Signs and Symptoms of Postpartum Depression

There is a large overlap in the signs and symptoms of depression and postpartum depression. According to the center for disease control (CDC), some signs of depression a person might have whether or not it is related to childbirth are persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety or emptiness, hopelessness and pessimism, and feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness. Furthermore, the depressed person may experience loss of interest in the hobbies and activities they used to find fulfilling, lose energy, or have difficulty focusing and making decisions.A common symptom is either an increase or decrease in appetite. There may be aches and pains that aren't getting better with treatment. Finally, there may be self harm, thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts.

According to the CDC some symptoms that are more specific to postpartum depression are crying more often than usual, feelings of anger, withdrawal from family and friends, feelings of numbness or not being able to bond with one's baby, worrying about hurting the baby, and feeling guilty about how one is caring for the baby.

There are a few very common and destructive misconceptions and myths about the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression.One harmful misconception is that signs and symptoms will always begin about three months after the birth of the child. This is problematic, because in many cases signs and symptoms don't show up until later; some mothers may not show symptoms until up to a year after birth of their child.

Another myth is that excessive crying and sadness is always a sign and symptom of postpartum depression. However, for many mothers, they experience anger, numbness, anxiety, or other emotions or experiences that don't lead them to cry and aren't necessarily sadness.

Furthermore, media depictions of postpartum depression tend to sensationalize  the signs and symptoms and focus of excessive sadness and constant crying. Most destructively, the media focuses on stories of mothers who have harmed their babies. This adds to the stress a mother who is experiencing postpartum depression is experiencing and may make them even more hesitant to seek help.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/postpartum-depression-myths

http://www.empowher.com/postpartum-depression/content/postpartum-depression-myths-and-misconceptions-keep-women-seeking-help?page=0,1

http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/depression/