Publication
Talking about postnatal depression (reprinted 2010)
| Contents: | Introduction What is post-natal depression Understanding post-natal depression What can I do? Getting help from others Friends and relatives The future Suggestions for reading |
Getting help from others
Sometimes it is useful to talk things over with someone outside your immediate circle of family and friends. It can be a big step to seek out such help, but we shouldn't feel ashamed of needing it. Getting help early, as soon as you recognise you have a problem, can save you and those close to you a lot of anguish. There are various sources of help available, each offering different kinds of support. It is worth contacting one of the organisations listed later to find out what is available in your area.
Counselling and therapy
These are sometimes called 'talking treatments' because they give people a chance to talk through their difficulties. Therapy?of which there are many types?tends to be longer-term and to be concerned more with explaining and coming to terms with past events. Counselling tends to be more practical and focuses on present day feelings and difficulties. In either, it is important to find a counsellor or therapist you can relate to and trust.
Counsellors and therapists use a range of different approaches and you may need to discuss what is best for you. Psycho-therapy tries to help you understand your current feelings in the context of past events and experiences. Cognitive therapy sets out to help someone feel better about themselves. You may not necessarily feel you have to find out what caused you to develop post-natal depression, but want to use counselling or therapy to help you bearthe pain of depression and emerge from it.
Your family doctor may have access to the services of a counsellor for his/her patients. Or your health visitor may be experienced in this area and be able to help, or put you in touch with someone who could. While your baby is small, you are likely to have regular contact with a health visitor. Try and explain to her how you are feeling.
You may feel it is important that you see a counsellor or therapist on your own. If you have a partner you may want them to be involved, to some extent at least, so you can both move forward together. It is important, though, that you work out what you want and will find most helpful.
Self-help
Many women have found that talking with others who've been through similar experiences is very helpful. It can be a great relief to find you're not alone. Members of a self-help group can provide each other with the support and encouragement needed to get through the bad times, and practical advice on how best to cope. Self-help groups provide an opportunity to be honest about your feelings, in a setting where others understand but don't blame you.
It was so good to be able to talk without feeling you were being judged.
Some groups offer both mutual support and counselling, with input from an experienced counsellor.
Medical treatment
Many women may be nervous about going to their family doctor to discuss their feelings of depression because they feel frightened or ashamed. But a sympathetic doctor can be a great source of support and reassurance. Your doctor may choose to treat you him or herself, or may refer you to a psychiatrist for specialist help.
A course of anti-depressants may be prescribed for you. These are not addictive. They do not in themselves cure depression, but can lift your mood sufficiently to enable you to cope more effectively and to take advantage of other help, such as counselling. These drugs work for a lot of people, but not all. They can have unpleasant side-effects, such as causing drowsiness or giving you a dry mouth or constipation.
Most anti-depressants take 2-4 weeks to have any effect, so it is important not to give up too quickly if you don't feel better straight away. Your doctor may suggest you keep taking them for a few more weeks after you do feel better,as this can prevent the depression from returning. If you are breast-feeding, your doctor should be able to prescribe a drug which will not affect your baby. It is important that you get your doctor to explain the treatment offered. You're entitled to information about the likely benefits and disadvantages of each drug prescribed for you.
Your doctor may prescribe a course of hormone treatment. Some women do find this beneficial although it is not suitable for everyone?for example if you have a history of blood clots.
You may also want to talk about alternatives to drug treatment, such as counselling or self-help. Your doctor may be able to put you in touch with other sources of help.