What is Perinatal Mental Illnesses?
Perinatal mental illnesses can have a severe impact on women’s lives, affecting their ability to bond with their babies, care for themselves and their families, and cope with the demands of everyday life. They can also increase the risk of suicide and self-harm or even harm to the baby.
Types of perinatal mental illnesses :
There are many different types of perinatal mental illnesses, but the most common are
Perinatal Depression
This is a feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and despair that [expander_maker id=”4″ more=”Read more” less=”Read less”]can last for two weeks or more.[/expander_maker]
Perinatal Anxiety
This is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease that [expander_maker id=”4″ more=”Read more” less=”Read less”]can be intense and interfere with daily life.[/expander_maker]
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
This is a mental disorder [expander_maker id=”4″ more=”Read more” less=”Read less”] characterized by obsessions (unwanted thoughts or urges) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours or rituals that are performed to reduce anxiety).[/expander_maker]
Postpartum Psychosis
This is a rare but serious mental illness that can cause women[expander_maker id=”4″ more=”Read more” less=”Read less”] to lose touch with reality.[/expander_maker]
How is it diagnosed?
The doctor or the mental health professional diagnoses the existence of PPD using a screening questionnaire such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, which rates mood and activity levels over a time span of seven days. However, sharp clinical judgment is required to interpret the questionnaire.
Symptoms
The symptoms of perinatal mental illnesses can vary from woman to woman, but some common symptoms include :
Mood Changes
Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable
Changes in Appetite or Sleep
Eating too much or too little, or sleeping too much or too little
Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling overwhelmed or on edge
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Treatments
Treatment for perinatal mental illnesses may include:
Psychotherapy
This can help women to understand their symptoms and develop coping mechanisms.
Medication
This may be prescribed to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, or OCD.
Support Groups
These can provide women with a safe space to talk to other women who are going through the same thing.
Postpartum psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but critical mental illness that can affect women in the first few weeks after childbirth but may as well begin up to six months after birth. Symptoms of postpartum psychosis can include:
Loss of Touch With Reality
This may involve seeing or hearing things that are not there or having delusions[expander_maker id="4" more="Read more" less="Read less"] or hallucinations. Quite a lot of women with this condition may undergo bouts of paranoia, delusion of persecution, disorientations and severe sleep disturbances.[/expander_maker]
Confusion and Disorientation
This may involve not knowing where you are or who you are or having difficulty understanding what is happening around you.
Mood Swings
This may involve feeling very happy or excited one minute and very sad or depressed the next.
Changes in Behaviour
This may involve acting strangely or impulsively or neglecting your baby [expander_maker id="4" more="Read more" less="Read less"] or yourself. Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency and can be treated effectively with medication and hospitalization (Usually a highly monitored mother and baby treatment unit).[/expander_maker]