What is PND?
by Tash Hughes
of Word Constructions (www.wordconstructions.com)
Post Natal
Depression, or PND as it is commonly known, is not well
understood by those who have not experienced it. It is a
genuine illness that mothers can’t just ‘snap out of’.
Statistics vary,
but it is commonly thought that about 14% of Mothers
experience PND. This figure applies to women across the
world of all ages and economic backgrounds, although it
is much less common in primitive societies.
PND has been
around for a long time, although not by that name; even
Hippocrates recorded cases of depression in new mothers.
There is a lot
of variation in symptoms, severity and duration of PND
between different women. Common symptoms are:
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Feeling sad for no
obvious reason
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Crying a lot, usually
for no apparent reason
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Mood swings
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Exhaustion
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Difficulty in getting
to sleep or staying asleep (aside from the baby’s
demands)
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Anxiety and panic
attacks
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Paranoia and fear
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Feelings of being
inadequate and useless
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Reduced concentration
and memory skills
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Guilt
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Feeling out of control
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Being irritable and
intolerant
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Frustration
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Withdrawing from
people, including the baby
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Low interest in sex
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Low self esteem
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Feeling overwhelmed and
trapped
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Feeling numb and
distant
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Suicidal or even
homicidal
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Feeling disconnected
from the world
What is the same
for all PND cases is that the depression and other
symptoms set in either during pregnancy or within the
first twelve months of giving birth. Some women aren’t
diagnosed until later, but the start of the PND can be
traced back.
The variety in
symptoms and affects of PND can make it hard to diagnose
and hard for women to recognise that they have more than
the Baby Blues.
Biology, social
pressures and psychology are all involved with the
development of PND; it isn’t just a hormonal imbalance.
All women with
PND need strong emotional support, although they will
not easily ask for it. In fact, PND is sometimes know as
the ‘smiling disease’ because so many women are able to
put on a smiling face and fool the world that they are
ok when they are not coping at all.
Although PND is
most common after the birth of a first child, PND can
occur in the following situations:
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Women having their
second, third, forth or later baby whether they had PND
earlier or not
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1 in 10 pregnant women
(although it is often called AND or antenatal depression
in this case)
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Adoptive parents
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3% of Fathers – up to
7% where a step child is involved in the family
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Women who had a still
birth
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Mothers who’s baby died
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Women with miscarriages
Treatment for
PND will depend on the severity of the PND and other
factors in the woman’s life. Support groups, counselling
and anti-depressants are the most common treatment
options; some women have found comfort from St John’s
Wort, acupuncture, hospital stays, exercise, meditation
and other relaxation procedures.
Tash Hughes is
the owner of
Word Constructions and is available to solve all
your business writing problems! From letters to
policies, newsletters to web content, Word Constructions
writes all business documents to your style and
satisfaction.
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