Friday, March 22, 2024

Best Treatment For Postpartum Depression

Before Therapy Diagnosing Postpartum Depression

Breakthrough Treatment for Postpartum Depression

After giving birth, a woman will experience hormonal changes as her body adjusts to no longer being pregnant. Estrogen and progesterone will drop significantly, which can cause depression, anxiety, or mood swings for the first few weeks. This period is called the baby blues and is very common.

However, if these symptoms last more than a few weeks, occur alongside other symptoms, or appear within the first year after giving birth and linger, the Office of Womens Health recommends scheduling a follow-up appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will perform a postpartum depression screening, which includes questions about any current mental health conditions and family history of depression or mental illness.

In some cases, more severe symptoms might indicate the rare condition of postpartum psychosis. Severe symptoms may include intrusive thoughts about harming the new baby, hallucinations, obsession with the new babys health and well-being, or suicidal thoughts. Postpartum psychosis requires immediate medical intervention for the health and safety of the new mother and her baby.

Upon receiving a postpartum depression diagnosis, your doctor will discuss your treatment options, which often include a combination of medication and therapy. Your doctor can usually provide a referral for mental health professionals that specialize in treating PPD.

How Does Nondirective Counseling Work

Nondirective counseling is less structured than approaches like CBT or IPT. Rather than defining goals or setting time frames at the outset, you’ll simply talk with your therapist about your thoughts and feelings.

Over time, these conversations alone can lead you to reframe your thinking and motivate you to make changes that can help you feel better.

For example, maybe you come to therapy feeling sad over the loss of your old life. At first you just seem to miss everything about your pre-baby routine , but in talking with your therapist, you come to realize that what you really miss is your sense of independence.

From there, you might decide that even though life looks very different as a mom, there are still ways you can reclaim your autonomy, like carving out time to exercise alone a few days a week or booking a regular sitter so you can get out and do something fun just for you.

Natural Treatment For Postpartum Depression

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

According to researchers at The University of Kansas Medical Center, there is a growing body of clinical evidence that suggests that low dietary intake or tissue levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with postpartum depression. Omega-3 benefits are known to include relieving depression and feelings of anxiety. Low tissue levels of DHA are reported in patients with postpartum depression and the physiological demands of pregnancy and lactation put a childbearing women at particular risk of experiencing a loss of DHA. Animal studies indicate that decreased brain DHA in postpartum females leads to several depression-associated neurobiological changes that inhibits the brains ability to respond to stress appropriately.

A 2014 study involving female fats found that menhaden fish oil benefits include exerting beneficial effects on postpartum depression and decreasing the biomarkers related to depression, such as corticosterone and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

A review published in the Journal of Midwifery and Womens Health discusses the recent research on omega-3s and womens mental health, with a particular focus on the perinatal period. These studies include population studies examining fish consumption and studies testing the efficacy of EPA and DHA as treatments for depression. The majority of studies indicate that EPA is able to treat depression either alone or in combination with DHA and/or antidepressant medications.

2. Acupuncture

3. Exercise

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How Do I Know If I Am Experiencing Depression

The following questions may help you determine if you are experiencing depression.

During the past two weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the problems listed below?

Little interest or pleasure in doing things?

Not at all.More than half the days.Nearly every day.

Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?

Not at all.More than half the days.Nearly every day.

If you answered more than half the days or nearly every day to either question, you may be depressed and should seek help from your health care provider. Your provider can help figure out whether you have depression, and he or she can help find the best treatment for you. Depression can be treated with counseling, medications, or both.

What Can I Do At Home To Feel Better While Seeing A Doctor For Postpartum Depression

Kill Depression: July 2013

Here are some ways to begin feeling better or getting more rest, in addition to talking to a health care professional:

  • Rest as much as you can. Sleep when the baby is sleeping.
  • Dont try to do too much or to do everything by yourself. Ask your partner, family, and friends for help.
  • Make time to go out, visit friends, or spend time alone with your partner.
  • Talk about your feelings with your partner, supportive family members, and friends.
  • Talk with other mothers so that you can learn from their experiences.
  • Join a support group. Ask your doctor or nurse about groups in your area.
  • Dont make any major life changes right after giving birth. More major life changes in addition to a new baby can cause unneeded stress. Sometimes big changes cant be avoided. When that happens, try to arrange support and help in your new situation ahead of time.

It can also help to have a partner, a friend, or another caregiver who can help take care of the baby while you are depressed. If you are feeling depressed during pregnancy or after having a baby, dont suffer alone. Tell a loved one and call your doctor right away.

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Postpartum Depression Causes And Risk Factors

The physical, hormonal, and emotional changes caused by childbirth and new motherhood can contribute to the development of postpartum depression. Certain risk factors can also make you more likely to develop this condition, including:

  • A previous history or family history of depression, anxiety, or mental illness
  • Trauma or significant life events occurring before, during, or after your pregnancy
  • Medical complications during your pregnancy or childbirth or with your childs health
  • Lack of support from your family and friends

If you are taking medication for a mental health disorder like depression, anxiety, or psychosis, do not stop taking your medication when you become pregnant without talking to your doctor. The risk of many medications affecting your baby is low, but the risk of you becoming ill from stopping your medication suddenly is high.

How Do Doctors Screen For Postpartum Depression

It can be hard to detect mild cases of postpartum depression. Healthcare providers rely heavily on your responses to their questions.

Many healthcare providers use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to screen for postpartum depression. It consists of 10 questions related to symptoms of depression such as feeling unhappy, anxious or guilty. You’re asked to check the response that comes closest to how you’ve felt the last seven days. A higher score indicates possible postpartum depression.

If your provider feels you have signs of postpartum depression, they will recommend an appropriate treatment.

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Causes And Risk Factors

A rapid decrease in some hormones after delivery is thought to be one contributing factor to the development of postpartum depression. But other risk factors include stressors, previous depressive episodes, depression during pregnancy, complications during pregnancy and/or delivery, and a family history of mood disorders.

Recent studies have shown that among women who are diagnosed, about one-third had depression prior to their pregnancy, one-third have depression that began during pregnancy, and one-third experienced the onset of depression after delivery.

Find Out If What You Are Experiencing May Be Depression Depression Is Treatable Learn About Seeking Treatment For Yourself Or A Loved One

Treatments for Postpartum Depression

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If you or someone you know is in crisis, tell someone who can help immediately.

or go to the nearest hospital emergency department for emergency medical treatment.

988lifeline.org.988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365, connecting those experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis with trained crisis counselors.

24/7, Free, Confidential Hotline for Pregnant and New Moms in English and SpanishCall or text 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS .

Dont be alone.Dont leave another person alone if he or she is in crisis.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

  • Will I have to take antidepressants for life?
  • If I take medicine, will I have trouble getting off the medicine when I feel better?
  • How will I know if the medicine is making me feel better or if Im naturally getting better?
  • Will I have postpartum depression with every pregnancy?
  • Who should I call if I am having thoughts of suicide or of harming my baby?

Pharmacological Treatments For Postpartum Depression

Antidepressant medication

A small but growing literature suggests that postpartum depression can be thought of as a variant of major depression that responds similarly to antidepressant medication.46,47 Concerns unique to pharmacologic treatment of PPD include metabolic changes in the postpartum period, exposure of the infant to medication in breast milk, the effect of depression and treatment on the ability of the depressed mother to care for a new baby, and the perceived stigma of being seen as a bad mother for requiring medication.4850 These factors, as well as the womans level of distress, access to care, and experience with past treatment may influence the decision of the patient and her caregiver regarding the choice of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for PPD. Data comparing the effectiveness of medication against other treatment modalities for PPD are scarce, though do suggest that medications are at least as effective as most psychological interventions based on effect size.51 To date, four randomized controlled studies on the treatment of PPD with antidepressant medications have been published, along with several open trials. Additionally, two randomized studies have looked at the prevention of PPD with antidepressant medication.

Breastfeeding considerations

Hormone therapy

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Is Online Postpartum Therapy Right For You

Online therapy is an accessible form of therapy, which might be particularly beneficial to new parents who are experiencing postpartum depression. Online therapy has the potential to help many people with postpartum depression. Telepsychiatry and teletherapy have helped save lives, says Leela R. Magavi, MD, regional medical director for Community Psychiatry. Thanks to various technological platforms, we have been able to prescribe medications and provide therapy to patients in a safe manner.

Teletherapy allows doctors to care for individuals who live in regions with limited therapists and resources. Many women open up more as they feel comfortable and safe in their own home, Magavi adds.

Symptoms of perinatal depression can start anytime during pregnancy or the year after. If you are worried, or if your loved ones are expressing concerns about your mood, its worth getting evaluated. You can likely benefit from treatment.

Be Open To Various Treatment Options

7 Ways to Fight Postpartum Depression

Everyone has different levels of comfort with the treatment options for postpartum depression and the idea of medication while breastfeeding made me nervous. Ultimately, I decided that I needed it as a part of my treatment plan and I am grateful for that decision. Medication is not for everyone, but I believe it was important for me to be open to it and remove the stigma attached to it.

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Conventional Treatments For Postpartum Depression

Early detection and treatment of depression after and during pregnancy is important because of the many adverse outcomes, including infant care and development. Experts have recommended screening for postpartum depression at the first postnatal obstetrical visit, which is typically 46 weeks after delivery. As a screening tool, many healthcare practitioners use a 10-item self-report that emphasizes emotional and functional factors.

1. Psychotherapy

Common forms of psychotherapy include interpersonal therapy and short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy. Family physicians are key players in the detection and treatment of postpartum depression this is because new mothers have a tendency to negate their feelings as something other than a treatable psychiatric illness. Depressed mothers also report that they dont receive the social support that they desire in this time of need. This lack of perceived support occurs in womens relationships with their parents, relatives and friends, but it most pronounced in their relationships with their partners.

Interpersonal psychotherapy is a short-term, limited focus treatment that targets the specific interpersonal disruptions experienced by women in the postpartum period. Plus, a recent systematic review found that patients with major depressive disorder in primary care actually prefer psychotherapy over antidepressant medication for treatment, especially women with postpartum depression.

2. Antidepressant Medication

3. Hormone Therapy

Living With Postpartum Depression

While recovering from postpartum depression, try to take time for yourself. Get out of the house every day, even if it’s just for a walk around the block. Reach out to supportive family and friends for emotional and household help. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Consider joining a new mothers support group or starting one in your area.

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Build A Secure Bond With Your Baby

Emotional bonding is the secure attachment that forms between parents and children. Successful bonding allows the child to feel safe enough to develop fully, and having this bond will affect the way in which they communicate and form relationships throughout their life.

A secure bond forms when you tune in and respond to your childs needs or emotional cues, such as picking them up, soothing them, and reassuring them when they cry. Being that dependable source of comfort allows your child to learn how to manage their own feelings and behaviors, which, in turn, helps to strengthen their cognitive development.

Postpartum depression can have a significant impact on early bonding, making it difficult get through each day and hindering your ability to look after both your baby and yourself.

One study of 14,000 children in the United States found that 40 percent of the children lacked strong emotional bonds with their parents. This lack of strong parental attachment made the children more likely to experience behavioral and educational problems.

Some parents feel an instant rush of love the moment they set eyes on their baby, while for others, it takes time. If you have not yet bonded with your baby, do not feel anxious or guilty. Sometimes, it can take weeks or even months to feel an attachment, but it should come with time.

Here are some ways that you can strengthen the bond with your baby.

Symptoms Of Peripartum Depression

Postpartum Depression

Symptoms of Peripartum Depression include:5

  • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in appetite
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Crying for no reason
  • Lack of interest in the baby, not feeling bonded to the baby, or feeling very anxious about/around the baby
  • Feelings of being a bad mother
  • Fear of harming the baby or oneself

A woman experiencing peripartum depression usually has several of these symptoms, and the symptoms and their severity may change. These symptoms may cause new mothers to feel isolated, guilty, or ashamed. To be diagnosed with peripartum depression, symptoms must begin during pregnancy or within four weeks following delivery.

Many women with peripartum depression also experience symptoms of anxiety. One study found that nearly two-thirds of women with peripartum depression also had an anxiety disorder.6

While there is no specific diagnostic test for peripartum depression, it is a real illness that should be taken seriously. Any pregnant woman or new mother who experiences the symptoms of peripartum depression should seek evaluation by a medical professional an internal medicine doctor or an OB-GYN, who can make referrals to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. Assessment should include a psychiatric evaluation and a medical evaluation to rule out physical problems that may have symptoms similar to depression .

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What Are The Symptoms Of Postpartum Depression

Some people feel ashamed about their symptoms or feel they are terrible parents for feeling the way they do. Postpartum depression is extremely common. You’re not the only person who feels this way, and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.

You may have postpartum depression if you experience some of the following:

  • Feeling sad, worthless, hopeless or guilty.
  • Worrying excessively or feeling on edge.
  • Loss of interest in hobbies or things you once enjoyed.
  • Changes in appetite or not eating.
  • Loss of energy and motivation.
  • Trouble sleeping or wanting to sleep all the time.
  • Crying for no reason or excessively.
  • Difficulty thinking or focusing.
  • Thoughts of suicide or wishing you were dead.
  • Lack of interest in your baby or feeling anxious around your baby.
  • Thoughts of hurting your baby or feeling like you don’t want your baby.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you have postpartum depression. This can be your obstetrician, primary care provider or mental health provider. Your baby’s pediatrician can also help you.

How Doctors Treat Postpartum Depression

If you or a loved one suspect youre experiencing signs of postpartum depression, speak to your doctor or a healthcare provider specializing in womens health and pediatrics. Your doctor will often provide a depression screening or a questionnaire to assess your condition and how to meet your needs. They may also perform a blood test to eliminate other conditions, such as thyroid problems.

Your doctor will evaluate:

  • The severity of your condition
  • Your medical history and background
  • Other individual needs

Postpartum depression treatments generally include therapy with a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. Another standard treatment method used in conjunction with therapy, is prescription medications like antidepressants.

Postpartum depression recovery should also include healthy lifestyle practices.

Mothers affected by PPD can take care of themselves by:

  • Getting enough rest
  • Avoiding alcohol
  • Staying physically active through activities like walking or swimming

Your doctor will also likely recommend a follow-up appointment after about six months. While extremely rare, if postpartum psychosis is present , your doctor may recommend Electroconvulsive Therapy at the beginning of treatment.

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