...Postpartum Depression I always thought that Postpartum Depression was not a real condition, until I had my second son, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so overwhelming to suddenly realize that this was a very real condition and that it was happening to me. Postpartum Depression is a depressive disorder that can occur any time after your baby is born, up until one year after the birth. It can vary from mild symptoms, to severe symptoms, to suicidal thoughts and actions. It can affect women and men from all walks of life. Postpartum Depression is a very serious condition and should be treated as such. Postpartum Depression can be defined as; postpartum: occurring in or being the period following parturition. Parturition: the action of or process of giving birth to offspring. Depression: a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked esp. by sadness, inactivity, difficulty with thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal thoughts or an attempt to commit suicide (Merriam-Webster’s, Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2005). There are other terms associated with Postpartum Depression. Some people think that Postpartum is the same thing as having the “Baby Blues”, which it is not. The baby blues commonly only last a few days to a few weeks, at most, and are very mild symptoms of crying,...
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...Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. Some forms of depression are slightly different, or they may develop under unique circumstances, such as: Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for two years to be considered persistent depressive disorder....
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...Paternal Postpartum Depression Introduction Paternal postpartum depression is a concept that has, only recently, gained some recognition within the mental health community and among clinicians. Male depression and sadness are generally taboos cross culturally. Admitting to depressive symptoms may be considered a sign of weakness, carrying shame and degrading self-worth for men. Due to these stigmas, male depression is significantly under reported comparative to female depression. Defining and quantifying patterns of paternal postpartum depression are the foundation for providing support not only for new fathers, but the family unit as a whole. Statistical Analysis of Prevalence Evidence shows that there is a strong correlation between maternal postpartum depression and that in new fathers. According to one study, 24%-50% of men who experience postpartum depression have depressed partners (Melrose, 2010). Similar statistics have been reviewed in the referenced article Paternal postpartum depression: How can nurses begin to help? by Sherri Melrose. Many of these studies discuss the depressive symptoms of mothers and fathers within the first few months of parenthood. Maternal postpartum depression has been recorded in up to 19.7% of mothers within the first month of giving birth, and fathers are found to be at much greater risk in these cases (Melrose, 2010). Although most of the hormonal data related to pre- & post-natal depression are of female subjects, some...
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...considerable complexity that may manifest itself as a postpartum psychiatric disorder. Many physical and emotional changes can occur to a woman during the time of her pregnancy as well as following the birth of her child. These particular changes can leave a new mother feeling sad, anxious, afraid and confused (Nami.org). For many women, these feelings; which are known as baby blues, go away fairly quickly. But when they do not go away or rather they get worse, a woman may be experiencing the effects of postpartum depression (PPD). This is a serious condition that describes a range of physical and emotional changes and that requires prompt treatment from a health care provider. According to Mauthner, (1999) postpartum depression occurs when women are unable to experience, express and validate their feelings and needs within supportive, accepting and non-judgmental interpersonal relationships and cultural contexts. Postpartum depression is defined as a mild to moderate mood disturbance occurring between birth and six months post birth, rather than the less frequent, more severe postpartum psychosis, or the more prevalent but transient blues (Crokenberg & Leerkes, 2003). The postpartum period is unique in the development of mental illness. As stated by O'hara & Zekoski (1988), approximately 10% to 30% of mothers report clinical levels of depression during the postpartum period. Although the current literature divides the spectrum of postpartum mood disorders into three distinct categories...
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...Depression has been described, as 'the common cold of all psychological disorders' as 7 to 12 per cent of men and 20 to 25 per cent of women will suffer from depression in their lifetime. Postpartum Depression or PPD is a serious disease that affects as many as 60 percent of new mothers. The new mother’s may not feel love for their newborn and may have no energy to take care of the child. They may also suffer from insomnia, excessive eating, anorexia, or even hyperventilation. They often feel guilty and worthless because they know that they should not feel this way. There is no set pattern for those who are most likely to be affected by Postpartum Depression. The purpose of researching Postpartum Depression and the treatments is to learn how to better care for the women and their children. Postpartum Depression is a serious illness and without proper treatment and attention the children born to women who develop Postpartum Disease may grow up without proper care and in the most serious of cases, some children die of neglect or abuse. The articles used for this paper investigate the mother’s relationship with their partner during pregnancy, the perception of prenatal partner support, the association of maternal and paternal PPD, and the associations of relationship adjustment and symptoms of depressions and anxiety. The knowledge gain from researching this topic and from the articles is that spousal support has become a very big factor in postpartum depression. Spousal support...
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...Ebony Nelson Postpartum Psychosis Critical Reasoning Paper February 24, 2015 Postpartum psychosis is a very serious problem for some women. Some women can experience postpartum depression after childbirth which is defined as “depression suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue.” In most cases postpartum depression subsides without treatment. In a few cases, however, postpartum psychosis can occur by experiencing sudden onset of psychotic symptoms. “Signs and symptoms of PP typically appear soon after childbirth, usually within 2 weeks of delivery, but some women don't experience symptoms until several months later. Although the cause of PP is unknown, signs and symptoms appear to be triggered in high-risk women by the rapid hormonal changes that occur after childbirth” (Rosinger, 2012). “Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, confusion, extreme agitation, rapid mood swings, and inability to sleep or eat” (Logsdon, 2012). The delusions and hallucinations are perceived as consistent with the mother's reality. She is not distressed by thoughts of harming her infant and can act on these thoughts. Psychotic mothers sometimes believe they need to harm their baby so that they can save the baby. The most significant risk factors for postpartum psychosis are a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, or a previous psychotic episode. For many women with...
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...depressed and frustrated, feeling like she had failed. Finally, she found out her dream had come true she was pregnant. She had a great and uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a baby girl. But something was wrong because instead of being happy and relieved that her dreams came true, she could do nothing but cry. Is this normal or is this mother whose dreams have come true suffering from Post Partum Depression (PPD). Biological Component Post Partum Depression has been found to affect between 10- 12 percent of mother after the birth. PPD is different from what most of us would call “the baby blues,” which in all actuality affect around 70% of women after birth (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). In most instances a women who has suffered from Post Partum Depression in the past are 41% more likely to experience it again (APA, 2011). It also seems that women who go through in vitro fertilization are at a greater risk to experience Post Partum Depression (PPD) due to the hormone imbalance during treatment. Researchers are not sure of the exact causes of Post Partum Depression (PPD), but often suggest that many different factors...
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...mood, behavior and emotion.“ Bipolar disorder is a complex disorder in which the core feature is pathological disturbance in mood ranging from extreme elation, or mania, to severe depression usually accompanied by disturbances in thinking and behavior, which may include psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations” (Craddock, Jones 1999). Major depressive disorder or unipolar depression is characterized by a consistent low mood and lack of interest in things typically enjoyed .A second classification of major depressive disorder, is dysthymic disorder which is a chronic but less severe form of major depression (John W. Santrock 2007). Also major depression has many subgroups including seasonal affect disorder and postpartum depression. While there are many treatment options for the symptoms of mood disorders and promising scientific research, much is still unknown about a disorder that affects so many lives. According to Dinsmoor, R. S. &ump; Odle, T. G. (2009), bipolar depression refers to a condition in which people experience two extremes in mood. The bipolar spectrum includes; bipolar I, bipolar 2, bipolar NOS (not otherwise specified) and cyclothymia and all are related to disturbances in mood but differ in severity of symptoms. They are differentiated by the “impact the symptoms have on the person’s social or occupational function” (Duckworth &ump; Sachs 2011). Typically bipolar I is more severe than bipolar II and bipolar II is more severe than Cyclothymia...
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...OLAGOKE-ERINOMO DOC. POST PARTUM DEPRESSION: THE NURSING ROLE 1.0 INTRODUCTION Post-partum depression is a common complication of pregnancy; as many as one in five women in British Columbia will experience significant depression in relation to her pregnancy and childbirth (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006) Perinatal depression – which occurs from the time of conception to one year after childbirth – is a significant health issue. The research literature indicates that ten to twenty percent of women are affected by perinatal depression while BC data indicate that twelve percent of women between nine months prenatal and nine months postnatal receive physician services for depression (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006). Postpartum depression is used loosely to refer to a collection of emotional symptoms associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It can be conceptualized as a continuum with symptoms worsening over time in some women (Clemmens, Driscoll, & Beck, 2004 as cited in Bowles B, Coleman N, & Jansen L, 2011). There are three levels of severity: baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis. Baby blues are experienced as mood swings, crying spells, sadness, anxiety, or dependency (Bennett & Indman, 2003 as cited in Bowles B, et al, 2011). Other symptoms might include impatience, irritability, restlessness, or loneliness (USDHHS, 2002 as cited in Bowles B, et al 2011). These symptoms are sometimes attributed to rapid physical...
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...EDU-233022-01X December 3, 2014 Research Paper Trauma and Birth Healing from a traumatic birthing experiences could be achieved through reflection. A traumatic birth experience can be described differently by all demographics of women and cover a wide range of reasons for labeling the birth as traumatic. According to Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress (1) One of the leading causes of post-partum post-traumatic stress disorder is when a women’s reflection of her birth includes some recollection of feeling as if either her life of that of her child was in danger. In some instances depending on if a mother was predisposed to depression or other mental illness, either by prior diagnosis or genetics this recollection of trauma may be very minor in comparison to another experience. We must be open minded when discussing something as a trauma, what might be considered traumatic to one person may have been no issue for another. Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress describes this as “The actual experience, and how the mother feels about her experience, both matter.” Trauma is defined by Webster dictionary as “Any physical damage to the body causes by violence or accident or fracture etc.” as well as, ”an emotional wound or shock often having long lasting effect.” Synonyms: Psychic trauma. So how do we learn from a traumatic birth? First we must learn to ask the tough questions. We can’t be afraid to ask our healthcare providers for clarification on what events led to the traumatic...
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...relationship between mental health and substance use disorders. I focused my research on the relationship between depression, including post-partum, and alcoholism. In this paper, I will explain why my client, Rhonda is considered dually diagnosed, I will explain the health problems that can occur from using alcohol and the effects alcohol has on the brain and body, I will explain how alcohol impacts depression, and last, I will explain the specific problems that exist in treating the dually diagnosed individual. An individual who has any combination of a mental disorder (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder) and addiction (drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling) is considered to be dual diagnosed. (Foundations Recovery Network, 1995) In one article, Paljärvi (2009) states “experimental studies have found that alcohol intoxication can produce even severe depressive symptoms during heavy drinking episodes.” Becker (2012) states in his article, “Alcohol has anxiety-reducing properties and can relieve stress, while at the same time acting as a stressor and activating the bodies stress response systems.” According to Evans and Sullivan (2001), individuals with a history of alcohol dependence, especially those early in recovery and those who are older, show significant cognitive impairments. Individuals with major depression also have significant cognitive deficits and the two together cause double the difficulties in thinking and learning. The most helpful support for a dually-diagnosed client is...
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...Baby Yellows “The Yellow Wallpaper”, a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an unnerving tale about a woman and her spiral into psychosis. Mirroring the author’s actual experiences with depression and the “resting cure”, the story criticizes medical care that ignores patient concerns and deprives them of emotional outlets that could have been beneficiary towards a healthy mind. Set in the late nineteenth century, “The Yellow Wallpaper” illustrates the psychological effects of the popular “resting cure” and how the narrator is influcenced by it. While the illness the narrator has is never actually said, it is very heavily implied that she is suffering from postpartum depression. Eventually, her husband’s reliance on the “resting cure” and denying her healthy mental activities is what causes her depression to grow into postpartum psychosis. Postpartum depression is a form of depression typically affecting women after childbirth. Symptoms of postpartum depression include hallucinations and delusions, extreme agitation or anxiety, overwhelming fatigue, bizarre behavior, mood swings, inability or refusal to eat or sleep, and over worrying about the infant. The narrator showcases all of these symptoms, leading to the heavy assumption that she is suffering from postpartum depression. The narrator regularly experiences hallucinations, seeing a woman trapped behind bars in the pattern of the wallpaper. Gilman writes, “The front pattern does move- and no wonder! The woman behind...
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...Postpartum Psychosis Motherhood the Sad, the Mad, and the Insane Laurie Hackney Women, Crime, and Criminal Justice Dr. Connolly March 21, 2011 Postpartum Psychosis Motherhood the Sad, the Mad, and the Insane On the heartbreaking morning of June 20, 2001, Andrea Pia Yates was arrested and charged for the filicide of her children. One by one, this seemingly devoted mother of five drowned all of her children in the bathtub of their family home. Singularly, she put her three youngest children to death, taking their bodies from the tub fully clothed and wet, then placed them upon their bed, and covered them up. She proceeding doing the same with her youngest child, but while she was drowning Mary, her oldest son Noah walked in and asked what she was doing before he turned and ran away. She gave chase, caught up with him in the hall, then dragged him back to the bathroom and proceeded to terminate him with Mary dead in tub. Andrea then took Mary and placed her in the arms of the three youngest children leaving Noah behind dead and alone in the bath. Factors Relating to the Incident Being raised a Roman Catholic; Yates converted her religious beliefs to that of her husband’s prior to marriage. In this religion, people are expected to have as many children as nature will allow. Even while Andrea was awaiting trial, it was reported that her husband felt so sure of his wife’s acquittal that he was already speaking about having more children. This notion left the attorneys...
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...The Effects of Postpartum Depression Introduction / Background Postpartum Depression is a common mood disorder that affects ten to twenty percent of women in the United States during pregnancy and after child birth. Depression is a major public health concern that impact more women than men. There are three common categories of post partum depression. The most common and less harmful form of this disorder is known as the baby blues. Onset occurs within three to four days following child birth and usually end within a few hours or three to four days. Thirty to seventy five percent of women experience baby blues. Postpartum Depression affects ten to fifteen percent of women; onset occurs within twelve months of delivery and can last from a...
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...POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: LITERATURE REVIEW OF RISK FACTORS AND INTERVENTIONS Donna E. Stewart, MD, FRCPC E. Robertson, M.Phil, PhD Cindy-Lee Dennis, RN, PhD Sherry L. Grace, MA, PhD Tamara Wallington, MA, MD, FRCPC ©University Health Network Women’s Health Program 2003 Prepared for: Toronto Public Health October 2003 Women’s Health Program Financial assistance by Health Canada Toronto Public Health Advisory Committee: Jan Fordham, Manager, Planning & Policy – Family Health Juanita Hogg-Devine, Family Health Manager Tobie Mathew, Health Promotion Consultant – Early Child Development Project Karen Wade, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Planning & Policy – Family Health Mary Lou Walker, Family Health Manager Karen Whitworth, Mental Health Manager Copyright: Copyright of this document is owned by University Health Network Women’s Health Program. The document has been reproduced for purposes of disseminating information to health and social service providers, as well as for teaching purposes. Citation: The following citation should be used when referring to the entire document. Specific chapter citations are noted at the beginning of each chapter. Stewart, D.E., Robertson, E., Dennis, C-L., Grace, S.L., & Wallington, T. (2003). Postpartum depression: Literature review of risk factors and interventions. POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: LITERATURE REVIEW OF RISK FACTORS AND INTERVENTIONS Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 OVERALL METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK 5 CHAPTER 1: RISK FACTORS FOR...
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