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What is Perinatal Depression?
There are three common types of depression during pregnancy. Antenatal (prenatal) depression is when someone is pregnant, postnatal depression is during the first year after having a baby and perinatal depression is any time from becoming pregnant to one year after birth. While lots of people are aware of postnatal depression, which affects around 1 in 10 women, few know about prenatal depression.
During pregnancy, there are a lot of changes to come to terms with and this can sometimes have an impact on the way you feel. Depression isn’t the only health symptom that can occur as panic attacks and anxiety are common too. In very severe cases, pregnancy psychosis can also occur.
It’s completely normal to feel emotional during pregnancy and just after birth as hormones and your body’s natural chemicals try to balance out. However, if your symptoms last longer than two weeks, you could be suffering from depression. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- A persistent low mood and feelings of sadness
- Loss of interest
- A lack of enjoyment
- Low energy or feeling tired
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Struggling to look after yourself and the baby
- Frightening thoughts and feelings
A lot of people don’t even realise that they are suffering from prenatal depression or postnatal depression because it can develop gradually. However, just know that there is a range of support out there and it does not mean that you’re a bad parent. Speaking to a professional, or one of the team at Addiction Advocates, will help you to get back onto the right track though.
What are the Causes of Prenatal and Postnatal Depression?
Experts believe that a history of mental health can increase an individual’s likelihood of experiencing depression in pregnancy. However, just because you have suffered with bad mental health before, it doesn’t mean you will when you’re pregnant or having just given birth. Some of the other most common causes include:
- Not having a support system
- Being away from friends and family
- Having a difficult relationship with your partner
- Stressful life events like bereavement
- Trauma like domestic violence
It’s important to note that even if you haven’t suffered with any of the above, pregnancy is still a life-changing event that can trigger feelings of depression. Ultimately, being a new parent can be exhausting and stressful and this can all impact the way you feel.
Can Perinatal Depression be Avoided?
Depression is an illness and it’s never someone’s fault if they suffer from it. However, there are a few things you can do to boost your mental health. This includes:
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise
- Talking to someone
- Going to antenatal classes and making friends with new parents and pregnant women
- Being kind to yourself and not setting high expectations
- Keeping a mood diary
- Asking for help if you need it
If you are pregnant, you should also consider talking to a medical professional if you’ve suffered from bad mental health before or someone in your family suffered from antenatal depression. This is because they discuss the warning signs to look out for and offer advice.
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