There has been quite a bit of debate over the last decade or so on the subject of post natal depression. Although there have been claims it can be treated with nothing more than a few vitamin supplements and some excersise, one thing the experts finally agree on: Post Natal Depression is a very real problem. If you hav recently become a mother and feeling depressed but don’t want to tell anyone for fear of what might be said, read on….
The first thing to remember about any case of depression is that there are new facts being learned about it every single day. The more scientists are able to understand about how the body and the brain work together, the more accurate they are in medical diagnoses. Many doctors agree that post natal depression does exist and is the result of a wide combination of factors. A new mother is facing a surge of female hormones that often trigger emotional episodes, including depression.
Many of her body’s systems are also maladjusted, and this includes some of the chemicals in the brain that regulate mood. On top of all of these things, post natal depression may also be caused or aggravated by her lack of sleep from having to get up and take care of the baby several times during the night. This combination of factors of course affects a mother’s health and emotional state!
It’s thought that some cases of post natal depression are more likely to strike women who are already prone to depression or who have had this condition even before becoming pregnant. This seems like a logical conclusion; if a woman has a tendency to be overweight before becoming pregnant it’s likely that she will have a more difficult time taking off the weight after pregnancy. Having a condition before pregnancy would logically make one more prone to having it after pregnancy, and post natal depression is no different.
There are also some who believe that many cases of post natal depression are brought on by several emotional factors, not just physical ones. Some women have built themselves up to expect that motherhood will be this euphoric time of constant happiness, but then the reality of taking care of a crying child sets in. This disappointment can reach the point of depression. Or some who experience post natal depression have expected the child to solve problems in their life, such as bringing them closer to their spouse, or making up for a lack of self-esteem, and so on. When these things don’t happen just automatically with the arrival of the baby, the mother feels angry, guilty, let down, and so on. This too can progress to the point of post natal depression.
Doctors today are becoming more responsive to the condition and are more aware and alert to what it means and what may legitimately cause it. There are medications available to get a woman through as well as support groups for those with post natal depression that may help, so talk to your doctor about your condition today.
