Men and women both are dealing with many mental illnesses and the reasons are many. Some common ones are stress from the workplace/ home, competition, family pressure, etc. However, few mental disorders are gender specific and impact only women’s mental well-being. One of the critical mental illnesses is Postpartum psychosis which affects a woman just after having a baby. It is so common that around 1 in 1,000 mothers get affected after giving birth.
Having “Baby blues’ means mild mood swings after having a baby. This is normal and only lasts for a few days. However, postpartum psychosis is altogether different from this. It is a major mental illness and should be considered for a medical emergency. The condition is also known as puerperal psychosis.
Symptoms of postpartum psychosis
The symptoms of postpartum psychosis start developing immediately within the first 2 weeks after giving birth to a baby, sometimes even within hours or days of delivery. Hardly ever, they can evolve several weeks after the baby is born. Mothers sometimes have difficulty making a connection with their babies after an episode of postpartum psychosis or feel downhearted at missing out on time with their babies. Some of the common symptoms that can be observed in women affected by this condition are:
• Insanity – Feeling too much energy, due to which an individual sometimes talks and thinks too fast, uneasiness or No control over self-consciousness
• Hallucinations –Some which are not real and created by the mind only like hearing, seeing, smelling, or feeling things,
• Delusions – belief in something untrue, suspicions, fears.
• Feeling miserable –depression, anxiety, agitation disturbed sleeping cycle, Tiredness.
• Mood swings frequently, not being able to focus, and getting confused easily.
Causes of Postpartum Psychosis
• Having a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
• If you have a family history of any kind of mental illness, specifically postpartum psychosis.
• You have developed postpartum psychosis because of an earlier pregnancy
Points to Consider When Dealing with Postpartum Psychosis
If you feel you have the symptoms and could be at high risk of developing postpartum psychosis, consult a perinatal psychiatrist who will guide you during or before pregnancy.
Your family should also be aware of your risk of postpartum psychosis. Everyone including you, your family, psychiatrist should all agree on a plan on how to care for you during pregnancy and after you’ve given birth.
Gradually, you can recover from postpartum psychosis. Most critical symptoms tend to last from 2 to 12 weeks, and it can take 6 to 12 months or more to completely regain mental wellness. It is a severe illness however with treatment at the right time and good support, the majority of patients with postpartum psychosis fully recover.
When to Seek Medical Help
Postpartum psychosis is a type of mental illness that should not be taken lightly and when symptoms are visible it should be treated as a medical emergency. If not treated on time, it can put the safety of the mother and baby at stake.
If you think you, your wife, or any female in your known, may have developed symptoms of postpartum psychosis. You should request urgent medical assistance and can book your appointment with Athenaokas, you can connect with us through email at info@athenaokas.com or call us at +91 92897 30444 and our team will help and support you in the best possible way, our mental expert will assess the criticality of the condition and basis on that plan the treatment.