Postnatal depression affects so many new mothers and the reason many fear postnatal depression treatment is that it means they firstly have to accept that they are struggling and secondly they fear the outcome. What happens if they speak out?
Is asking for postnatal depression treatment a sign of failure? Of course it is not, it is to be seen only as taking a positive step to recovering from this evil mental health illness. Postnatal depression is not something you can just snap out of and PND treatment is there to help you.
I have suffered with postnatal depression after the birth of 4 of my children, I did seek help for 3 of those and I was prescribed antidepressants. While the medication did help me, I found that talking therapy was what helped me the greatest. Not all GP’s are quick to refer you for this and sometimes you do have to fight for it.
The postnatal depression I suffered from that I left untreated after giving birth to my 4th baby resulted in me wanting to hurt my baby. I strongly advise that if you feel you may have PND to seek help straight away and not just leave it in the hope it will get better.
There are a variety of treatments available and you have the last say in which treatment is right for you. Not every woman is keen to take antidepressants and this is an area that you can talk over with your health professional. Your GP will be able to answer any questions or fears you have.
When you are suffering from postnatal depression you require the support from your loved ones, this can be your partner or from a close family member or friends. Speak out to someone you trust and ask them to help you. It is so easy to bottle everything up inside and push your loved ones away. There are many myths that surround PND and it is no longer considered a huge deal if you have it, you’re doing just fine, you just need some extra support,
While antidepressants are useful and there are some antidepressants that are safe to take while breastfeeding, there are other treatments that are just as good and these come in the form of talking therapies. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a personal favourite of mine and I personally found that learning as much as I could about PND helped me to understand that it was not my fault at all.
If you think you have postnatal depression speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor as soon as possible.
Useful Related Content:
NHS - Postnatal depression Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
The Royal College Of Psychiatrist’s – This leaflet is for anyone wants to know more about postnatal depression
Which Postnatal Depression Treatment Worked For You?
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Postnatal Depression and How to get Help
About The Real Supermum
I was given tablets and referred for counselling when i suffered with PND x x
i was given citrolopram, and they ever seemed to help me, infact i felt worse, more suicidal and even more down..i had counseling 3 times and the 1 counselor was the best and helped me a lot..x
with my first child i was on tablets and saw a CPN she was brilliant but i think discharged me too soon. with my second again tablets and with my third tablets and a different CPN she was useless discharged me 6 weeks before i had lo and two days after my nan had died most of thr time i saw her she would take about her own son xx
I was first tried of fluoxetine, which didnt work. But then i was prescribed mirtazapine and they worked! they were fab x
i was given anti- d’s when i finally went to the doctors
Your all so brave x
I was given tablets and told to get over it to start with. Second opinion i was kept on tablets and sent for counselling.
i was told at the beginning by my OH and his mum “your just being silly” “your just tired”.. none of them understood what i was going through.. in the end i got help.. but i quit it… now my sons 17 months old and im still struggling to bond, i love him more than anything, but its the hugs, kisses, the “i love you’s” i struggle on.. and i just dont know why
xx
In my thirty years experience of treating women with Post Natal Depression I have noticed that a large majority of cases are not getting the support that they need, be it from their husbands, extended family or both.This can activate feelings of worthlessness and being unappreciated. Women can also feel very isolated and alone in this type of situation. It is very important to ask for support and to be treated with value by others. Asking for support from members of the family or friends may help to compensate for an inattentive husband.