‌Postpartum Depression is the depression that happens after childbirth.
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‌Onset is generally between one week and one month following childbirth.
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‌Exact cause of PPD is not clear but is believed to be a combination of PPD is physical, emotional, genetic, and social factors.
‌A survey of exploratory studies in PPD have identified that women with PPD, have more dramatic changes in HPA axis activity, however directionality of specific hormone increases or decreases remain mixed.
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‌Postpartum depression impacts roughly 15% of women after childbirth. Moreover, this mood disorder is estimated to affect 1% to 26% of new fathers. Postpartum psychosis, a more drastic form of postpartum mood disorder, occurs in about 1 to 2 per 1,000 women following childbirth. Postpartum psychosis is one of the main causes of the murder of children less than one year of age, which occurs in about 8 per 100,000 births in the United States.
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‌Symptoms include:
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‌Severe mood swings
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‌Guilt, shame, worthlessness
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‌Frustration, irritability, unrest, outrage
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‌Persistent sadness, anxiousness or "empty" mood
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‌Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.
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‌Numbness, emptiness
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‌Low self-esteem
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‌Exhaustion
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‌Trouble bonding with the baby
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‌Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
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‌Social withdrawal
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‌Insomnia or excessive sleep
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‌Worry about harming self, baby, or partner.
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‌Always remember this is a serious drawback on mental health so think before putting blame on someone. Remember to take care of the mental health of the family and child after and before birth of the child. There are various kinds of treatments including therapy, medications have been developed. So always take care of your mental health.