During pregnancy and after childbirth, women navigate a constellation of emotions. Some bring joy and others may be intensely frightening, overwhelming, and depressing. One of the less commonly discussed topics is the negative impact their pregnancy can have on their mental health. Many women can experience a collection of depression, anxiety, or newly emerging mood disorder that impacts them and their newborn.
At Mental Health Haven, we are here to help you throughout your pregnancy, and after. We provide a compassionate place of healing for you to express the way you feel and help you recover from the effects of your pregnancy with perinatal treatment.
Understanding Perinatal Disorders and How They Can Affect You
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are a group of disorders affecting women during their pregnancy and after childbirth. These disorders occur in about 15 to 20 percent of the population and can affect vulnerable populations, mothers who experienced miscarriages and infant loss. Emotions such as sadness, anger, dread, and worry are some symptoms women with these types of disorders experience, and their symptoms vary. These types can include:
- Perinatal Depression: Perinatal depression affects women during pregnancy and after childbirth and comes with feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue that occur longer than two weeks. As a real medical illness, it can affect any mother because of the physical and emotional demands that childbearing brings.
- Postpartum Depression: Postpartum depression often occurs anytime after the first year of birth, leading to feelings of inadequacy, hopelessness, and chronic fatigue that impact their daily lives. These symptoms often last more than two weeks after the delivery date and can last for years due to mothers’ stress and responsibility for their babies.
- Perinatal/Postpartum Anxiety: Perinatal and postpartum anxiety disorder occurs during or following birth and is characterized by excessive worry and rumination after giving birth.
- Perinatal/Postpartum PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder can also occur in mothers, especially for those who experienced a traumatic birth or perinatal loss.
- Perinatal/Postpartum Psychosis: In some cases, mothers can experience delusions, hallucinations, and extreme thoughts within the first two weeks after birth, causing far-reaching symptoms that must be taken seriously and addressed effectively.
The period during and after pregnancy can be overwhleming, confusing, and a struggle for new mothers. Often, these negative emotions are blamed on the individual and neglect to consider the physical, emotional, and lifestyle factors affecting the lives of mothers every day. Hormones, bodily changes, stressors from life, and relationship problems can contribute to any perinatal or postnatal mood disorder, and these problems often go untreated.
Visit Mental Health Haven For Your Perinatal Treatments
Perinatal treatment refers to how our mental health professionals can guide you toward improving your mental health and maintaining a positive mindset no matter the circumstances. At Mental Health Haven, we provide a safe space to get treatments, medications, individual psychotherapy, and other resources to help you feel better. For more information, contact Kristen Chambers today to see how we can help support you, and your baby!