A local family practice physician said diagnosing a mood disorder following childbirth isn’t always easy.
Postpartum depression, which encompasses a variety of symptoms, can be difficult because symptoms overlap what a woman is feeling after childbirth.
Dr. Sally Salmons, board-certified physician with Tuscola Carle Clinic, said that sometimes following childbirth, patients themselves are not clear on what is normal.
Symptoms of postpartum depression include fatigue, exhaustion, feelings of hopelessness, appetite problems, mood swings, confusion, lack of interest in the baby, fear of harming the baby or oneself, and uncontrollable crying, according to the American Psychiatric Association Web site.
“From the patients that I see in this area, between 5 and 9 percent are diagnosed with postpartum depression,” Salmons said.
One difference between more common “baby blues” is that this mild depression typically doesn’t impair one’s ability to function normally.
Also, with baby blues, one might have mild, but rapid mood swings. Typically, these symptoms are cleared in about two weeks, Salmons said.
But, postpartum depression can still be present months after giving birth and the symptoms are much more extreme and debilitating, she said.
And joy doesn’t always follow childbirth, which confuses people, who assume they will be happy after the birth of their child.
Discussing postpartum depression is considered “taboo” to many people, said Salmons. Many people are afraid to speak out and many believe they are all alone with the disorder, she said.
“Postpartum depression isn’t something to be ashamed of. It happens, and there is really no real clear-cut reasons why,” Salmons said.
Treatment for the mental disorder can involve a combination of one or more means — medication; biological adjustments, such as getting more sleep; group therapy; individual therapy; and education, Salmons said.
The American Psychiatric Association reported about one in 10 new mothers experience some form of postpartum depression. Up to 70 percent of all new mothers experience baby blues.
A woman experiencing postpartum depression usually has several of the mild to severe symptoms; the symptoms and their severity may alternate.
Mood episodes can be present with or without psychotic features, including infanticide, characterized by command hallucinations to kill the infant.
Women who might be prone to postpartum depression may have had a history of depression, depression during pregnancy, stress surrounding child care, or a family history of depression, for example. It can happen at any age and after any birth.
Women suffering from depression, especially following childbirth, are encouraged to seek help from their physicians, health department or mental health clinic.
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