10 symptoms of postpartum depression that can not be ignored

The birth of a child can be one of the happiest moments in the life of every mother. In some cases, maternity experience is associated with stress and constant fatigue, may even lead to exhaustion from time to time, but as a rule, most mothers adapt to their new role without much difficulty. However, sometimes some experience a so-called postpartum depression.

Although approximately 13 percent of mothers suffer from postpartum depression, it is often not diagnosed, because women are afraid to talk openly about their feelings and experiences, sometimes they think they are bad moms who can not cope with all this and take care of the baby properly. Postpartum depression may occur against the background of violent hormonal changes that occur in the body after childbirth. The following are symptoms of a condition that should not be ignored.

You are sad and cry all the time

This may be one of the most obvious symptoms of postpartum depression. With the advent of the child, you are constantly crying. Any little thing leads to this, and you yourself do not know why.

Not only can sadness and crying be associated with hormonal changes, they can also be caused by lack of sleep and complete exhaustion. Nevertheless, if it seems to you that your depression is too long, you should talk with someone about it.

You feel uneasy

Some degree of anxiety is normal for a woman who has only given birth, but many women suffering from postpartum depression are experiencing constant anxiety. Sometimes it is almost impossible to distinguish the normal level of anxiety from anxiety that accompanies the emergence of a new mother, so many do not attach importance to this, they overlook the moment. If you feel that anxiety is off scale, you are constantly in this state, talk with your doctor.

You are angry

Perhaps, it seems to you that in recent times you have become annoyed. You feel anger, a desire to scatter things and shout. This may also be a symptom of postpartum depression. In some forms of depression, including postpartum, sudden attacks of anger are permissible, which can lead to increased heart rate, sweating and chest pain. Even the simplest little things make you furious.

Scary or obsessive thoughts

If you ever visited the thought of harming a child, when he cries, it is an alarming sign. Or, perhaps, you had sudden thoughts just to get ready and leave your family. These thoughts are called intrusive because they are undesirable. Although this may be an alarming sign, it is not uncommon among women who experience postpartum depression.

In one study, the women were in the same room as the baby, who cried for ten minutes. 23.5 percent of them said that they had unwanted thoughts to harm the child (for example, scream at a crying baby). Obsessive thoughts in such a complex mental state are not uncommon.

Emptiness in the Soul

Maybe you do not cry, do not shout or you do not get obsessive thoughts. This all happens for the reason that you do not feel anything. Inside you have emptiness. You can feel alone, even if surrounded by people. The feeling of emptiness, as well as the inability to find joy or pleasure in anything - these are symptoms of depression, including the postnatal form of it.

This lack of feeling can be especially troubling for young mothers who do not feel connected with children. This feeling is an important factor in diagnosing postpartum depression, and this does not mean that you are a bad mother.

You can not think clearly

When you were pregnant, you may have experienced what the people know as a "brain pregnancy" when you forgot and lost things. This was due to a decrease in the amount of gray matter in certain areas of the brain. The problem is that now that you have given birth to a child, it has become even worse. You go somewhere, and it feels like you are in a fog, your brain just does not work. I must say that all types of memory are very affected during postpartum depression.

Working memory is involved in the processing of information, so when it is weakened, it can lead to the very sensation of being in a fog, and you do not understand what people are telling you. Short-term memory impairment occurs when you can not remember where everything is lying, whether you have a child, or you forget all your plans and responsibilities.

You do not sleep or sleep too much

It's not a secret for anyone that motherhood is a constant sleepless night, especially if the child is sick. Some women, however, realize that they can not sleep even when their child is asleep when everything is in order. Others understand that they are sleeping all the time and are not able to carry out all their affairs that they need to do during the day.

And the inability to sleep, and too long a dream can be symptoms of depression. It is very difficult to tell what is normal, especially if it's your first child. If there are problems with sleeping that are observed more than a week, it is worth discussing the problem with your doctor.

You do not eat enough or eat all the time

This situation is similar to the one described above. Refusal to eat or overeating is associated with depression. Some women with postpartum depression do not eat enough, they are so busy with the child that they completely forget about proper nutrition, about a balanced diet. Others, on the contrary, eat all the time, because they need more calories to feed their baby with breast milk.

In principle, both situations can talk about the norm. Although a significant weight loss or a significant increase in weight in the postpartum period may be a sign that your situation is not normal. If you do not have an appetite for several days or you feel that you are using food as a source of comfort, for the opportunity to relax the lines once, it's time to talk with a professional who will accurately determine whether this is a norm or a pathology.

Your physical condition leaves much to be desired

There is a certain period for physical recovery after childbirth. But if this continues for several months and you still find new symptoms of physical ailment, they can be associated with depression. Some women experience headaches, back pain, upset stomach and nausea when they are dealing with postpartum depression. Although not every pain means that something is wrong. If you constantly feel a general malaise or indigestion, it is worth talking to the doctor.

It is necessary to find out what helps

If you are periodically disturbed by one of these symptoms, this is not a cause for concern, but when they unite and worry for a long period of time, you can take the opportunity to talk with a therapist or join a support group for mothers. Some women, to help themselves cope with their symptoms, resort to taking medication. Many women cope with postpartum depression by seeking help from specialists. When you are able to take care of yourself, then you are able to take care of those you love.