POST PARTUM DEPRESSION

Most people dream about what it might be like to have a baby. They picture holding a sleeping newborn in their arms, as they look on with pride and overwhelming joy. But, what happens when this idyllic picture doesn't materialize? When instead of feeling elated, you feel exhausted, anxious, weepy or hopeless? Or worse, you have thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby?

Perinatal mood disorders comprise a number of serious conditions that go beyond the "baby blues" people often talk about following childbirth. At Partners in Counseling we are well versed in the assessment, evaluation and treatment of the emotional disorders that afflict new mothers, such as postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum panic disorder or postpartum psychosis.

Perinatal mood disorders strike no matter your race, ethnicity, culture or socioeconomic status. They can appear days or even months after childbirth and without intervention, they can have a devastating impact on mother, child and family.

Using measurable, tried and true scales of evaluation, like The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, we screen new mothers for signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and understand the ways in which the treatment of this disorder requires different sensitivities and approaches from that of more generalized depression.

PPD is not uncommon. Research suggests that 7 out of 10 new mothers experience some form of mood disturbance. Approximately 15% to 20% of pregnant women will experience full blown depression and of those 15% are so depressed that they attempt suicide. But hope and help is available. In fact, early and effective treatment can lead to complete recovery.

Come get screened so you can know what you are dealing with. From there, we can help you determine the type of help you need, whether it be pharmaceutical, talk therapy or a combination of both, which is often shown to be the most successful way to intervene.