All You Need To Know About Postpartum Depression Treatment

Before knowing the methods of postpartum depression treatment, you must know what exactly it is. Postpartum Depression or PPD is also common as postnatal depression. It is a form of clinical depression, which can affect a woman after childbirth. It occurs in women usually in the first few months after they conceive. It may last for several months or even a year or more. The following are the symptoms of postpartum depression:

• Lack of interest in the baby
• Lack of motivation and energy
• Negative feelings towards the baby
• Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• Worrying about hurting the baby
• Alterations in appetite or weight
• Lack of concern for oneself
• Unusual sleeping habits
• Loss of libido
• Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death

If you are suffering from postpartum depression, you must not delay in seeking medical attention. A delay may cause adverse effects and complications to your health. Therefore, you must necessarily seek professional postpartum depression treatment, as it can last for even a year or longer. This type of depression responds similar to any other type of depression. Therefore, medication, therapy and support groups all can prove to be helpful.

Hormone therapy: Sometimes postpartum depression can be treated with the help of estrogen replacement therapy. Estrogen commonly comes into its effectiveness if combined with an antidepressant. However, hormone therapy also includes certain risks. Therefore, you must ensure to a doctor regarding the most suitable and the safest treatment for you.

Antidepressants: Antidepressants come into action only in severe cases of postpartum depression, where the mother is unable to care enough for her baby or herself. In addition, when consuming antidepressants, one must ensure to undertake the required therapy. Apart from the therapy, one must also ensure periodical checkups and consultation with the concerned physician or doctor.

Psychotherapy: When treating postpartum depression, group therapy or individual therapy both prove to be very effective. Psychotherapy is the preferred choice over antidepressants because of the known effects of medications that pass on through breastfeeding. Sometimes, interpersonal therapies or ITP that focus on interpersonal issues and relationships also help in curing postpartum depression.

Marriage counseling: Marriage counseling is an effective method for those who feel left alone at home or experience depression due to marital difficulties.

Of the above listed treatments, it depends on your condition as which is the best suitable method for you. However, you can learn more about any postpartum depression treatment by consulting your concerned doctor or just by searching for the related information on Internet. However, ensure that you go through genuine websites while browsing the Internet.

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Postpartum Depression

Dr. Huysman, a Clinical Psychologist, is the director of the mood disorders program at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

There are three levels of postpartum depression. All three levels cause the person to experience the same symptoms which characterize other depressive disorders...sadness, emptiness, loss of interest and pleasure, irritability and anger, changes in appetite, sleep problems, restlessness, slow movement and thinking, fatigue, worthlessness and guilt, poor concentration, thoughts about death and suicide.

With the mildest form of --called the postpartum blues--these symptoms begin three or four days after giving birth. The symptoms increase over the next few days, but are gone within about two weeks.

The second level of , called postpartum major depression, causes more severe symptoms which last longer.

At times the symptoms can become so serious that the person looses the ability to distinguish between what is and what is not reality. This is the third level of , called postpartum psychosis.

The person experiencing this condition often has delusions or beliefs which are not consistent with reality. They also may have hallucinations where they see things or hear voices which are not real.

Postpartum psychosis is a rare condition only occurring once in every 1000 cases of according to Dr. Huysman.

The disorder is believed to be caused by the stressors which accompany pregnancy. These include endocrine changes. During pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone are at very high level levels. These hormones decrease rapidly following giving birth. It is possible that the drop in levels of hormones is what causes the symptoms.

Other stressors may include the major changes in life style, responsibilities, living expenses, and family composition which accompany being a new parent. There are also the changes in body image which occur during pregnancy.

Treatment for needs to include both medication and psychotherapy. Antidepressant medication can be used to reduce the symptoms of the disorder.

Psychotherapy is beneficial in helping the new mother adjust to her new life situation. Psychotherapy can also help Mom learn to better manage stress, overcome emotional conflicts, resolve stressful conflict with other people, solve situational problems, and can provide her with emotional support.

Valerie Davis Raskin, author of, This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming , explains that overcoming must include changing self-defeating thoughts and improving self-esteem.

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