Postnatal Depression

What Is Postnatal Depression?

Expecting a new-born in the family is a source of great excitement for the future parents. Then the baby comes and your whole life changes – the habits you used to enjoy become luxuries, your sleep pattern has to adjust to the baby’s needs and stress is in the air. For some people this life changing event can be overwhelming and they may start to show signs of depression in the week or two after the baby is born.

Postnatal depression (sometimes referred to as postpartum depression) differs from typical depression because it is strictly related to circumstances of childbirth and negative emotions that might follow it. It is much more common in the female population, but it is also possible for fathers to feel the “baby blues”.

How Do I know If I Have Postnatal Depression?

It is natural to feel a certain amount of fear when becoming a parent, especially for the first time. Every baby is different and it can take some time to get used to its behaviour and learn how to take care of it and bond in the process. Some people may experience more difficulty with this, to the point where it severely impacts their wellbeing or the wellbeing of the baby. Possible signs of postnatal depression are:

• severe mood swings and feelings of grief or emptiness
• fearing that you’re somehow lacking as a parent
• having anxiety or panic attacks
• feeling hopeless
• neglecting your personal hygiene and other needs
• not being able to stop worrying about the baby, even if it is completely healthy
• withdrawing from your partner, the baby and other people in your life
• having thoughts of harming yourself or the new-born

Usually symptoms of postpartum depression will alleviate themselves after 10 to 14 days without any treatment, but if they persist after this timeframe or if you find yourself thinking about hurting yourself or the baby get professional help immediately.

What Are the Causes of Postnatal Depression?

Just like with any other disorder or illness there is no singular reason that can be attributed to every case of postnatal depression. However, some possible causes are clear:

• previous mental health issues, either before or during pregnancy
• history of postpartum depression following previous pregnancies
• traumatic, high-risk pregnancy
• unwanted or unplanned pregnancy
• a poor support system or raising the child alone
• giving birth to a child with special needs or having multiple children at once

Important Information to Keep in Mind

• You are not a bad mother or father if you are going through postnatal depression
• You are not losing your mind, you just might need a bit more reassurance in this turbulent period of your life
• You are not the only one feeling the way you do – postnatal depression is quite a common occurrence, especially in women
• You can overcome your struggles with adequate support and care and start enjoying your family life

Treatment We Offer

At Dr Jo Gee Psychotherapy, it is our policy to carefully consider the best solution to provide the necessary aid and comfort to every client. We offer support tailored to your needs for efficient and quick symptom relief. Our professional team will work with you to get the best outcome and give you useful insights that you can implement in the future.

Our suggested treatment plan for postnatal depression is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Some of the benefits of using CBT are as follows:

• it is short-term and won’t take a lot of time of your day, but the benefits are permanent
• it helps in facing irrational fears and thought patterns, acknowledging them and replacing them
• it has a structured approach which will offer some stability and respite from the hectic outside world
• it can successfully be used by itself or along with other forms of therapy

Get in Touch

Still not sure if you could benefit from our services? We offer a free 15 minute phone consultation at a time convenient for you. After that you can book a 50-75 minute assessment where you will have time to ask questions, share your therapy goals, discuss the possible outcomes, and build a personalized treatment plan with a member of our expert team. Your therapist will support you every step of the way, whether you opt for a short or a long-term plan.

If you would like to book an initial consultation, please message or call us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.