Prenatal depression is something every woman needs to know. Pregnancy is an exciting period for every woman. It is characterized by the emergence of a wide palette of sensations. Of course, the expectant mother is happy about the imminent appearance of the child, but not in all cases it can be said that this happiness is absolute. Sometimes there are situations when a woman feels completely unhappy. She blames herself for not feeling the happiness she deserves, and as a result, she sinks even more into depression...
Why does prenatal depression develop?
There are many factors that trigger the development of prenatal depression. These include illness during pregnancy, stressful life circumstances (for example, relocation), previous lost or complicated pregnancies, past or present violence, financial difficulties and social instability. According to statistics, about eighty percent of prenatal depression is provoked by troubles in the family and discord in relations with the husband. A common cause of the development of prenatal depression is the personal characteristics of women. Young mothers are often afraid of their emotions and get lost in conflicting feelings. This is especially true at the moment when they are faced with the idealized concept of motherhood accepted in society. “Motherhood is a responsibility...”, “a good mother should...”, “a loving mother must...”, etc.
Sometimes prenatal depression is caused by a pregnant woman's worries about her sex life. The husband, concerned about the well-being of the mother and child, tries to disturb them as little as possible and restrains his sexual impulses. As a result, having sex becomes less frequent than before. The woman feels that she has fallen out of love, that her partner has lost interest in her. This leads to signs of depression.
What factors contribute to the development of these disorders in pregnant women?
Most often, they develop in women who, even before pregnancy, had low resistance to stress, anxious and suspicious character traits, a tendency to make negative forecasts, or have already suffered these disorders before.
Of course, significant stressful situations can also lead to the development of neuroses: unwanted pregnancy, separation from a husband (close person), lack of emotional support (when the family is against pregnancy), job loss, serious financial problems, etc.
It is very important to remember that any neurotic disorder can be completely cured,
and the sooner the patient seeks help from a specialist, the faster and more effectively he can be cured.
Features of sexual life during pregnancy
During pregnancy, there are periods of decline and rise in sexual activity. So, for example, in the first three months, sexual desire often decreases somewhat. The reason for this is the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy and the presence of such signs of toxicosis as nausea, vomiting, intolerance to certain foods and odors. The changeable mood of a pregnant woman can lead to conflicts in the family. The woman has the feeling that things will only get worse.
However, this is not so, because already in the second trimester your health improves. Fears pass. The child begins to push and this lets you know that everything is fine with him. A rounded tummy looks very beautiful. Sex life “blooms” during pregnancy. In the third trimester, the belly increases significantly in size and sex becomes difficult. In addition, worries come again, but they are already associated with an imminent birth.
Depression in early pregnancy
The initial period, corresponding to the first trimester of pregnancy, is called by psychologists the period of denial. During these three months, a woman’s thoughts and actions that deny the existence of a new life are completely normal. Well, in simple terms, a whole day can pass, and only in the evening does a woman suddenly remember that she is pregnant. Or in his long-term work plan he will put a business trip somewhere around the 38th week. Or he will seriously discuss with friends a hiking trip, or even skiing. In these first three months of pregnancy, when there is no belly and the baby’s movements are not yet felt, it is considered normal if the woman at times does not take her new condition into account.
The truth about prenatal depression
According to statistics, every fourth pregnant woman experiences prenatal depression. This violation is dangerous not only for the woman herself, but also for her child. Pregnant women who have experienced prenatal depression have an increased risk of preterm pregnancy. This is explained by the fact that women who experienced depressive disorders during pregnancy have a significant increase in the level of stress hormone in their blood. This hormone is known to be capable of triggering premature onset of labor. That is why early detection of prenatal depression and its timely correction is very important. Especially because half of the women who experience it continue to suffer from depression after they give birth.
Signs of prenatal depression:
- reduced ability to work; - decreased attention, inability to concentrate on any specific task; — certain difficulties in decision making; - increased anxiety and irritability; - tearfulness; - insomnia, sleep disorders not related to pregnancy; - increased appetite, or vice versa, its absence; - rapid weight gain or loss not related to pregnancy; - constant sadness or guilt; - decreased interest in sexual relations; - fear of being parents; - thoughts of death and suicide.
It is too difficult for a pregnant woman to determine the presence or absence of these symptoms. Her loved ones nearby (husband, parents, brothers, sisters, girlfriends) play an important role in this.
Symptoms of depression
If you notice a couple of symptoms, you shouldn’t panic right away. You can assume the presence of a depressive disorder if five or more symptoms persist in you or your loved one for quite a long time, from two weeks or more. Signs of depression in pregnant women can be observed as follows:
- the woman feels depressed, her sadness is unfounded, she is apathetic
- you notice a person’s weakness, lethargy
- irritation
- negative vision of the future, feelings of hopelessness, tearfulness
- feeling of guilt, constant lack of self-confidence and the correctness of one’s choice
- feeling of helplessness and worthlessness
- Digestive problems: loss or increase in appetite
- insomnia, drowsiness, nightmares, sleep inversion
- various fears
- indifference to one's health
- reluctance to communicate with relatives and friends, with her husband.
Treatment of prenatal depression
The difficulty in treating this type of depression is that the list of medications and treatment methods for pregnant women is very limited. First of all, the relatives of a pregnant woman must create psychological and comfortable living conditions for her. You should talk openly with your spouse about problems. If independent conversations are ineffective, conversations can be moved to a psychotherapist’s office. Psychotherapeutic methods have a positive effect: art therapy, auto-training, Gestalt therapy, psychoanalysis, etc. There is also information that light physical activity reduces the manifestations of prenatal depression and normalizes the course of pregnancy.
Depression during pregnancy: symptoms, causes, treatment
Pregnancy is an important event in the life of every woman. Sometimes the period of waiting for a baby is overshadowed by anxiety, fears, uncertainty, apathy, and irritability.
Sudden mood swings, excessive emotionality and tearfulness, various anxieties and experiences are not unusual during pregnancy.
This is due to the upcoming changes in the life of a woman and the family as a whole; hormonal levels also have a great influence. However, one should distinguish between an unstable emotional state and, in fact, depression. Depression is a severe mental disorder. It is characterized by apathy, low mood and the inability to experience joy, motor retardation and thinking disorders.
Symptoms of prenatal depression
Depression in women during pregnancy is characterized by a group of physiological and mental symptoms:
- prolonged feeling of depression, apathy, indifference;
- feelings of hopelessness and a negative view of the future;
- chronic fatigue, weakness, loss of strength;
- irritability, tearfulness;
- lack of self-confidence, difficulties in making decisions, constant feelings of guilt;
- feelings of self-hatred, suicidal thoughts;
- loss of interest in life, lack of joy;
- appetite disturbances (constant feeling of hunger or lack of appetite);
- sleep disorders (insomnia, drowsiness, difficulty falling asleep);
- fear of leaving the house or other fears.
At different stages of pregnancy, individual signs of depressive disorder may appear, and if they are short-term, then there is no reason for concern. Emotional participation, care and support of loved ones will help the expectant mother survive the mild blues.
However, if symptoms of depression persist for a long time, you should seek help from a psychotherapist.
Causes of Prenatal Depression
The causes of depression during pregnancy can be various factors related to a woman’s life, her personal and physiological characteristics. Most often, depression develops in women who are anxious, suspicious, and have an unstable nervous system.
The development of depressive disorder in an expectant mother is influenced by:
- severe stress due to an unplanned pregnancy;
- complications during pregnancy;
- unfavorable social situation (difficult emotional situation at home, lack of housing, lack of money, insufficient support or its absence from the husband and close relatives, etc.);
- unwanted pregnancy;
- long-term infertility treatment, frequent cases of miscarriage, fear of not being able to carry a child to term;
- a history of mental disorders in the woman or her relatives;
- personal characteristics (increased anxiety, fears, self-doubt, etc.);
- suffered a psychological shock (death of a loved one, divorce, etc.)
Features of the course of depression at different stages of pregnancy
Pregnancy, especially the first, actualizes many unconscious internal conflicts. During pregnancy, a woman goes through several stages of awareness of her new position. During this period, various external and internal factors influence the emotional state of a woman.
Depression in the first trimester of pregnancy
Depression in the early stages of pregnancy may be due to the fact that the woman is not ready for changes in her life. An unplanned pregnancy causes a lot of anxiety, especially if the woman is not sure that she wants to keep the child.
Another common situation when a woman could not get pregnant for a long time was cases of miscarriage or frozen pregnancy. Now that the long-awaited pregnancy has arrived, the woman is overly worried and afraid that something will happen to the child. A woman is afraid of everything because she is not confident in her ability to bear a healthy child. Being in constant fear and anxiety is stressful and has a negative impact on a woman’s psycho-emotional state, which can contribute to the development of depressive disorder.
At this stage, timely medical examinations and reassurance from the attending physician that the pregnancy is progressing normally can ease anxiety. If the symptoms of depression do not go away, and the condition worsens, you need to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Depression in the second trimester of pregnancy
In the second trimester, signs of pregnancy become more noticeable to the woman and others. This can cause various experiences, which are most often unconscious.
The inevitability of future changes associated with the birth of a child can cause sadness, sadness, and depression. The baby's first movements clearly demonstrate that the woman will soon become a mother. The need to go on maternity leave can be alarming if a woman is not ready to leave her career for a long time and devote herself entirely to the baby. Strong women who occupy an active masculine position may find it difficult to accept forced dependence on their husbands, which is inevitable during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
With the increase in pregnancy and the first movements of the baby, the woman discovers that although the child is still part of her, he is already a separate human being with his own life, which she cannot control. When a woman realizes that the child will eventually become part of the outside world, an unconscious fear of separation awakens in her. Women's unresolved internal conflicts come to life especially strongly during this period, which can lead to depressive disorder.
Depression in the third trimester of pregnancy
As the expected date of birth approaches, a woman thinks more and more about the upcoming event. Various fears become aggravated: fear of childbirth and possible complications, whether the child will be born healthy, whether he will be harmed during childbirth.
Fears of not being able to cope with the role of a mother and not being able to take good care of the baby also intensify. Such experiences before childbirth negatively affect a woman’s emotional state and can lead to depression.
Treatment of depression during pregnancy
It should be remembered that depression is a serious mental disorder and the treatment of this disease should be carried out by specialists. A psychotherapist or psychiatrist will provide the necessary medication if the condition is critical. A psychologist will provide psychological support, help you cope with difficult experiences, regain the lost ability to enjoy life and find joy in the period of preparation for motherhood.
Psychological help and support is especially necessary for women suffering from depression during pregnancy. After all, the psychological well-being of a mother is the key to giving birth to a healthy baby.
Source: https://www.granisoznaniya.ru/stati/depressiya-vo-vremya-beremennosti-simptomy-prichiny-lechenie/
