What is postpartum depression & anxiety? Can it be relieved? YES!
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11 to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms. If you settled on an average of 15% of four million live births in the US annually, this would mean approximately 600,000 women get PPD each year in the United States alone.
I cannot thank Rochelle enough for the gift…that is what I am calling it. “A GIFT! I had Postpartum depression and I came to Rochelle at my wits’ end and with my first session I started to see the light. I have been now seeing her for a few months and continue to see her.
The results have been absolutely amazing! As a parent, it would bring tears to my eyes to be struggling with this depression and not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
My husband and I are still amazed that after only a couple of visits , that I began to see the amazing progress. I really appreciate that Rochelle has been so empathetic and has been here for me!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
~ Jessica, Hermosa Beach CA. USA.
Are you struggling with Postpartum Depression?
It’s common for women to experience the “baby blues” — feeling stressed, sad, anxious, lonely, tired or weepy — following their baby’s birth. But some women, up to 1 in 7, experience a much more serious mood disorder This is called postpartum depression.
What is Postpartum Depression?
Only 15% of women with postpartum depression ever receive professional treatment. This means about 850,000 women each year are not getting the help they need.
You may want to ask a spouse, family member, or close friend to give you feedback on what they are observing, as sometimes it is hard to determine the severity of your mood and functioning when you are in it. Here are some of the symptoms to look for:
- A loss of pleasure or interest in things you used to enjoy, including sex
- Eating much more, or much less, than you usually do
- Anxiety—all or most of the time—or panic attacks
- Racing, scary thoughts
- Feeling guilty or worthless—blaming yourself
- Excessive irritability, anger or agitation—mood swings
- Sadness, crying uncontrollably for very long periods of time
- Fear of not being a good mother
- Fear of being left alone with the baby
- Misery
- Inability to sleep, sleeping too much, difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Disinterest in the baby, family, and friends
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions
- Thoughts of hurting yourself or the baby (see below for numbers to call to get immediate help).
If you have several of these symptoms for more than two weeks, professional counseling and therapy can be helpful to determine whether the causes of your depression are more chemical or situational.
What can I do? What are the next steps?
- Don’t face PPD alone—Seek help from a psychologist or other licensed mental health
provider; contact your doctor or other primary health care provider. - Talk openly about your feelings with your partner, other mothers, friends, and relatives.
- Join a support group for mothers—ask your health care provider for suggestions if you
can’t find one. - Find a relative or close friend who can help you take care of the baby.
- Get as much sleep or rest as you can even if you have to ask for more help with the baby
—if you can’t rest even when you want to, tell your primary health care provider. - As soon as your doctor or other primary health care provider says it’s okay, take walks, get exercise.
- Try not to worry about unimportant tasks—be realistic about what you can really do while
taking care of a new baby. - Cut down on less important responsibilities
What is Postpartum Depression? Postpartum depression is not your fault–it is a real, but treatable, psychological disorder.