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Postpartum Depression/Anxiety/OCD
 
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and feel that you could benefit from one on one counseling,
 please call me as I will be offering low cost/free therapy from March 2012- December 2012. 
716-990-3137
 
 
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs within the first 3 months after delivery.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Women commonly have mood changes during pregnancy, especially after delivery. These mood changes may be caused by changes in hormone levels. Many non-hormonal factors may also affect mood during this period:

  • Changes in your body from pregnancy and delivery

  • Changes in work and social relationships

  • Having less time and freedom for yourself

  • Lack of sleep

  • Worries about your ability as a mother

Feelings of anxiety, irritation, tearfulness, and restlessness are common in the week or two after pregnancy. These feelings are often called the postpartum or "baby blues." These symptoms almost always go away soon, without the need for treatment.

Postpartum depression may occur when the baby blues do not fade away or when signs of depression start 1 or more months after childbirth.

You may have a higher chance of postpartum depression if you:

  • Are under age 20

  • Currently abuse alcohol, take illegal substances, or smoke (these also cause serious medical health risks for the baby)

  • Did not plan the pregnancy, or had mixed feelings about the pregnancy

  • Had depression, bipolar disorder (for example, manic depression), or an anxiety disorder before your pregnancy, or with a previous pregnancy

  • Had a stressful event during the pregnancy or delivery, including personal illness, death or illness of a loved one, a difficult or emergency delivery, premature delivery, or illness or birth defect in the baby

  • Have a close family member who has had depression or anxiety

  • Have a poor relationship with your significant other or are single

  • Have financial problems (low income, inadequate housing)

  • Have little support from family, friends, or your significant other

Symptoms

The symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as the symptoms of depression that occurs at other times in life. Along with a sad or depressed mood, you may have some of the following symptoms:

  • Agitation or irritability

  • Changes in appetite

  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

  • Feeling withdrawn or unconnected

  • Lack of pleasure or interest in most or all activities

  • Loss of concentration

  • Loss of energy

  • Problems doing tasks at home or work

  • Negative feelings toward the baby

  • Significant anxiety

  • Thoughts of death or suicide

  • Trouble sleeping

A mother with postpartum depression may also:

  • Be unable to care for herself or her baby

  • Be afraid to be alone with her baby

  • Have negative feelings toward the baby or even think about harming the baby (Although these feelings are scary, they are almost never acted on. Still you should tell your doctor about them right away.)

  • Worry intensely about the baby, or have little interest in the baby

Postpartum Anxiety

Approximately 6% of pregnant women and 10% of postpartum women develop anxiety. Sometimes they experience anxiety alone, and sometimes they experience it in addition to depression.  

The symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum might include:

• Constant worry
• Feeling that something bad is going to happen
• Racing thoughts
• Disturbances of sleep and appetite
• Inability to sit still
• Physical symptoms like dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea

 

Risk factors for perinatal anxiety and panic include a personal or family history of anxiety, previous perinatal depression or anxiety, or thyroid imbalance. 

In addition to generalized anxiety, there are some specific forms of anxiety that you should know about. One is Postpartum Panic Disorder. This is a form of anxiety with which the sufferer feels very nervous and has recurring panic attacks. During a panic attack, she may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, claustrophobia, dizziness, heart palpitations, and numbness and tingling in the extremities. Panic attacks seem to go in waves, but it is important to know that they will pass and will not hurt you.

 

Pregnancy or Postpartum OCD

 

Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed of the perinatal disorders. It is estimated that as many as 3-5% of new mothers will experience these symptoms. 

Symptoms of perinatal OCD can include:

  • Obsessions, also called intrusive thoughts, which are persistent, repetitive thoughts or mental images related to the baby. These thoughts are very upsetting and not something the woman has ever experienced before.
  • Compulsions, where the mom may do certain things over and over again to reduce her fears and obsessions. This may include things like needing to clean constantly, check things many times, count or reorder things.
  • A sense of horror about the obsessions
  • Fear of being left alone with the infant
  • Hypervigilance in protecting the infant  

Moms with postpartum OCD know that their thoughts are bizarre and are very unlikely to ever act on them.

Risk factors for postpartum OCD include a personal or family history of anxiety or OCD.