{"id":1335,"date":"2023-05-08T10:10:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T10:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/?p=1335"},"modified":"2026-02-05T15:08:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:08:56","slug":"postpartum-depression-causes-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/blog\/postpartum-depression-causes-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Postpartum Depression: Causes and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the word partum means to give birth, then postpartum depression indicates a state where women suffer through a particular type of depression after giving birth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Almost 15% of all new mothers suffer from symptoms of postpartum depression, so <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/postpartum-care-and-depression\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">postpartum care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation and reintegration of mothers into their new lifestyle. Aside from emotional lows, new mothers can suffer from exhaustion, anxiety, guilt, etc., and go through a severe crisis when it comes to caring for their new baby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">My OBGYN Specialists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is one of the most renowned clinics that offers care for new mothers and whose staff is equipped and experienced enough to provide services and postpartum depression treatments to new parents. Considering that this condition can be treated by medication and effective counseling, you should choose a clinic that offers both treatment paths so that the treatment can be adjusted to your particular needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is Postpartum Depression?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Considering all the changes that occur after a baby has entered a person\u2019s life, becoming a parent is undoubtedly seen as a life-altering event. Although being a new parent is very exciting and challenging, it can also be quite scary, overwhelming, and unpredictable. Many new parents experience fear, worry, doubt, and similar, but those are mostly viewed as short-term concerns which pass after the first months of being a parent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That said, it is important to note that some new parents experience extreme feelings of loneliness, sadness, mood changes, crying, indifference, etc. which might signal that they are suffering from postpartum depression or PPD.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In psychology, PPD is viewed as a type of depression that occurs once the person has given birth, and it does not just affect the person who physically went through delivery, but it can occur in surrogacy or with adoptive parents as well. Challenges after having a baby can include physical, hormonal, emotional, financial, and social aspects, which can negatively affect the mental health of new parents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to potential causes, many argue that PPD is directly connected to the rapid drop in hormone levels that occurs after the delivery. The hormone levels are very high during pregnancy, and after the body no longer has to foster a baby, the hormones drop rapidly, causing chemical changes in the body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aside from this, there are many psychological and social changes parents must endure after a baby is born, so this might also negatively affect the mental health of new parents and cause postpartum depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression-.jpg\" alt=\"Young Woman Suffering From Postpartum Depression at Home With Her Baby Sitting on the Table Next to Her\" width=\"1000\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--200x132.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--400x264.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--600x396.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression--800x528.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/What-Is-Postpartum-Depression-.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Types of Postpartum Depression\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In order to suggest a proper postpartum depression treatment plan for the patient, your medical healthcare provider must discover which of the three types of postpartum depression you are suffering from. The types include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Baby blues, postpartum blues, or postpartum dysphoria<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: This type of PPD affects up to 70% of new mothers after giving birth. If you are crying for no particular reason or you experience anxiety and sadness in the first week postpartum, lasting only a couple of weeks, this signals that you might be having the baby blues.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Postpartum depression<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: This diagnosis is much more serious than the baby blues, and it affects every seventh person who welcomed a new baby into their lives. Alternating lows and highs, irritability, exhaustion, frequent crying, feeling guilty and anxious, and being unable to take care of your child might be some of the symptoms of postpartum depression. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and they can happen right away or develop gradually, up to one year after the delivery.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Postpartum psychosis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: This type of PPD is the most extreme form of mental health struggle after giving birth. It requires immediate medical attention, and although it is very rare (one in a thousand people), it is still important to mention it as a possibility. The symptoms take place right after delivery, and they can last up to a few months. Symptoms can range from confusion, agitation, and paranoia to mania, hallucinations, etc. There is an increased risk of suicide and harm to the baby.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Symptoms of Postpartum Depression<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As you might have noticed, some of the symptoms of PPD were mentioned already. Still, in this part of the article, we want to summarize symptoms based on the severity of your PPD, i.e., the type of postpartum depression you are experiencing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The symptoms of baby blues and postpartum depression are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Profound crying<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being overwhelmed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loss of appetite\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insomnia or issues with sleeping patterns<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mood changes\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anxiety<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sadness\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exhaustion\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Irritability\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fatigue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feeling guilty and worthless\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loss of interest in hobbies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loss of motivation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Difficulty focusing\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unwillingness to take care of your baby as much as needed\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The difference between these two diagnoses is in the duration of the condition and its intensity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The symptoms which occur when one is suffering from postpartum psychosis are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Severe irritability\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Confusion\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hopelessness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shame\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insomnia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Paranoia\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Delusions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hallucination<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hyperactivity\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rapid speech\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mania<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suicidal thoughts\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thoughts of hurting the baby<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How Long Does Postpartum Depression Last?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To answer the question of how long postpartum depression lasts, it is vital to have a proper diagnosis beforehand. As shared previously, different types of PPD last differently, so the baby blues can stop after just a few weeks, while some other types of this condition can last up to one year. Also, the length of your PPD diagnosis depends on the course of treatment and how invested both the patient and the medical provider are in overcoming this condition. Ensure you are completely honest with your doctor because this will immensely help with postpartum depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Father With His Baby and Wife Suffering From Postpartum Depression at Home\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/248\/2023\/05\/How-Long-Does-Postpartum-Depression-Last.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Postpartum Depression Treatment<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to treatment options for a patient suffering from postpartum depression, they all depend on the proper diagnosis. There are no tests that help doctors diagnose PPD, but patients are evaluated during their postpartum care visits, where they can share their concerns and feelings and give the provider a chance to discuss the potential symptoms in more detail. Sometimes depression screenings are done, as well as in-depth consultations and blood tests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Following the severity of the symptoms and the type of PPD, your medical provider will recommend a proper treatment course. Treatment options can include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Antidepressant medication\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anti-anxiety medication\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Psychotherapy\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Support group participation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Admission to treatment centers\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/tests-procedures\/electroconvulsive-therapy\/about\/pac-20393894\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sharing your concerns with a friend, family member<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eating a healthy diet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allocating time for exercise\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prioritizing resting\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Socializing more\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Implementing self-care tactics\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Asking your partner for more support in daily chores<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Prevention Measures\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although PPD is not preventable, there are some warning signs which might be helpful in reacting promptly, as well as certain risk factors that increase the possibility of experiencing postpartum depression. Some steps which can help you minimize the impact of PPD can include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Having realistic expectations from yourself and the baby<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Asking for help\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Resting when the baby sleeps\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Not losing contact with close friends and family\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exercising whenever you can (even light walks or yoga)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Making your partner as included as possible\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Preparing yourself for good and bad days\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>We Are Here for You!<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Postpartum depression happens to many new parents, so do not feel bad if you are also going through it. Our staff is equipped to help patients facing PPD, so feel free to call us, schedule an appointment, and ensure that you have the support you need during this challenging period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If the word partum means to give birth, then postpartum depression indicates a state where women suffer through a particular<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[121,50],"tags":[125,91,122,123,124],"class_list":["post-1335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-postpartum-depression","category-pregnancy","tag-how-long-does-postpartum-depression-last","tag-postpartum-depression","tag-postpartum-depression-treatment","tag-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression","tag-types-of-postpartum-depression"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/myobgynspecialists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}