Why You Can’t Wait to Treat Postpartum Depression
Women who have postpartum depression feel a triple whammy of the stigma reserved for people with mental illnesses. Not only are they brought down by what many expect to be the happiest event in a woman’s life—the birth of a child—but also total honesty about their emotional state could invite scorn or even a visit from social services. Crippling sleep deprivation and the isolation of being home with a newborn compound the problem.
Baby blues versus postpartum
No one knows for sure why some women experience severe mood problems after delivery. A mild, short-lived condition, the “baby blues,” is nearly universal, afflicting up to 70% of women. “The first two weeks with a new baby are tough. But then most women get a better sense of control,” says Ruta Nonacs, MD, associate director of the Center for Women’s Health at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Then they figure out how to take care of the baby, gain some mastery over the new schedule, and have a sense that they’re gradually getting back to where they want to be socially, professionally, and physically.”
Other new moms don’t bounce back. They feel chronically overwhelmed, guilty, and irrational, and a handful of tragic cases end with the mother killing herself or her children. But help is available. A growing body of evidence finds that medications and other treatments can mitigate or even reverse postpartum mood disorders. The trick is finding a health professional who specializes in treating it and who won’t brush you off with a pep talk. Yes, the depression may go away on its own, but waiting can put the whole family in jeopardy.
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