Depression After Pregnancy

Depression After Pregnancy
On the whole, depression is a far-reaching problem. In the
United States it's believed that twenty percent of the
population is depressed, a percentage that equates to tens
of millions of people. Unfortunately, most of the millions
of depressed people in the US never receive treatment,
making depression in the US not only far-reaching but also
chronic. This lack of depression treatment not only leads
to individual suffering, but also to millions of dollars in
combined lost productivity every year.

When considering how to approach the problem of depression,
it's worth considering whether depression is most prevalent
in a particular segment of society. It was long believed
that women were most prone to depression, but in recent
times this thinking has been reconsidered. The fact of the
matter is, not only do men get depression but men are more
likely to commit suicide because of depression than women
are. Looking at depression as purely a gender issue then is
not only inaccurate but may also lead to dire consequences
in outreach efforts.

It's important then to be clear that men can and do get
depressed, and that treatment for depressed men is
available. It is true however that women are most likely to
report feeling depressed, and that depression in women
who've recently given birth may be especially significant.
Depression in women after childbirth is common enough that
it has its own terminology: postpartum depression is what
post childbirth depression is most often referred to as,
though it can also be called perinatal depression.

Postpartum depression is a simple enough condition: it's a
case of depression in a woman who's recently given birth.
The uncertainty with postpartum depression is why it occurs
in the first place. Carrying a child over the course of
nine months is a terrific responsibility, and that
responsibility in itself can lead to stress and feelings of
depression. A woman who feels a lack of support following
childbirth can also understandably become depressed. It's
believed as well that there may be a hormonal aspect to
postpartum depression: hormonal balance in a woman rises
greatly during pregnancy, and then drops back to normal
within twenty-four hours of giving birth. It would be
surprising if this sort of hormonal swing didn't have at
least some impact on mood.

While it's certainly true that not every woman who gives
birth becomes depressed afterward, it happens often enough
that it's something to be aware of. The good news is that
while postpartum depression can be difficult to deal with
it typically clears on its own; and if it doesn't clear on
its own, there are effective treatments available.

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Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. For help with
depression, visit
http://www.hubonline.biz/get-better-now.htm or
http://www.hubonline.biz/healthy-mood.htm .