How to Recognize the Signs of Serious Postpartum Depression

Although pospartum or "baby" blues are common for the first one to three weeks following the birth of a baby, if the condition does not pass, or if a new mom or her family doesn't help her get the necessary aid, pospartum blues can deepen and become postpartum depression. Full blown, and deep, postpartum depression has been known to result in the suicide of the mother or in the mother's killing her infant. Family members and anyone who is in constant contact with a new mother need to be cognizant of the symptoms of postpartum depression and help the new mom get help before a tragedy can occur.

Instructions

1. If you suddenly do not feel like getting out bed, have vivid nightmares and night sweats, are lethargic no matter how many hours of sleep you have had, or struggle to maintain an interest in caring for your infant, you need to talk to a family member or a therapist who is specially trained in dealing with postpartum depression.

2. You may feel exhausted and unable to perform routine daily tasks or chores around the house or become accident prone, which is also a symptom of the fatigue and an ability to focus. You might also find that other emotions come into play, such as irritation, and explosive bouts of anger directed towards yourself or a family member that are part of your normal temerament.

3. Socially withdrawing from your friends, job, routines and activities outside your home, and finding it difficult to plan and implement tasks for even something as simple as meal planning or preparing for an upcoming holiday or family event is a sign that your mind is losing the ability to concentrate on normal pursuits and a symptom of postpartum depression, as well.

4. Easily losing control of all of your emotions is usually connected to postpartum depression, and can cause you to develop thoughts of suicide.

5. If you develop paranoia or feel disassociated from everything that would normally be an important part of your life, and shutting yourself into your bedroom alone or with your newborn to where other family members have to deliver meals to your room is very serious. Cutting yourself off and becoming isolated can create feelings or delusions of needing to harm your baby and/or yourself.

6. Do not try and "wait out" your symptoms, postpartum depression does not clear up by itself as the symptoms will become
   exacerbated until a tragedy could easily occur. If you cannot control your thoughts, actions, or emotions, then your symptoms are getting out of control.

Tips & Warnings

• If you, or someone you know, exhibits any or all of the symptoms and behaviors listed above, get professional help. If you are concerned that you, or someone you know, are an immediate danger to themselves, other family members, and/or their newborn, call a mental health center or suicide hotline in your immediate area or the local hospital emergency room for assistance. It may even be necessary, in extreme cases, for the newborn and any other children to be removed from the home temporarily, until you, or some other new mother, can seek and get help from therapist who is trained on postpartum depression.

• Do not wait for your wife, another family member who is a new mother, or other new mother you know, to get over postpartum depression, and do not go on the assumption the depression will just get better over time.