Postpartum depression symptoms. Causes and manifestations of postpartum depression

Expecting a baby and the day of birth are very important moments in the life of every mother. And finally, a little angel appears, so long-awaited and beloved! Then the pleasant chores around the house begin. However, over time, a woman may feel very tired and apathetic, especially if there is no support nearby and she has to do all the work on her own. This is when the question arises: “How to cope with postpartum depression and return to normal life?”

How long does postpartum depression last normally?
How depression manifests itself after childbirth and when it happens
Postpartum depression: causes
How to get rid of postpartum depression without a doctor
Postpartum depression in men: is it possible?
What to do if depression after childbirth lasts
Advice from a psychologist on how not to fall into postpartum depression

How long does postpartum depression normally last?

It must be said right away that not all women feel this malaise; for the majority, a similar condition does not occur at all. Those mothers who are less fortunate begin to feel increasing anxiety and tension some time after giving birth. Sometimes it happens that this condition begins during pregnancy, and after delivery the condition worsens even more.

Most often, symptoms of depression do not appear immediately, but several months or weeks after the baby arrives in the house. On average, this condition usually accompanies a young mother for about 6 months. This suggests that the woman suffers from a mild form of depression. If the mother’s well-being does not improve after six months, then we can talk about a protracted form of this condition, which can last more than a year. At the same time, a woman is characterized by frequent nervous breakdowns and depressed mood.

It is difficult to say exactly when postpartum depression begins, since this condition can be influenced by many factors, the main of which are family relationships with the husband, their character and the general atmosphere at home. In addition, the peculiarities of everyday life, the absence or presence of help from loved ones, relatives, as well as material wealth are important.

How does postpartum depression manifest? And when does it happen?

Depressive symptoms after childbirth do not necessarily occur immediately, and certainly do not always manifest themselves in a complex manner. Sometimes a new mother may experience only one or two symptoms.

Below we consider the main signs of postpartum depression in women:

Reluctance to have sex with your husband or even complete aversion to sexual intercourse.
Various sleep disorders, including insomnia and disturbing awakenings for no reason.
Constant anxiety, feeling inexplicable fear, sometimes panic attacks.
Poor appetite.
Low self-esteem and feelings of shame about your figure. Strong dissatisfaction with one's own appearance, denial of natural attractiveness.
The child no longer evokes warm feelings; on the contrary, his crying constantly irritates him.
Extreme irritability, which can easily develop into rage.
Tearfulness for no particular reason.
Touchiness and vulnerability. Sometimes this is accompanied by withdrawal into oneself and a reluctance to communicate with the usual circle of people.
Criticality, reaching the point of extreme pessimism and even loss of the meaning of life.
Feelings of loneliness, abandonment and dissatisfaction with one's own actions.
It suddenly seems to a woman that there is no one who supports and understands her, and the hassle of caring for a baby becomes a burden.
Advice from relatives begins to be perceived as annoying moral teachings that irritate more and more. This forces a woman to protest all the time even when she feels that she is wrong.

So the signs depressive state after childbirth they can be very different, the main thing is to notice them in time and eliminate them. Otherwise, this will lead to the fact that a woman may begin to have problems communicating with people around her, and in severe cases, thoughts of suicide. First of all, this concerns misunderstandings with her husband; there are even cases when a similar condition of a young mother led to divorce. In addition, there is a threat of disruption of ties with relatives.

Postpartum depression: causes that affect it

There are quite a number of factors that can contribute to the occurrence of depressive symptoms. As a rule, this disease affects mainly two categories of women. The first is those women in labor who have already been registered with a specialist on the issue. psychological depression caused by other circumstances. The second category of women suffers from a similar illness due to problems with their own mother, with whom she may have had serious conflicts in childhood. However, according to statistics, girls who had a baby at a very early age, before 18 years, usually suffer from depression after childbirth. Let's try to highlight the main reasons for the development of this condition in women:

Lack of moral and physical support from the spouse, inferiority of family relationships.
Heavy financial situation, material disadvantage.
A sharp change in hormonal levels after childbirth, which can be perceived by the body as severe stress.
Changes in intimate life. Temporary abstinence in effect physiological characteristics women can have a negative impact on her morale.
Serious conflict situations, strong feelings about any negative changes in life.
Temporary disability can be very difficult for a woman, since in this state she sometimes begins to feel helpless and unnecessary.
The birth of a child with various pathologies or developmental disorders.
Forced separation from a newly born baby.

In all these cases, treatment for postpartum depression is necessary. Otherwise, the woman’s condition may worsen significantly.

How to get rid of postpartum depression? Without a doctor

Usually this disease gradually goes away on its own, however, this can be significantly accelerated. The main thing is to know how. Many books have been written about how to deal with postpartum depression. However, it is not necessary to read them all.

In order to get rid of the manifestations of the disease, there are several simple but effective methods:

The main thing a mother should focus on is her baby. You need to understand that he is helpless without her participation, and that this is the greatest happiness that fate could give. After realizing this fact, many everyday things will seem trivial, and it will become easier to perceive reality.
To get out of depression as quickly as possible, a young mother needs to get a good night's sleep. This way the body will not receive additional stress, and recovery will be faster.
It is very good if a woman, during this difficult period for her, finds relaxing activities that she will like. For example, this could be yoga, massage, meditation, or just a regular warm bath.
It is also important not to refuse the help of family and friends. Let your husband take on some of the housework.

To understand how to overcome depression after childbirth on your own, you must first find out the causes of this condition, and only then begin treatment.

Postpartum depression in men

Is this possible and why? Yes. Sometimes not only the mother, but also the new father has to deal with depression after childbirth. After all, often a woman’s internal mental state is transferred to her husband. Most often, the following reasons contribute to the development of this condition in the stronger sex.

For example, a man simply turns out to be not ready for the changes that have occurred in his life. Perhaps reality and expectations are very different. After all, with the birth of a baby, responsibilities and roles within the family change greatly, and this is always stressful for both spouses.

Jealousy is another reason that causes depression in a husband. The fact is that after the birth of a child, a woman can no longer pay as much attention to her husband as before. And now she spends most of her time on the baby, while her husband may feel unnecessary and superfluous because of this.

To make postpartum depression easier for women and men, it is important to know what a husband should do in this situation. During this period, the husband must behave in such a way that his wife feels his support at all times. It is important to share childcare responsibilities and take care of everyday life together. Then the young mother will not feel too tired, and the risk of conflict situations will decrease. If a woman does not want intimacy at this moment, her husband should not be too persistent. Perhaps a woman needs certain time to adapt to the new state.

Depression after childbirth lasted

It happens that the period of childbirth is long past, and the symptoms of depression still do not go away. And no matter what the young mother does, she cannot avoid these unpleasant sensations. In this case, symptoms of depression can accompany a woman for more than one year, becoming chronic and turning into a real illness. It is especially dangerous because it can lead to suicide attempts or abandonment of one’s own child. The reasons for this may be serious personal problems or difficulties in the family.

This condition is considered a deep form of depression and requires medical examination and treatment. You won't be able to cope with this on your own. The support of relatives, close friends and husband is especially important during this period.

Effective tips on how to avoid falling into postpartum depression

Despite the fact that a woman has become a mother, she should not forget about her own needs. You should definitely devote at least an hour a day to yourself personally. For example, meet your beloved friend, go shopping, get a manicure, etc.
Sharing responsibilities around the house and caring for the baby with a husband or close relative.
A young mother should also carefully monitor her appearance. A pleasant reflection in the mirror will greatly lift your spirits!
Walking on fresh air- here is another important “cure”.
Proper diet and sleep.

If you feel that you are unable to get rid of the symptoms, then you need to consult a psychologist and undergo a rehabilitation course.

Thus, overcoming postpartum depression is not at all difficult, the main thing is to know the main causes of its occurrence and effective methods exit from it.

Postpartum depression in women appears as a huge problem for health authorities, manifested by a complex of negative manifestations after the birth of a child. The end of pregnancy and the period of childbirth is characterized by passivity and at the same time disturbing unusualness for the mother, and the birth of a child only aggravates the situation. The young mother begins to fulfill her parent functions and it doesn’t always work out skillfully, after which she involuntarily compares herself with her mother: how would it work out for her? A tired mother either avoids social contacts, focusing on the child, or, on the contrary, refuses to communicate with him emotionally.

Postpartum depression in women partly determines mental health child. For prevention purposes, early intervention should be carried out in time to avoid the consequences of postpartum distress. Hippocrates also noted the seriousness of the symptoms of chronic psychosis.

Reasons

Postpartum depression in women is distinguished from temporarily depressed mood by its duration, great depth and inability to do anything. The main manifestations gradually fade away, and a tendency towards chronic continuation of the disease appears. This happens because the disease is started, it is ignored by everyone around the mother and does not consider it necessary to treat. All attention is focused around the birth of a child, because this is a joyful event, but they do not pay attention to the young mother, but in vain, since up to 20% of women can remain in a depressed state for about a year. The duration of this condition depends on timely treatment.

For 15% of young mothers, this period passes as a typical depressive episode, but in 3% postpartum depression is diagnosed and appropriate treatment is prescribed. The picture of the disorder is characterized by the same manifestations as major depressive disorder. A separate group of scientists considers the disease a variant of major depressive disorder.

Why does postpartum depression occur? There are many factors that influence the development of the disease, and interpersonal, social, psychological and biological factors play a huge role in development.

Causes of postpartum depression in women are: low level life, a history of depression, insufficient family support and lack of help from a spouse, alcoholism, difficult pregnancy, absence normal conditions life and vocational education, late pregnancy, lack of emotional communication, early termination of work at the beginning of pregnancy.

Symptoms of postpartum depression

Common symptoms of postpartum disorder include anxiety, increased heart rate, obsessive actions, headache, feelings of panic and sadness, lack of strength, sadness, tearfulness, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of loneliness, depressed mood, ideas of self-deprecation. A young mother is tormented by remorse, which is caused by the perception of herself as not being a good enough mother and is accompanied by a feeling of shame.

Postpartum depression and its symptoms: women are not able to fulfill maternal responsibilities due to lethargy and difficulty in reviving; mothers, in fact, do not respond to infants due to decreased activity.

One of the symptoms of postpartum depression is the refusal of mothers to see doctors. This is explained by the deepest feeling of guilt that arises when difficulties arise related to caring for a child. Most mothers mistakenly believe that they will be embraced by maternal love, which will help solve the problem of adaptation to the child. And this process takes several months to form. Mothers are overwhelmed by deep disappointment, which arises from feelings of guilt, and also acts as a component for the basis of depression.

Many mothers believe that only they are responsible for their baby. Everyday worries take away their physical as well as mental strength, which causes a feeling of helplessness, which is intensified by isolation. A more significant change in mood is observed in the mother, from the third to the ninth month after the birth of the child.

Three months after the birth of the baby, the following symptoms are noted: depressed mood, irritability and anxiety. Postpartum depression and symptoms during this period are a dark vision of the future, as well as an inability to carry out daily activities.

Postpartum depression affects mothers who have conflicts with their own mother, as well as those who have not received enough maternal love. It is very difficult for these women to let motherhood into their lives.

Consequences

It is necessary to overcome postpartum depression as soon as possible, since there is a danger of its transition to chronic form.

The consequences of postpartum depression affect the condition and development of the child. Babies do not receive enough attention from their mothers because they have no interest in communicating or interacting with them. Breasts especially need care, physical contact, and communication.

Postpartum depression in women has negative influence on the child’s development, his sense of security is affected, as well as internal self-defense mechanisms, speech development, and concentration. Researchers believe that this disorder mothers negatively affects relationships in the family, which also negatively affects the child. It is noticed that emotional disorders, personality development directly depends on the condition of the mother. Therefore, it is important how the mother feels, since the consequences will affect the baby in the future, forming him into a closed, anxious and insecure personality.

Affected in children emotional sphere, which in turn leads to a lack of positive emotions, loss of interest in objects and people, and also expresses greater dissatisfaction when weaned from the mother. Individual cases have been diagnosed that progress to serious disorder like postpartum psychosis. The disease is diagnosed in 1-2 per 1000 births. The symptoms are as follows: hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, delusional ideas. Postpartum is treated inpatiently.

How to deal with postpartum depression?

Three groups of women suffering from this disorder have been identified.

How to survive postpartum depression - a frequently asked question on forums? You don’t need to worry about it, but fight it professionally as soon as possible.

The first group is recommended to fight postpartum depression with help and support psychological counseling. This method involves listening to a sick woman, both at home and in the hospital.

The third group of women includes the most severe form depression, so they need psychiatric, specialized help.

Treatment of postpartum depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychological counseling are effective in treatment.

Postpartum depression and its duration depend on timely treatment. In more than 77% of mothers, postpartum depression was reduced after five months, and more than 40% got rid of the disease spontaneously. The effect of the treatment intervention becomes evident at mid-4.5 months after the birth of the child, and the same result appears in the control group at 18 months, where mothers did not receive treatment.

Some doctors recommend interpersonal rather than cognitive therapy for treatment. The course of interpersonal therapy includes a large number of sessions that are focused on the parental role, as well as on resolving marital conflicts. This course of psychotherapy can lead to a reduction in the symptoms of depression in mothers.

Scientists in the 90s of the last century noted the feasibility of treatment with Apomorphine. This drug is recommended at a dose of 0.005 mg/kg and is prescribed every four days after birth. The result of this treatment showed an increase in the concentration of dopamine receptors and the onset of improvement in mothers who suffer from depression within bipolar disorder, as well as in women with a history of non-psychotic depression who had unipolar affective disorder.

The postpartum period is a period of onset and intensification of symptoms not only of depression, but also of anxiety, which reaches panic attacks. Some experts argue that a more effective method of treatment is training in showing attention to the child, as well as caring for him. Studies have shown that after 12 such sessions, changes with a positive effect appear in the behavior of mothers.

How to cope with postpartum depression worries not only mothers, but also everyone close to them, especially new dads, who observe this picture every day and are darkened by the woman’s condition.

When postpartum disorder begins in a woman, it directly and very strongly affects the second spouse. Time frames are usually taught between the third and ninth months after the baby’s birth.

How can a worried dad cope with his wife's postpartum depression? During this period, the husband should be most attentive to the woman, give her rest more often (at night and during the day), give positive emotions, free her from a number of everyday problems by arranging and improving her housing, and diversify the diet from the allowed foods of the nursing mother. It is possible that you will also have emotional breakdowns, but remember: the baby will soon grow up and the problems associated with postpartum depression will remain a thing of the past.

How to cope with postpartum depression on your own if you don’t want to see a doctor? It is necessary to improve the quality of your sleep, increase your self-esteem, recognize your usefulness, and enrich your knowledge of caring for a child. Don’t rush to do everything today, put things off until later and use the balcony as a walk.

The effectiveness of antidepressants in the treatment of postpartum depression has been proven in clinical trials. However, you should not take them on your own, but only after consulting a doctor. Hormone therapy is great because it can smooth out the drop in estrogen levels while reducing the symptoms of postpartum depression.

Adequate treatment produces results within a few months and postpartum depression goes away when women follow all the instructions. In some cases, postpartum depression lasts up to a year. It is important to remember that the occurrence of improvement is not an indication to stop treatment. Symptoms of depressive disorder may return.

Postpartum depression, unfortunately, is not uncommon. The long-awaited child was born, the pregnancy ended successfully, the relatives and the new dad rejoiced. But, instead of rejoicing with everyone, the young mother suddenly plunges into apathy and despondency. She doesn't want to take care of the baby and isn't even interested in him. She gives up, she feels depressed and tired. Relatives are at a loss, not understanding what is happening to the woman. How to get rid of postpartum depression and help a mother regain interest in life, and most importantly, in her newborn? After all, an infant desperately needs the care of its mother. The indifference of the person closest to him can negatively affect his health.

What is postpartum depression?

Depression is special condition psyche, in which a person experiences a decrease vitality, lethargy mental activity and decreased physical activity. These three factors are classic. They are called the depressive triad.

A decrease in vitality is accompanied by despondency, bad mood and irritability. A woman reacts to events negatively or apathetically; nothing makes her happy. She sees no point in any activity and avoids various contacts.

Inhibition of mental activity is expressed in inconsistency and superficiality of judgments, lack of logic. A woman is visited by dark thoughts on which she can become fixated. It seems to her that she is not capable of anything, her self-esteem is critically reduced.

A decrease in physical activity affects a woman’s behavior. The young mother is passive, she feels weak and gets tired quickly. Relatives may take this behavior as a manifestation of laziness, selfishness or lack of maternal instinct. They may begin to reproach and criticize her. Whereas depression is a mental disorder that requires treatment, not condemnation. A negative reaction from relatives can only worsen the disease.

Postpartum depression occurs in about 15% of women giving birth. This disease is a factor affecting the child's development in early period life and partly determining his future. The well-being of not only the mother and child, but also the entire family, depends on the success of timely and effective treatment. The later treatment begins, the more likely it is that a woman will develop pathological behavior. cure running form depression is much more complex.

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How does postpartum depression manifest?

Signs of postpartum depression most often do not appear immediately, but about 3 months after childbirth.

Although there are cases of earlier or later manifestation. Sometimes the signs are subtle and the disease progresses slowly. In other cases, it appears suddenly and vividly. Noted:

Moral depression. Caring for a child does not bring a young mother a feeling of joy and satisfaction. She is oppressed and cannot find a way out of this situation. She is tormented by anxiety and bad premonitions, and her once favorite subjects and hobbies are not pleasing. The woman feels disappointment and shame for being a bad mother.
Increased emotionality. A young woman may become irritable and easily excitable. Without visible reasons she can “explode” and make a scandal. Sometimes her behavior becomes aggressive. At the same time, she can be incredibly upset by some trifle. Sad story capable of causing her to sob uncontrollably.
Loss of appetite. A woman may refuse to eat or, conversely, literally pounce on food. Such bouts of gluttony can attack her after another scandal or sobs.
Sleep disturbance. Here, too, two extremes are possible. The woman may become very sleepy. She constantly wants to sleep, goes to bed early and gets up late. Or, conversely, she may lose the ability to fall asleep, suffering from insomnia.
Absent-mindedness. The young mother becomes inattentive, forgetful, and finds it difficult to concentrate. She does not have time to cope with the heap of various troubles that has appeared. Trying to manage everything, a woman panics, fusses and creates even more problems for herself and those around her.
Physical ailments. A woman may suffer from severe headache, tachycardia and surges in blood pressure. She may get worse chronic diseases. Due to a decrease in the body's resistance, a young mother may be overcome by infectious diseases.

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Physiological causes of the disease

Why does postpartum depression occur in women? Pregnancy and childbirth are a lot of stress for a woman’s body. Her organs withstood the increased load for a long time and survived the difficult process of childbirth. Having not recovered from the ordeal, the woman faces new challenges: the hassle of caring for a child, her new role and responsibility.

The new role requires her constant participation and close attention. She can't take a day off or sick leave like she would at work. Young mothers sometimes even have to go to the toilet with a baby in their arms. They always need to be on guard. Staying vigilant around the clock is very difficult for women who are experiencing this for the first time. This condition depresses the nervous system, which has not yet recovered after pregnancy and childbirth.

If, in addition, a woman experiences physical ailments associated with complications of childbirth, it will be much worse for her.

The cause of frequent mood changes, increased excitability, tearfulness and emotional imbalance are hormonal fluctuations. During pregnancy, hormonal levels changed in order to preserve the fetus and timely ensure the process of childbirth.

After the birth of a child, the hormonal background undergoes changes again, but with the goal of restoring the body and ensuring the lactation process. Hormonal surges negatively affect human behavior.

Chronic lack of sleep exhausts a young mother. Regular and adequate sleep is very important for any person, especially for a mother after childbirth.

Ladies who have already experienced depression in their lives are more likely to encounter it after childbirth. Women experiencing this are very likely to also suffer from postpartum depression.

Psychological instability may be due to heredity. If a woman’s mother or grandmother suffered from postpartum depression, then she is at high risk of developing this condition.

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Psychological causes of postpartum depression

Postpartum depression can be a result of unjustified expectations and feelings of guilt. Being pregnant, a woman imagines her birth, first contact with the child and the troubles of caring for him, focusing on the stories of her friends, impressions of the books she read and the films she watched. The reality turns out to be completely different. So, a woman can become depressed only because the birth took place in an unnatural way, as she had planned. She feels like she has failed in her task. The increased emotionality of women who have just given birth makes them maximalists who excessively raise the bar in life.

Responsible women are often attacked by panic after the birth of a child. It seems to them that they cannot cope with new responsibilities, they will not succeed, or they will harm the child. Young mothers listen to every breath of the baby, carefully monitor its vital functions day and night, afraid of missing an alarming sign. Sometimes they worry so much about lactation that they may lose it.

The development of postpartum depression in women is facilitated by a young woman’s conflictual relationship with her mother. If a woman herself has felt a lack of maternal feelings, it is very difficult for her psychologically to accept her own motherhood. In most cases, a young mother pushes her baby away unconsciously; she cannot explain her behavior and is ashamed of it.

Doctors believe that the main cause of postpartum depression is anhedonia. Anhedonia is a mental disorder in which people lose the ability to enjoy their activities. With anhedonia, motivation for any activity disappears.

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How to treat the disease?

Considering the seriousness of the disease and its danger to the newborn, relatives of the young mother ask the question of how to deal with postpartum depression.

Treatment of postpartum depression is best done under the supervision of a doctor. He will tell you a way out of this situation. It is the doctor who will be able to identify alarming symptoms in time, recognize the disease and find out the causes of its occurrence. Correct diagnosis the disease will help to quickly and effectively defeat it.

A doctor can prescribe a woman psychotherapy sessions, physiotherapeutic procedures and activities aimed at improving health. If a young mother experiences prolonged postpartum depression, the symptoms of which are difficult for the woman to experience, the doctor may prescribe medication.

Unfortunately, very often women deny in every possible way that they have postpartum depression and resist visiting a doctor.

Trying to find a way out of the situation on their own, some women take sedatives medicines and infusions from medicinal herbs. Such actions can cause dire consequences. Treating birth depression with medications without consulting a doctor is unacceptable.

Self-medication can be harmful to a woman and her baby if she is breastfeeding. Uncontrolled reception Medicines and decoctions from plants can provoke a number of diseases.

For example, it can cause an allergic reaction in mother and child or disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Anti-anxiety medications can worsen depression.

“I don’t want and can’t do anything, I just cry and run around to smoke. Even the cry of a child irritates me,” this is how some women who have recently given birth describe their condition. Severe postpartum depression, and these are precisely its symptoms, according to statistical indicators, occurs in 12% of new parents.

The situation is also complicated because those around her, and even the mother herself on maternity leave, do not always consider similar phenomenon serious illness. And yet, depressive moods after childbirth are a pathology, and if left to chance, it often leads to serious consequences for both mothers and children.

At the end of the third trimester, many women begin to worry about themselves and, above all, the child. Anxiety arises due to a certain loss of control over the situation, not always pleasant emotions and sensations. Concern grows even more when mommy realizes that she cannot live up to the image of the “ideal mother.”

Most likely, many people have an idealized idea of a mother on maternity leave: a rosy-cheeked toddler, a new mother sparkling with happiness and a proud head of the family nearby. Imagine what happens to a woman’s psychological state in the first month after childbirth, when a newborn baby makes serious adjustments to her life.

What is postpartum depression in new mothers? Despite the ambiguous attitude towards this phenomenon in society, in medicine it is considered a rather serious illness - a form of depressive disorder that develops during the first months of interaction between the mother and the newborn.

About 12% of mothers who give birth are depressed, but only 2-4% receive qualified support after diagnosis.

In fact, experts say that mild episodes of postnatal depression occur in almost half of women on maternity leave.

It is necessary to separate depression from the usual blues, sadness that occurs in the first month after birth process. A moping woman sometimes describes her feelings using the same words (“I’m crying,” “I can’t sleep,” etc.), but at the same time she is happy about the appearance of a child in her life.

Sadness and melancholy usually go away after a month or two; besides this, these conditions do not require any specific help. What are its characteristic differences?

Postnatal depressive disorder usually occurs within a few months after the birth of a newborn, but its symptoms can appear up to a year after birth.
The symptoms of postnatal depression not only last significantly longer (from 5-6 months to a year or more), but are also distinguished by the severity of all manifestations and the inability to do anything. The symptoms are very similar to those of other types of depressive disorders.
Blues usually goes away completely after a month (a little more), while postnatal depression often becomes chronic. Such “disguise” arises due to the woman’s non-recognition of this condition and reluctance to ask for help (the mother has to play the socially approved role of a happy and caring parent). A fifth of women with depression do not notice improvement even after 2-3 years!
Psychologists are confident that postnatal depression leads the mother to rethink the role of her own parents in raising children. Such identification causes the activation of various problems and conflicts that were not worked through in childhood.

In addition to the above features, postnatal depression is characterized by a woman’s categorical refusal of medical or psychological assistance and inability to cope with the problem on their own. The reason for this is a feeling of guilt - “I can’t take care of the child, which means I’m a bad mother.”

The situation is constantly getting worse, and it “falls on” everyone: the child, the husband, the rest of the household, and other relatives who do not understand the reasons for the low mood and reproach the new mother for insufficient attention to the baby and maternal responsibilities.

Forms of postpartum depression

Postnatal depressive disorder can occur in various forms, each of which is distinguished by special symptoms, their severity and duration. Let's take a closer look at them.

Neurotic depression

This type of postnatal depression usually occurs in mothers who had certain neurotic disorders before childbirth. Since the birth process is a stressful situation, existing disorders worsen.

In this case, the woman experiences:

irritability, anger and aggressiveness;
hostile attitude towards close people;
constant panic;
rapid heartbeat;
increased sweating;
loss of appetite;
insomnia and other sleep disorders;
sexual problems;
fear for one’s health, especially acute at night.

In addition, it is common for mothers to experience their own lack of independence. Her self-esteem drops sharply, as a result of which she begins to emotionally depend on the people around her.

Postpartum psychosis

This type of postnatal depressive disorder has its own characteristics. Thus, mothers in this state are characterized by a feeling of guilt, lethargy, loss of orientation in certain situations, and inability to recognize their relatives.

In particularly severe cases, a woman may experience intrusive thoughts after childbirth, which relate to the idea of suicide or the desire to harm one’s own newborn child.

Postpartum psychosis is quite rare in new mothers - in four out of a thousand women giving birth. Its symptoms appear in the first month after the birth of the baby - within 10-14 days.

It is impossible to say exactly how long it will last, since sometimes its prerequisite is manic-depressive psychosis in the mother.

This is the most common form of postnatal depression. However, it is quite difficult to define it, since it is “masked” as a variety of problems that are associated with the care and upbringing of children.

Prolonged postpartum depression develops gradually, and it begins with the usual blues, which continues after returning home. Women are constantly tired, but relatives attribute this condition to the birth process.

Distinctive signs are constant irritation and tearfulness. But it’s extremely unpleasant for a mother to hear children’s tears, and she blames herself for this and for insufficient care. Guilt also arises because caring for a child does not bring happiness to a woman.

Prolonged course of postnatal depression is most often observed in two types of mothers:

Women with hysterical manifestations or with obsessive fears of doing something wrong, especially if it concerns a child.
Individuals who were deprived of maternal tenderness and affection in childhood.

It is impossible to determine how long the depressive state will last. Usually the time period does not exceed 10 months or a year. However, in especially severe cases, the process of withdrawing into oneself can last 2-3 years.

General signs

As you can see, different types postnatal depressive disorder has distinctive characteristics. However, experts identify several symptoms that are found in all varieties of this psychological state. Among them:

Somewhat less often, in mothers, the above-described features can be combined with suicidal thoughts or with a desire to harm the child. Such thoughts often arise simultaneously with a reluctance to approach the newborn at all.

A woman’s well-being especially deteriorates in the time interval from three to 10 months after the birth of a baby. When the child reaches the third month of life, the mother’s irritability and anxiety actively progress.

Many experts associate the occurrence of postnatal depressive disorder in a new parent with changes occurring at the psycho-emotional, social, and physiological level.

Despite the fact that there is still no clearly proven connection between depressed mood in mothers and hormonal levels, this factor is not discounted. The assumption has a right to exist, since in pregnant women the level of certain hormones changes.

During pregnancy, the amount of female sex hormones increases almost 10 times, and after delivery there is a significant decrease in such indicators - almost to the level at which they were before conception.

In addition to hormonal changes, the mother is also “threatened” with colossal changes in all aspects of life with the newborn child. The psychology of women who have given birth is changing, and changes are also taking place in social status. Such “transformations” seriously increase the risk of postnatal depression.

In addition, experts identify several factors that can provoke the development of symptoms of depression in mothers who have given birth:

Hereditary predisposition. These words mean the characteristics of the nervous system that a woman adopts from her own parents. More specifically, a mother with a weak nervous system inherited from the older generation tends to react more sharply to a variety of stressful situations, and there are a lot of them after the birth of a baby. In addition, the birth process itself is one continuous stress.
Changes at the physiological level. In addition to surges in female sex hormones, the mother experiences a change in the volume of discharge thyroid gland. As a result of this decrease, fatigue begins, the mother has to do everything through “I can’t”, and this can end in depression. After the end of pregnancy, metabolism, blood volume and even blood pressure, all this affects the psychological health of the mother.
Fear of not living up to the “title” of the mother. Some anxious personalities They strive to become a kind of “supermom” who manages to take care of a child, enjoy life, be a good wife and friend, and look good. In reality, it is impossible for a mother to get closer to such an ideal, as a result of which her self-esteem decreases and a feeling of helplessness appears. And from here it is not far to depressive disorder.
Lack of free time. The natural desire of any mother is to restore moral and physical strength after labor activity. However, almost immediately she has to perform household duties and care for the child. These troubles are often combined with the process of contraction of the uterus, recovery after suturing the perineum or sutures from caesarean section. Such time pressure often ends in depression.
Problems with breastfeeding. The process of establishing lactation brings mother not only pleasant emotions, but also various difficulties. For example, after childbirth, the weaker sex often expresses milk and feeds the baby at night (this makes it difficult to sleep). The lactation period is often accompanied by pain during feeding. In addition, there is a temporary decrease in milk volume, repeating after several months. We must not forget - stagnation of milk secretion.
Selfishness of a woman. An unexpected factor, however, the fair sex does not always like to share the attention of others, even with their own children. Postpartum depression of selfish origin is especially typical for young and first-time mothers. After giving birth, the mother has to rebuild her usual routine to suit the baby’s needs, and she also needs to enter into “competition” for her husband’s attention. In addition, some mothers are not able to accept responsibility for the child.
Changes in figure. Some mothers begin to almost panic when they notice changes in appearance that are the result of pregnancy and the birth process. Gaining weight, stretch marks or sagging breasts - all this, coupled with low self-esteem, leads to real depression.
Lack of finances. It is not always possible for a mother to provide her child with a decent infancy. Because of this, a woman begins to consider herself a bad mother, which again causes a depressive state, which intensifies under other conditions (psychological characteristics, low self-esteem).
Problems with your partner. The process of labor often leads to further difficulties with sexual life. Firstly, there are various possible physical limitations. Secondly, fatigue, accompanied by decreased libido. Thirdly, sometimes women even develop an extremely negative attitude towards sex in the first few months after childbirth.
Unfavorable atmosphere. This cause consists of several factors leading to postnatal depression. Among them may be the husband’s indifference, rejection from his loved ones, the spouse’s addiction to alcohol (he likes to smoke and drink in front of the child), and the lack of any support.

In some situations, postpartum depression occurs after a spontaneous abortion or after the birth of a stillborn baby.

Consequences for children and spouse

What is the threat of postpartum depression in a mother to her child? First of all, a depressed woman is simply not able to fully fulfill her maternal responsibilities. Sometimes a mother refuses to even feed her baby with breast milk because she does not feel love for him. What are the consequences?

The development of the baby also slows down. The child sleeps poorly, worries, and in the future he may develop various mental disorders (for example, a predisposition to depression).
Due to the lack of skin-to-skin interaction, the child suffers from various processes associated with emotional development. Subsequently, the baby may develop speech disorders(for example, logoneuroses), problems with concentration, etc.
Children raised by depressed mothers rarely show positive emotions or interest in contact with objects and loved ones. It’s curious, but such a child tends to worry less when separated from his mother (other children have a sharply negative attitude towards such a development of events).

How does the stronger sex react to female postpartum depression? Men are naturally dissatisfied with this behavior of their spouse. Some of them generally take a serious mental disorder for some kind of whim, which is why they refer to women's issues respectively.

The stronger sex naturally strives to restore their former sex life, which is usually not possible to achieve. It is no secret that among all the global changes in family life associated with the birth of a child, men strive, first of all, to maintain stability in the matter of intimate relationships.

In some situations, men also experience postnatal depression. Some of the reasons for its appearance are in certain ways related to development factors in women.

The stronger sex falls into the trap of depression due to a feeling of uselessness to the spouse, lack of finances, lack of sex, etc.

It is much easier to prevent the development of postnatal depression than to fight it later. Moreover, it is unknown how long it will take (days, weeks, months) for the symptoms of this psychological disorder to subside.

So, postpartum depression can have a negative impact on both the mother, the child, and other household members. And you don’t need to think that this condition certainly won’t affect me. That is why there is no need to let this problem go by itself.

If a woman doesn’t want to be disconnected from a full-fledged life for half a terrible year, she needs to act even before she ends up on maternity leave. What to do?

Let us repeat the common rule once again: it is easier to prevent a disease than to then try to get rid of it. Postnatal depression is also a disease, so you shouldn’t expect it to go away on its own. The help of a specialist is extremely important in such a situation.

If your condition after childbirth is expressed by the words “I’m crying, I can’t stop, no one understands me,” it’s time to help yourself and your child. Expert advice will help you get rid of postnatal depression.

A doctor will help you cope with the problem. To save yourself from possible troubles, you must follow medical advice. For example, when prescribing drug treatment, you should follow all necessary procedures. However, taking medications on your own is strictly prohibited, even if the women’s forum says that “such and such a remedy saved me.”
Do not refuse the support of loved ones. The help of a spouse or mother-in-law is not something shameful, but an important necessity, especially when you cannot get rid of negative thoughts on your own. Your husband, mother, grandmother or close friend will help you get out of the emotional “trap”. You should accept their support before you cross the line.
There is no need for a new mother to be ashamed of being overweight. Remember that you have been eating for two for at least half of the prescribed period, so additional kilograms are a completely natural phenomenon. Do not go on diets according to the recommendations of “well-wishers”. Helps to get rid of excess weight natural feeding, so do not neglect breastfeeding, especially in the first month.
Try to negotiate with your spouse about short-term “vacations”. Going to the cafeteria, visiting the pool or store, walking around your favorite place - all this will distract you from the need to constantly be near your child. Believe me, no one will think that you are a terrible mother, abandoning the baby to the mercy of fate.
As we have already noted, the stronger sex pays special attention intimate side of married life. Try to talk with your husband about this topic, very calmly and tactfully. If you don't want to make love, give serious arguments. For example, it takes a month or a month and a half for the uterus to recover. This argument is better than saying, “I don’t care about sex right now.” By the way, making love is another effective method escape from postnatal depression.
Try to step away from kitchen chores for a while, since it is much more important for a child to spend more time with mommy than to watch her culinary talents. Perhaps the stronger sex in the person of your spouse will take on the responsibility of preparing dinner.
Postpartum depression is often aggravated by lack of sleep, when mommy tries to earn the title “supermom” for a year or longer. Have you put your child to bed? Lie down next to each other for at least 10 minutes. Believe me, the opinion “no one can replace me” is wrong. A woman will be more likely to get rid of depressive thoughts if she buys a baby monitor or shifts some of the worries to household members.
Include in your diet foods enriched with calcium-containing foods and ascorbic acid. These substances help get rid of depression in some situations as effectively as medications. This recommendation is another argument in favor of abandoning various restrictions in food.
A new mother will get rid of postnatal depression if she does not refuse to communicate with friends and close girlfriends while on maternity leave. Talk to other women who have experienced similar problem. Probably some of them coped with depressive thoughts and blues. In any case, even emotional support- this is the half of a successfully completed task.
Mommy will be more likely to cope with the problem if she walks with her child more often. Firstly, it’s a change of scenery, and secondly, it’s always good to get some fresh air and walk some distance. By the way, this will help you lose extra pounds in a more natural way.

Often, the monotony of actions seriously complicates the course of postnatal depression. Follow these tips through “I can’t”, focusing on the benefits for yourself and your child.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of postnatal depressive disorder involves observation, examination of the woman, collection of information and comparison of symptoms.

If the doctor suspects that the cause of postpartum depression is a hormonal shift, he will suggest taking a blood test to determine the level of certain hormones.

Experts identify only two effective ways getting rid of depression: taking special medications and psychotherapeutic techniques.

If the condition is caused by hormonal imbalance, a drug is prescribed to correct it. Another group of medications is antidepressants. latest generation, which maintain the necessary balance of hormones (in particular, serotonin). Some mothers are afraid to take antidepressants for fear of harming the child or losing breastfeeding. However, a tense and irritated mother is much worse for the baby than medications allowed during feeding.
Mommy will cope with difficulties faster if she uses the help of a qualified psychotherapist. Moreover, a specialist can offer NLP, psychoanalytic techniques, and the hypnotic method to solve the problem. It all depends on how severe the woman’s postpartum depression is. In addition, psychologists often suggest using methods from family or cognitive psychotherapeutic schools. These techniques work through deeper problems, youthful or even infantile complexes, which smoothly flow into adult life and lead to depressive moods.

Postpartum depression is a complex psychophysiological condition, the course of which depends on many factors. Sometimes the blues go away in a few weeks, in other cases it takes about two to three years.

In many ways, the effectiveness of treatment is related to the woman’s ability to get used to a new role and the desire to get out of the vicious circle. However, the support of a spouse and the help of close relatives are no less important.

Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a specialized psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on issues of raising children. I use the experience gained, among other things, in creating articles of a psychological nature. Of course, I in no way claim to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.

Successful procreation - the birth of an heir - is undoubtedly one of the most significant, long-awaited and natural events in the life of every woman. However, childbirth is a significant test associated with enormous stress, affecting all areas of the life of the woman in labor. After giving birth, many mothers experience a feeling of sadness, emptiness, fear, a sense of predestination and hopelessness.

Depression after childbirth, also called postnatal depression, is a separate type affective disorder, considered within the framework of pathologies of the depressive spectrum. Postpartum depression in women occurs immediately after a short period of time after birth. Typically, symptoms of this type clinical depression develop and become aggravated within three months from the moment of birth of the child.

The studies conducted have established that The prevalence of postnatal depression ranges from 10 to 15% of the total number of young mothers. However, experts argue that these indicators do not reflect the real situation with the prevalence of postpartum depression. The inability to determine the actual number of women experiencing symptoms of the depressive triad after childbirth is due to the fact that the overwhelming number of contemporaries prefer not to seek medical help, trying to overcome the blues on their own.

It is also not possible to give a definite answer to the question of how long depression lasts after childbirth. The duration of a depressive episode varies depending on different people. The timing of the disease state depends on a combination of various endogenous factors, such as: general condition human health, features of personal constitution, degree of satisfaction of basic needs. External circumstances, such as a favorable or unsuitable social environment, the quality of a woman’s interaction with close relatives, also play a significant role in the duration of postpartum depression.

Types of changes in psycho-emotional status after childbirth

Psychologists identify three types of emotional and mental disorders that can occur in any woman during the postpartum period:

melancholy;

Postpartum melancholy

Melancholy is a common condition that most women (about 50-60%) experience after childbirth. According to experts, changes in the emotional background associated with hormonal fluctuations and the enormous stress on the body experienced are a natural phenomenon.

Symptoms of the blues after childbirth manifest themselves in causeless tearfulness, inexplicable sadness, inability to have full social contacts, fatigue, sleep problems, and decreased appetite. The peak of negative feelings, according to doctors, occurs on days 3-5 and is called in psychiatric circles “despair of the third day.” However, negative experiences and painful signs in most women disappear on their own within one week to one month after childbirth.

How to get rid of apathy and blues after childbirth? Best recommendation to more quickly overcome the period of melancholy - love, care, support from those close to you and switching attention to positive activities. Psychologists recommend that all new mothers not limit their scope of activity only to caring for the baby. To feel fulfilled in life, a woman needs to be in contact with friends, devote time to pursuing hobbies, not give up studying, and pay attention to maintaining good physical shape. The monotony and routine that is observed in the lives of many women who have recently become mothers naturally worsens their mood and provokes painful thoughts.

Postpartum depression

Symptoms of the disorder appear several days or weeks after birth. However, postnatal depression occurs not only in primiparous women. Painful depressive symptoms can also plague mature women who have already experienced motherhood.

A new mother experiences similar symptoms as with melancholy, but their manifestations are more intense, constant, intrusive and painful. Depressive experiences force you to make certain adjustments in the patient’s life.

TO bad mood join unpleasant symptoms: pathological uncontrollable anxiety, irrational fears, anticipation of imminent tragedy. The woman is overcome by causeless tearfulness, not related to the real situation. She is overcome by inexplicable confusion, depriving her of peace, and is haunted by illogical and useless thoughts, which she cannot get rid of through the efforts of her will. There is an oppressive feeling of one’s own guilt, thoughts about the uselessness and meaninglessness of existence.

Often, with postpartum depression, a woman is unable to carry out daily duties and cannot cope with the functions that come with motherhood. Some women note the addition of a feeling of personality change: they feel that they cannot control internal processes.

Observed increased sensitivity to minimal stimuli that were previously ignored. The new mother begins to languish from the depressing feeling that “life will never be the same.” She loses interest in various previously enjoyable aspects. She refuses intimate relationships because they do not bring her pleasure.

Postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a collective term for serious and severe psychotic disorders that occur in the first months after childbirth. Psychosis after childbirth is recorded relatively rarely: in one or two women out of 1000. Symptoms of the disease appear unexpectedly and develop rapidly. Most often, signs of psychosis are noticeable already in the first days after childbirth.

A woman loses the ability to distinguish real events from fictional situations. She may experience true auditory hallucinations: the patient begins to hear “voices” commanding her to perform some action. Under the influx of imperative hallucinations, a person may commit dangerous actions: harm yourself or your own child.

Disorientation and depersonalization may occur in postpartum psychosis. A woman ceases to orient herself correctly in time, space, and her own personality. Typical symptoms psychosis after childbirth: unbalanced, agitated state, increased motor activity- catatonic agitation. In isolated situations, the opposite phenomenon is observed - catatonic stupor, manifested by a slowdown or complete inhibition of motor activity. A woman is often characterized by senseless, strange, unnatural aggressive behavior.

If symptoms of postpartum psychosis occur, immediate hospitalization is required for treatment. complex therapy because there is a significant risk of harm to yourself or to strangers. Treatment of similar psychotic states is carried out exclusively in an inpatient setting of a psychiatric clinic.

Causes of postpartum depression

Scientists directly associate postpartum depression with significant biological and psychological changes that occur in a woman’s body during pregnancy and childbirth. Against the backdrop of intense chemical processes, caused by a sharp jump in the production, concentration and subsequent decrease in the level of hormones: estrogen and progesterone, changes occur in the work of neurotransmitters responsible for the emotional sphere.

A woman’s body does not have time to quickly respond to the ongoing hormonal changes. The brain activates its activity, concentrating its efforts on maintaining homeostasis. In this way, the sphere of feelings and sensations remains the most defenseless, and the risk of clinical depression increases.

Although experts consider hormonal changes in a woman’s body after childbirth to be the most significant factor in the mechanism of development of postpartum depression, there are other hypotheses for the occurrence of affective disorder. The cause, predisposing and provoking factors in the development of depressive states are the presence of individual aspects from the list below or a complex combination of unfavorable conditions.

The impetus for the onset of postpartum depression is often given by physical exhaustion after the process of labor. Physical fatigue accompanies psycho-emotional stress women associated with waiting for resolution of pregnancy.

A postnatal depressive episode is often caused by a difficult pregnancy when expectant mother was forced to comply with a number of restrictions to preserve the life of the unborn baby. There was a threat of miscarriage or premature birth, painful manifestations of toxicosis, forced stay in the inpatient department of the hospital undermine the woman’s psyche. The trigger may be childbirth with complications when there was real threat life of mother or child. A long rehabilitation period associated with an unfavorable course of childbirth causes severe stress, which often transforms into a depressive state.

The cause of postnatal depression may be a discrepancy between reality and the desired state. Often a woman, while expecting a baby, makes some impossible plans or has illusory desires that cannot be instantly fulfilled in reality. After childbirth, “imaginary” disappointments arise associated with the arrival of a new family member. The real picture of life after the birth of a child does not meet the person’s expectations.

The provoking factor is often a woman’s dissatisfaction with her relationship with her husband. She is sensitive to the lack of proper moral, physical, and material support. A new mother faces new difficulties and especially suffers if her husband does not want to take part in caring for his own child.

The foundation for the emergence of affective disorders is the specific personal constitution of a person. Many women suffering from postpartum depression are suspicious and impressionable individuals. Patients are characterized by low resistance to stress, which makes their personality vulnerable, leads to a breakdown in personal boundaries and causes a deterioration in their psycho-emotional state. Many people prone to depression are accustomed to focusing on the negative aspects of life. At the same time, their characteristic quality is ignoring the fact of the existence of pleasant and neutral moments of existence. They see the world in dark colors, and the slightest trouble is inflated to gigantic proportions.

Many women who have been diagnosed with postpartum depression have a history of other disorders of the neurotic and psychotic spectrum. Many of them had previously suffered from other forms of depression, especially premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Some patients' medical histories contain information about episodes of phobic anxiety disorders.

Unfavorable heredity should also be considered as a relevant risk factor ( genetic predisposition). It has been established that if there is a family history of depressive episodes, then 30% of women are at risk of developing clinical symptoms of the disorder after childbirth.

According to existing criteria, the diagnosis of postpartum (postnatal) depression is established if a depressive episode with associated clinical symptoms disorders occurred within six weeks (according to ICD-10) or one month (according to DSM) after birth.

Symptoms of postpartum depression

As a result of hormonal changes in the body after childbirth, the emotional background becomes labile. Women feel rapid “jumps” in their mood. One moment they can feel joy and fun, the next moment the young ladies become sad and sad. Moreover, as the disorder worsens, their mood becomes more and more minor. Over time, the patient ceases to rejoice at objectively happy events. No good news can change her sad mood.

A woman reacts excessively intensely to the slightest stimuli. She demonstrates excessively violent reactions to minor noises and changes in lighting. She gives special meaning to the standard actions and banal statements of others.
For people suffering depressive disorder, characterized by a feeling of depressing sadness, inexplicable anger, irrational anxiety. The patient cannot explain the origin of the illogical obsessive fear. Despite the efforts made, the woman is not able to eliminate anxiety and fears.
Many women experience uncertainty, fearfulness, and confusion. Lack of self-confidence in the new role of a mother contributes to excessive self-criticism and groundless self-blame. The patient convinces herself that she is a bad mother. She is confident that she is not taking good care of the baby. She believes that she is not capable of raising a child properly. Thus, the woman puts a label on herself, the essence of which is: “I am a worthless and insignificant creature, not worthy of respect and love.”
Characterized by causeless tearfulness. They shed tears in situations when normal reaction is a smile and laughter. Neither persuasion, nor attempts to cheer up, nor sympathy, nor logical persuasion on the part of others can stop their crying.
Intrusive negative thoughts about the baby arise. They are haunted by the idea that their careless actions can harm the child. Such obsessive thoughts (obsessions) provoke the patient’s need to regularly perform some protective actions (compulsions). The woman, with manic persistence, begins to take protective measures, for example: she does not allow even her closest relatives to see the baby.
Lost interest in communicating with the child. They not only do not pay the required attention to the baby, but sometimes even refuse to feed him at all. Patients may become convinced that they own child is or will become a source of serious problems in the future. The occurrence of such a symptom is a dangerous sign indicating the need for emergency medical intervention.

In the case of a protracted course of postpartum depression, the disorder manifests itself in a variety of somatic, vegetative, behavioral and emotional symptoms. The most common manifestations are:

feeling constantly tired, loss of strength, decreased energy, lack of vigor after a long rest;
inertia, lack of interest in usual activities;
loss of pleasure from joyful events;
formal social isolation: refusal to communicate with others, reluctance to see loved ones;
sleep disturbances, insomnia, interrupted sleep, nightmares;
pathological anxiety about harming the child;
cognitive impairment: difficulties with memorizing new material, inability to remember the necessary information, inability to concentrate on the task at hand;
motor retardation or agitation;
changes in eating behavior: lack of appetite or excessive need for food;
obsessive thoughts about the meaninglessness of existence;

Treatment of postpartum depression

How to cope with postnatal depression? The main measures for the treatment of postpartum depression are as follows:

drug therapy;
psychotherapy (individual and group sessions);
art therapy;
meditation;
autogenic training;
rebirthing (special breathing technique);
hypnosis techniques.

Drug treatment, including antidepressants, tranquilizers and mood stabilizers, is used in extremely rare cases when there is a high risk of suicidal actions. Strict selective approach to application pharmacological drugs we will explain the potential danger to the health of the child of the components included in the composition that penetrate into breast milk. To date, data on side effects medicines, used for depression, about their effect on the body of a developing infant.

However, in severe cases of depression, it is advisable at the initial stage of treatment to focus specifically on drug therapy. As a rule, the patient is prescribed modern antidepressants from the group of selective serotonin inhibitors. To completely eliminate the symptoms of the disorder, taking medications for at least three months is required. Treatment begins with the administration of the minimum effective dose. It must be taken into account that during treatment with antidepressants, a woman should completely stop breastfeeding.

The main emphasis in the treatment of postnatal depression is on a combination of psychotherapeutic measures with hypnosis sessions. During psychotherapeutic sessions, the doctor explains to the patient the features of her condition. A psychotherapist helps a woman identify incorrect attitudes that contribute to depressive mood. The doctor directs the client to work to eliminate existing complexes and promotes the formation of adequate self-esteem.

Through hypnosis, it is possible to neutralize the “hidden” mechanisms of depression by revealing the irrational components of pathology. Hypnosis is indispensable for women in situations where the patient cannot understand why she was captured by an affective disorder. Immersion in a trance state during hypnosis allows you to make an “excursion” into a person’s past, which makes it possible to establish the true factors that provoked a depressive status.

How to get out of depression? Women suffering from postpartum depression are advised to get enough rest and follow balanced diet, perform regularly physical exercise. Important aspect in the treatment of depression - eliminating the situation when, day after day, a woman is busy exclusively with routine activities. To get rid of the blues, you need to diversify your activities and not give up your hobbies. You should not ignore the healing potential of nature: walking in the fresh air, swimming in ponds, and being in the lap of nature will bring positive feelings of harmony with your own “I” and the world around you.

How to deal with painful signs of depression after childbirth? Huge value To overcome postpartum depression, the behavior and attitude of the woman’s immediate environment is devoted. Understanding her " inner world", attention to her experiences, concerns, fears helps to easily endure difficulties postpartum period. Quite active “doctors” are pets who accept and sincerely love their owner without criticism.

Milotherapy – environmental therapy – has proven itself well in the treatment of depression. The essence of the technique: the patient stays in rooms with sufficient natural light, which is decorated in a certain color scheme, excluding the “depressive” palette with a dosed supply of red and orange tones. This technique involves filling rooms with living vegetation, a certain selection of paintings, listening to quiet melodic melodies, and watching thematically selected emotionally deep films.

Postpartum depression, which occurs in mild to moderate severity, can be cured fairly quickly and completely. For most women who seek help from a psychotherapist, the signs of postpartum depression disappear after 5-7 sessions. If the disease is more severe, it is recommended to undergo treatment in inpatient clinics.