"Baby Blues" -- or Postpartum Depression?

Summary

In this video, Janelle shares her personal struggle with postpartum depression, a mood disorder affecting many new mothers. Despite initial secrecy, she reveals her experience with persistent sadness, anxiety, and isolation. Expert Dr. Peter Schmidt explains that about 7-14% of new mothers face this condition, with half a million at risk annually. Dr. Gioia Guerrieri distinguishes postpartum depression from the common 'baby blues,' highlighting its intrusive and daily symptoms. The video also addresses the rare but severe postpartum psychosis, requiring urgent medical attention. Janelle's story concludes with her seeking treatment at NIH, emphasizing the importance of seeking help and breaking the stigma around postpartum mental health.

Takeaways

• 🤰 Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women before or after childbirth.
• 🌐 It affects women regardless of race, age, social, economic, or educational background.
• 🔢 Approximately 7-14% of live births are at risk, equating to about half a million women per year in the U.S.
• 😔 Symptoms include persistent sadness, anxiety, and a tendency to isolate oneself.
• 🚨 The risk of suicide is higher in postpartum depression compared to the general population.
• 👶 'Baby blues' affect 80% of women, but these are temporary and different from postpartum depression.
• 🤯 Postpartum psychosis is a rare but severe condition requiring immediate medical attention.
• 👩‍⚕️ Treatment options include psychotherapy and medication, and it's crucial to seek professional help.
• 💪 It's important for women to be proactive in seeking help and not rely on self-healing alone.
• 🗣️ Open conversation about postpartum depression helps normalize the condition and encourages others to seek help.

Q & A

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women shortly before or soon after childbirth, impacting women regardless of their race, age, social, economic, or educational background.

How common is postpartum depression?

Approximately 7 to 14 percent of live births are at risk for developing postpartum depression, which translates to about half a million women per year in the United States.

What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?

Symptoms include persistent mood changes, anxiety, sadness, a tendency to isolate, and an increased risk for suicidal thoughts. It can also involve ruminations, obsessions, checking on the baby excessively, inability to sleep, feeling disconnected, and intrusive daily symptoms within a month of delivery.

What is the difference between postpartum depression and the baby blues?

Eighty percent of women experience the baby blues, which are transient feelings of anxiety and worry about motherhood that usually resolve within the first few weeks postpartum. Postpartum depression, however, involves more severe and lasting symptoms.

What is postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis is a severe condition occurring in one in one thousand births, characterized by a distortion of reality so severe that it impairs the mother's ability to tell what's real and what's not, requiring immediate treatment.

How does postpartum psychosis differ from postpartum depression?

While postpartum depression involves sadness and anxiety without a loss of touch with reality, postpartum psychosis involves a severe distortion of reality, potentially leading to dangerous behaviors and requiring immediate medical attention.

What advice does Janelle have for other mothers experiencing postpartum depression?

Janelle advises other mothers to recognize that postpartum depression is treatable, to seek help actively, and not to rely on the idea that they can heal themselves over time without intervention.

What treatment options are available for postpartum depression?

Treatment options include psychotherapy, medication, individual therapy, or group therapy. It's important to seek help from a healthcare professional who can recommend appropriate treatment approaches.

Why is it important for women with postpartum depression to seek help?

Seeking help is crucial because untreated postpartum depression can worsen over time and become more difficult to manage. Early intervention can prevent this from happening.

How can open conversation about postpartum depression help?

Open conversation can normalize the experience, making other women feel comfortable knowing they are not alone and that recovery is possible, thus encouraging them to seek help.

What program did Janelle find helpful for her postpartum depression?

Janelle found the NIH Treatment Study helpful, which she learned about through internet research.

Outlines

00:00

😔 Postpartum Depression Awareness

The paragraph introduces the topic of postpartum depression through Janelle's personal experience. She admits to being unaware of the condition before giving birth and not discussing it openly with her family. Her mother also had postpartum depression but they never talked about it until recently. The narrator explains that postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect any woman after childbirth. Dr. Peter Schmidt provides statistics, noting that about 7-14% of live births are at risk, equating to approximately half a million women in the U.S. annually. Karla Thompson adds that postpartum depression is characterized by anxiety, sadness, and a tendency to isolate, with an increased risk of suicide.

🤱 Struggles with Postpartum Depression

Janelle shares her personal struggles with postpartum depression, including feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and not sleeping well. She was constantly worried about the safety of her babies and herself, which led to a constant state of tension and hyper-vigilance. Dr. Gioia Guerrieri explains the difference between baby blues, which most women experience, and postpartum depression, noting that the latter involves persistent ruminations, obsessions, and intrusive symptoms that affect daily functioning within a month of delivery.

🚨 Postpartum Psychosis: A Severe Condition

The paragraph discusses postpartum psychosis, a rare but severe condition that occurs in one in a thousand births. Dr. Pedro Martinez describes postpartum psychosis as acute and dangerous, as it involves a distortion of reality that can impair a mother's rationality. This is contrasted with postpartum depression, where the mother retains a sense of reality but is impaired by sadness and anxiety. Janelle recounts a moment of crisis where she had a fleeting thought of harm to herself and her babies, which prompted her to seek help.

💊 Treatment and Support for Postpartum Depression

Janelle's husband encouraged her to seek help, and she learned about an NIH treatment study online. Dr. Martinez explains that postpartum depression can be treated with psychotherapy or medication, and that individual or group therapy can be beneficial. It's crucial for women to seek professional help to access resources and immediate intervention. Janelle emphasizes the importance of seeking treatment, as she believes her condition would have worsened without it. She encourages open conversation about postpartum depression to normalize the experience and help others feel comfortable seeking help.

Keywords

💡Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after giving birth. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts. In the video, Janelle discusses her personal experience with postpartum depression, highlighting the overwhelming feelings and the impact it had on her daily life.

💡Mood Disorder

A mood disorder refers to a category of mental health conditions where a person experiences a disturbance in their emotional state. In the context of the video, postpartum depression is a type of mood disorder that can significantly affect a woman's well-being after childbirth, as described by Dr. Peter Schmidt.

💡Isolation

Isolation refers to the state of being separated from others, which can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression. In the video, Karla Thompson mentions that women with postpartum depression often experience a tendency to isolate themselves, which can increase the risk of suicide.

💡Baby Blues

Baby blues are mild, transient symptoms of depression that many new mothers experience shortly after giving birth. Dr. Gioia Guerrieri explains in the video that while 80% of women experience baby blues, postpartum depression is more severe and long-lasting.

💡Psychosis

Psychosis is a severe mental health condition where a person loses touch with reality, often experiencing hallucinations or delusions. The video distinguishes postpartum depression from postpartum psychosis, with Dr. Pedro Martinez explaining that the latter is a rare but acute condition requiring immediate medical attention.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. In the video, Janelle describes her experience with anxiety as part of her postpartum depression, where she constantly worried about the safety of her babies.

💡Treatment

Treatment in the context of the video refers to the various therapeutic interventions available for postpartum depression, including psychotherapy and medication. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the importance of seeking help from healthcare professionals for appropriate treatment.

💡Reality Distortion

Reality distortion is a symptom of postpartum psychosis where a person's perception of reality is severely impaired. Dr. Pedro Martinez describes this symptom in the video, noting that it is not present in postpartum depression but is a critical feature of postpartum psychosis.

💡NIH Treatment Study

The NIH Treatment Study mentioned in the video is a research program that Janelle learned about and participated in to help treat her postpartum depression. It represents an example of seeking professional help and engaging in a structured treatment program.

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to the shame or discredit that a person may feel due to a particular condition or circumstance. Janelle's reluctance to discuss her postpartum depression with her family illustrates the stigma that can surround mental health issues, particularly postpartum depression.

💡Support

Support in the video is depicted as crucial for women dealing with postpartum depression. Janelle's husband's willingness to help her seek treatment, as well as her participation in the NIH study, are examples of the support that can aid in recovery.

Highlights

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women shortly before or soon after childbirth.

Any woman can be impacted by postpartum depression regardless of race, age, social, economic, or educational background.

Postpartum depression affects between 7% and 14% of live births, impacting approximately half a million women per year in the U.S.

Symptoms include persistent mood changes, anxiety, sadness, and a tendency to isolate.

The risk of suicide is higher in postpartum depression.

Feelings of being overwhelmed and not sleeping are common in the first few weeks postpartum.

80% of women experience the 'baby blues', which include transient anxiety and worry about motherhood.

Postpartum depression is distinguished from the baby blues by its persistence and intrusive symptoms.

Symptoms such as ruminations, obsessions, and constant checking on the baby can indicate postpartum depression.

Postpartum psychosis is a rare and severe condition that requires immediate treatment.

Postpartum psychosis involves a distortion of reality and can impair a mother's ability to tell what's real.

In postpartum depression, a woman retains a sense of reality but is impaired by sadness and anxiety.

Treatment for postpartum depression can include psychotherapy and medication.

Individual or group therapy can be beneficial for women with postpartum depression.

Seeking help from a healthcare professional is crucial for proper intervention and treatment.

It's important for mothers to be open about their experiences to help normalize and address postpartum depression.

Engaging in conversation about postpartum depression can help other women feel comfortable knowing they are not alone.

Transcripts

Postpartum Depression Video Janelle: I didn’t know much about postpartum

depression prior to giving birth; it just wasn’t something that was discussed.

I definitely didn’t want anyone to know, and I don’t think I even talked to my family

much about it.

I think my mother only found out recently that I had even gone through, you know, real

postpartum.

It was just not something we talked about.

And even once I told my mom, she’s like “you know I had something like that when

I had you,” but I don’t remember.

We’ve never talked about it before, until recently.

Narrator: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women shortly before

or soon after childbirth.

Any woman, regardless of her race, age, social, economic, or educational background, can be

impacted by this condition.

Dr. Peter Schmidt: Women with postpartum depression present with a persistent change in mood that

not only is associated with some disturbance in their life but also a persistent mood that

will extend beyond 2 or 3 days and will go beyond 2 weeks, but the range is between 7

and 14 percent of live births.

So in this country, that works out to be approximately half a million women per year that are at

risk for developing postpartum depression.

Karla Thompson: There’s an overwhelming sense of anxiety as well as sadness, and there’s

also the tendency to isolate.

And the chance for suicide is much greater in postpartum depression.

Janelle: In the first 3 weeks or so, I started noticing that I just felt just completely

overwhelmed and stressed and, you know, it definitely was not going according to plan.

You know, I wasn’t sleeping—not that you sleep that much when you have babies anyway—but

I was a mess; I was crying you know, I was just, I could not seem to shake that sort

of overwhelming feeling that I had.

I think I always worried about something happening to my babies or me, you know.

I think it was constantly in my head, then like I couldn’t relax.

I was just very wound up and, you know, constantly checking on them.

I was probably overdoing it in hindsight.

Dr. Gioia Guerrieri: Eighty percent of women experience the baby blues.

Transient anxiety, worry about am I a good enough mom, am I going to be able to do this,

am I going to be able to resume my normal activities; those symptoms go away within

the first few weeks of delivering a baby.

Postpartum depression may seem like it starts out that way, but the ruminations, the obsessions,

checking locks sometimes, going to the crib and making sure the baby is safe all the time,

not being able to sleep, feeling disconnected from her baby or her husband or her family,

becomes very problematic.

She’s unable to function, and those symptoms become daily and intrusive and are present

within a month of delivering a baby.

Narrator: In rare instances, a woman may develop postpartum psychosis, a severe condition occurring

in one in one thousand births.

Women suffering from postpartum psychosis require immediate treatment by a health care

professional.

Dr. Pedro Martinez: Postpartum psychosis is very acute; it’s very dangerous, obviously,

because a mother loses the ability to be rational during that time.

So in postpartum psychosis, you will get a distortion of reality that is so severe that

could actually impair your ability to tell what’s real and what’s not.

Postpartum depression you continue to have a sense of reality, and you continue to realize

what’s happening around you, but there is, you know, you’re impaired because of the

sadness, because of the anxiety, but not necessarily by thoughts of psychosis and, you know, delusions

and hallucinations that women with postpartum psychosis will experience.

Janelle: We had a home that had at that time it had like a landing upstairs, and I was

sitting there and I was in a recliner nursing the babies one night; it must have been like

midnight, 1 o'clock in the morning, and I remember thinking, you know, if we just like

all of us just fell over here right then, like it was one of those things like, you

know, but then I kept nursing and I just sort of went on about my night or whatever.

But I think that was one of those things I was like, okay, I’m really sort of flipping

out here.

My husband and I definitely talked about sort of it was time to do something to try to help

me, and he was sort of like you know, go get some drugs if you need it.

You know, he was like whatever you need, you know, get it or whatever and then heard about

this program at NIH which appealed to me.

I learned about the NIH Treatment Study via the Internet research that we were doing.

Dr. Martinez: Postpartum depression can be treated by psychotherapy; it can be treated

by medication.

Individual therapy or group therapy can be very helpful to a woman with postpartum depression.

It’s important for women to seek out help from a health care professional because that

health care professional is usually aware of other resources that they can use and that

individual will be more prepared to either intervene immediately with a medication or

to recommend other approaches to treatment.

Janelle: I would like other moms to know that it’s okay, you know, its normal if you do

have it; it’s treatable and that to be active and to seek help and, you know, not just sort

of sit back and think that you can heal yourself over time and that sort of thing because I

do feel like if I had not sought treatment, it’s something that would of sort of festered

over time and become more difficult to manage.

If we talk about our experiences, if we’re open about our experiences, then that sort

of, you know, takes this mask off where other women feel comfortable knowing that this is

okay, other women have gone through this and they’re okay on the other end; but we need

to engage in that conversation and continue that.