Postpartum psychiatric disorders: psychosis, depression

June 24, 2012

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Postpartum psychosis   and postpartum depression   - It states that occur in women as a consequence of complications arising during delivery . It is crucial that new mothers diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, be sure to seek the help of a qualified and receive appropriate treatment.

This should be taken into account due to the fact that most new mothers are not even aware that they are already suffering from the symptoms of postpartum psychosis. Sometimes these symptoms are not perceived as a serious disease, and people close to the woman.

It is to share the concept of "postpartum psychosis" and "postpartum depression." Both of these diseases are very severe psychotic condition that requires immediate medical treatment. But the approach to the therapy of these diseases apply different: the treatment of postpartum depression goes with Antidepressants And treatment of postpartum psychosis is carried out using antipsychotics . Compared with symptoms of postpartum depression postpartum psychosis occurs less frequently in women. It is necessary to clearly distinguish postpartum psychosis and postpartum blues, which the majority of young mothers occurs in the first weeks after birth. In most cases, this takes the blues yourself. However, it happens that the prolonged blues goes into post-natal depression. Such a condition should be treated with the help of qualified professionals.

Causes of postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a severe psychotic condition. During pregnancy   a woman who later suffers from postpartum psychosis, no noticeable abnormalities. However, those who are prone to psychosis in the postpartum period, usually before suffering from severe emotional vibrations during premenstrually

To date there is no information on the precise causes of manifestations of this condition in women after childbirth. There are some suggestions for changes in the psyche of women, recently given birth a child associated with fluctuations hormonal balance   in her body.

The high risk of developing postpartum psychosis exists in women who have a history of a variety of mental illnesses and disorders. For example, postpartum psychosis are more prone to young mothers with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Significantly increases the risk of postpartum psychosis in those who previously abused a variety of drugs.

However, postpartum psychosis can develop in healthy women who have experienced severe emotional stress due to the birth of the baby.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis

Typically, postpartum psychosis, manifested for 3-6 days after birth. At the characteristic features of postpartum psychosis often we are talking about the loss of communications with the reality of the patient. With the progression of postpartum psychosis is disturbed higher nervous activity. In women immediately after the birth is shown as easy And heavy   form of postpartum psychosis. If it is for a particularly heavy, the young mother can completely lose the ability to care for a newborn.

In the development of postpartum psychosis can manifest a number of different symptoms. The woman sometimes observed some manic symptoms, which are expressed in high levels of arousal, the occurrence of obsessions, which are not connected with reality.

Another very common manifestation of postpartum psychosis in women are hallucinations, especially hearing. The young mother gradually develop personality changes, her thinking becomes abnormal. Postpartum psychosis-prone woman becomes difficult to articulate their thoughts and organize them aloud. Accordingly, a woman can lead rambling conversations, to express thoughts without intelligible content.

The patient can not give an adequate self-esteem, the right to define their own state. Convincing young mother that she should seek qualified help, her family and relatives should make substantial efforts to achieve the desired. Eventually, after a full cure, the woman usually realizes the error of their beliefs.

Another symptom of postpartum psychosis is a disorder of appetite: the young mother often can not eat normally.

A woman in a state of severe postpartum psychosis is often visited by the idea of ​​a possible suicide or murder. This symptom shows that the patient's condition is extremely serious, and she needs the help of experts.

Diagnosis of postpartum psychosis

When you call a woman to the doctor with complaints of the above symptoms the doctor should spend as much as possible a full examination of her state of health. Identification of organic diseases, blood tests and other studies help explain the causes of post-partum psychosis. You also need to bring a neurological examination, as well as examine the results of a CT scan.

Treatment of postpartum psychosis

Treatment of postpartum psychosis has been practiced for a long time. Currently used as oral and intravenous and intramuscular administration. But all drugs should be used as soon as possible, as treatment for postpartum psychosis should be made as early as possible. From this it depends on the success of this therapy. Accordingly, the effectiveness of treatment may decrease if you start it later.

If urgent medical intervention does not happen, then the state of postpartum psychosis, a woman could rapidly deteriorate. This directly threatens the health of mother and child.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression can occur in every woman who gave birth to a child recently. This condition is also seen in women who have given birth to a stillborn child after a miscarriage. Postpartum depression is manifested by changes in the psychological state of the woman. It may suffer from permanent display feelings of sadness, pessimism, hopelessness. Young mother ceases to feel the joy of life, the pleasure of caring for a child. Sometimes young mother feels that it is too hard to show the daily care of the baby. To date, there is evidence that the prevalence of symptoms of postpartum depression is up to 15%. It is important to take into account the fact that postpartum depression in the mother can affect the baby's health in the future.

If you evaluate the status of the young mother immediately after birth, the state of tiredness, weakness and exhaustion there is almost every woman. In the first few weeks after birth the young mother can suffer from insomnia, weakness. All of these feelings in the majority of young mothers occur in parallel with the state of joy and great satisfaction from the fact that the child was born. But if a woman has a normal state after a few weeks of feeling that her condition becomes more stable and unpleasant symptoms disappear without treatment.

Causes of postpartum depression

It is believed that the cause of postpartum depression is a manifestation of a sharp hormonal imbalance in women, which is manifested immediately after birth of the baby. In the development of pregnancy in a woman's body undergoes substantial change psychological . somatic   and endocrine   character. Mental dysfunction in the period after childbirth, according to doctors, is associated with a sharp decrease in the number of body HCG at .

But while there are some factors that provoke an increased risk of symptoms of postpartum depression. First of all, it is important to consider that postpartum depression often seen in women who had previously been at the birth of children suffering from this disease. Very often postpartum depression occurs in this group of women at the birth of a child after 35 years. However, there is evidence and that postpartum depression much more often seen in women at the birth of first child.

In addition, significantly increases the risk of manifestation of the lack of adequate state support for young mothers, which should ensure that relatives and close friends. Postpartum depression is more common in women who have had a strong stress . It can trigger health problems in the newborn, regular colicky baby, the presence of other family or psychological problems.

If a woman was likely to be depressed in the period of gestation of the child, 75% of depression manifested in her and after childbirth. Also increases the chances of symptoms of depression hereditary predisposition to the young mother   depressive states   either bipolar disorder .

Symptoms of postpartum depression

Since the birth of a child is a serious stress for the woman, the development of depression in the postpartum period occurs often enough.

The most common symptom of postpartum depression is a denial of a young mother with the necessary skills. A woman who had just given birth to a child, feels that it is very difficult to cope with new responsibilities, and at the same time feels a sense of guilt. Woman suffering from severe anxiety, while it becomes very slow and with great difficulty focusing. Sometimes a woman completely reject all social contacts and fully immersed in the cares of the child. In other cases, postpartum depression causes the mother to opt out of care for the child. Most postpartum depression becomes chronic and long-term negative impact on the child and the mother.

Very often a young mother suffers because it does not receive confirmation of the theory that her maternal instincts will help to transfer all the difficulties of the adaptation period to the child quickly. But in fact, for such a bond between the mother and the baby appeared and gained strength, you need a few months. Hence, the disappointment of failure could trigger a worsening of depressive state. Besides, very often the mother is convinced that the child is responsible for it alone.

Thus, a sense of sadness, spiritual emptiness and constant anxiety can pursue a woman for a long time. Gradually she loses the ability to enjoy everyday amenities. The symptoms of postpartum depression are also often a loss of appetite, rapid weight loss in young mothers. Women can also suffer from insomnia.

The above symptoms may be a woman in the first week after birth, and after a few turbulent weeks. Postpartum depression can last from a young mother about three or four months.

Types of postpartum depression

In medical practice, accepted definition of the classification of postpartum depression. At neurotic depression   a woman has exacerbated those disorders that took place in the period of pregnancy. It is in a depression, often cries, and gradually comes to an extreme degree of burnout.

Traumatic neurosis Usually manifests itself after a very severe birth process. Women who have experienced a difficult birth, before the next birth of the child gradually increases anxiety, obsessive fears.

At melancholia, accompanied by delusional inclusions For the condition of the woman is characterized by severe confusion, guilt, and thoughts of their own inadequacy. A woman can not learn those close to her, suffer from a permanent manifestation of unpleasant hallucinations. Very often this state precedes the manifestation manic-depressive psychosis .

When postpartum depression with neurotic component of a woman's symptoms may hypochondriacal nature, as well as insomnia, and a manifestation of the feeling of powerlessness. Mother constantly afraid of something to hurt your child.

The most commonly found in young mothers for postpartum depression is prolonged. At the same time a similar condition often occurs in women are not diagnosed, although they suffer approximately 20% of new mothers. As a symptom of this condition there is a constant feeling of fatigue, sadness, exhaustion. Mother is very difficult to carry the crying child, she becomes irritable, and constantly feel guilty for such behavior.

Diagnosing Postpartum Depression

Diagnosis of postpartum mental disorders is carried out by a medical examination, as well as a detailed survey of the patient. It is imperative that a woman as detailed as possible to tell the doctor about your own feelings, thoughts and emotions that dominated her after birth. During the treatment the doctor is required to watching the patient and watching her psychological state. It is important that there has been a careful attention to the complaints of a woman doctor, because mental disorders are sometimes overlooked.

Treatment for postpartum depression

Treatment for postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis involves mandatory consultation of psychologist and receiving medication. When postpartum depression woman prescribe drugs-antidepressants . But if the patient holds moderate postpartum depression, that without medication, in some cases you can do. To date, the use of modern antidepressant drugs allows us not to give up breast-feeding, as they do not adversely affect the baby. But it is important that the funds assigned exclusively to professionals.

However, the treatment of postpartum depression also involves proper nutrition, physical activity, a sufficient number of hours of daily sleep. In addition, women need to realize the incorrectness of their own behavior and be sure to ask for help from their loved ones.

Prevention of postpartum mental disorders

It is understood that on the prevention of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis need to take care of long before the appearance of the child. Expectant mother should always be in a comfortable environment to feel concern and support. It is particularly important to ensure similar conditions for women who have an increased risk of symptoms of mental disorders. In this case, it is extremely important attitude towards women of her partner.

Both husband and wife before the birth should understand that the risk of developing postpartum depression exists in every woman, so this is important to recognize the condition and to ensure its adequate treatment.