The Accountant-May-June 2017

SOCIETY
Unfortunately, postpartum depression has
no known cause but several physical and
emotional factors are known to trigger its
onset. After childbirth, women go through
a dramatic drop in estrogen hormone and
progesterone hormone causing some
chemical changes in the brain which then
trigger the onset of postpartum depression.
Reduced levels of hormones produced by
the thyroid gland also result in fatigue and
worsen the depressed state of the affected
mother. In men, testosterone levels go
down and estrogen levels go up. Generally
lower levels of testosterone are associated
with depression and the rising estrogen
levels are believed to be the cause of men
feeling more emotional than usual.
For many, childbirth brings with it
pride and excitement and most tend to
imagine it is pure bliss. But reality is, it is
not all that rosy. There are sleepless nights,
a crying baby in constant need of care, less
attention from your partner and a great
shift in priorities. It requires significant
coping skills, and for many parents, it is
quite overwhelming. Constant lack
of enough sleep leads to physical
discomfort and exhaustion, which may
result in the symptoms of postpartum
depression.
Apart from the environmental and
physical factors, other risk factors
include:
a) A family or personal history of any
form of mental illness or mood stability
problems
b) Medical complications during
childbirth, could be premature delivery
or having a baby with medical problems
c) Mixed feelings about the pregnancy,
whether it was planned or unplanned/
unwanted
d) Having difficulties breast-feeding
e) A lack of strong emotional support
from the spouse, family, or friends
f ) Alcohol or other drug abuse
problems
g) A depressed partner; especially
for men if their partner is depressed,
chances of them suffering the same
increase
h) A stressful life event during
pregnancy or shortly after giving birth,
maybe death of a loved one, domestic
violence, or personal illness
i) Feeling disconnected from baby or
partner; sometimes mother’s afraid he
will ‘do it wrong’, end up excluding their
partners from helping and caring for
the baby. They get caught up in bonding
and caring for the baby failing to
recognize their partner also wants time
with them. This often affects the men
and may push them into postpartum
depression.
j) Depression during or after a
previous pregnancy
How can one know they have
postpartum depression? What are
the telltales to look out for? The truth
is, postpartum depression is a very
solitary experience and the symptoms
and signs that characterize it vary from
one person to the other. However, they
generally include:
• Depressed or severe mood swings
• Crying excessively and for no
apparent reason
• Trouble bonding or forming an
emotional attachment with the
baby
• Withdrawing from family and
friends
• Loss of appetite or eating much
more than usual
• Worrying or feeling overly anxious,
sad, hopeless, empty, or
overwhelmed
• Inability to sleep (insomnia) or
sleeping too much
• Low energy levels and fatigue
• Reduced interest and pleasure in
activities you used to enjoy
• Intense irritability, anger and rage
• Persistently doubting her ability to
care for her baby
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame,
guilt or inadequacy
• Low ability to think clearly,
concentrate or make decisions
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself or
your baby
• Suicidal thoughts and Impulsivity
• Risk-taking behaviors, often
including turning to substances
like alcohol and drugs
• Headaches, muscle aches, stomach/
digestion issues among other
physical symptoms
Postpartum depression is a slow erosion
of self and sometimes those suffering
from it do not acknowledge that they are
depressed. Due to the stigma associated
with mental illnesses, most refuse to accept
they are unwell and remain in denial.
It is therefore the duty of those around
them to contact a qualified professional
to determine whether it is postpartum
depression or something else. In case one
is diagnosed with this type of depression,
two forms of treatment exist and can be
used alone or together.
1) Medication: This includes
antidepressants for mood regulation.
Most are considered safe for breastfeeding
mothers and take a few weeks to be
effective.
2) Talk Therapy/ counselling: this
involves one on one talks with a mental
health professional could be a psychiatrist,
therapist, counsellor or social worker.
These two types of counselling are known
to be effective in treating postpartum
depression;
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT),
helps victim recognize and change their
negative thoughts and behaviors.
• Interpersonal therapy (IPT), helps
victim recognize and work through
strained relationships
Depression being a mental disorder, the
patient requires so much support from
MAY - JUNE 2017 51