yourself and/or with your baby or children:

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Text HOME to 741741 a global Crisis Help Line

Go to your nearest hospital or call 911 for immediate help

No one is perfect and depression is not your fault. If it is hard to have hope that you'll ever feel better... Know that it is possible... and I'll hold that hope for you until then.

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About the Author:

Olivia is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and is Perinatal Mental Health Certified through Postpartum Support International. She has a huge passion for maternal mental health. She has experience working as a mother infant nurse and providing psychiatric treatment to those in all stages of the perinatal journey. Olivia believes every mother should be educated on how to care for their mental health before, during and after pregnancy. She believes "Mommy's Mental Health" is a movement; one that calls attention to the physical and emotional struggles mothers go through and one that opens the door to conversations with families and friends.

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