The Identity of Postpartum Depression and Treatments Available

The Identity of Postpartum Depression and Treatments Available
By: Pricilla Addington

English 102
Professor Hickman
20 June, 2017

Postpartum Depression - symptomology, treatment, and effects on the family

Postpartum Depression is a vast mood disorder that includes the emotions post childbirth. The differences in severity determine how the disorder is treated. There is an overlap in symptomology, but unique features within the condition define the severity of the individual. Given the increasing number of women diagnosed with postpartum depression, identifying postpartum depression through early screening will allow physicians to treat the symptoms early on, better the adverse effects on the family unit, as well as reduce the risk of suicide among patients suffering. The purpose of identifying postpartum depression as well as understanding the symptoms, is to inform families and healthcare professionals of the outcome of untreated postpartum depression and how to recognize the symptoms early on to prevent suicide as well as infanticide. Postpartum Depression is a mood disorder that is defined by symptomology, treatment, and the adverse effects on the family. Thirty percent of new mothers in the United States are suffering the adverse effects of postpartum depression (Thurgood 19). This number is greatly reduced by identifying symptoms and early treatment.

Postpartum depression is defined by symptomology. Postpartum depression exhibits many symptoms. These symptoms range in variety and severity. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, moodiness, exhaustion, irritability, feelings of resentment, suicidal/homicidal thoughts, unhealthy thoughts, inability to sleep for extended periods of time, withdrawn, thoughts of self harm, unexplainable sadness, etc. Identifying these symptoms consistently may be overwhelming. If Symptoms continue after the first six weeks postpartum, postpartum depression can be diagnosed (Thurgood 17). However, the standard six week screening for postpartum depression is commonly ineffective for diagnosing the condition. Given that the symptoms are similar to a less detrimental, baby blues, postpartum depression can go unnoticed and untreated, leading to outcomes as serious as suicide or infant homicide. The key to identifying the symptoms of Postpartum Depression early on is expanding the screening questions at the six week check up, as well as having the screening given verbal in comparison to a written screening. An verbal screening for postpartum depression will allow physicians the ability to read the patient's expressions and listen to their answers. Thus having more observation of the potential condition. Postpartum Depression has many varying symptoms.These symptoms are identified through screenings. These Screenings are more effective when administered verbally. Earlier detection of Postpartum Depression allows for earlier treatment.

Postpartum Depression is defined by Treatment. There are a variety of ways to treat postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is treated with antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedatives, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ETC), counseling, and support groups. Identifying which therapy will be beneficial is determined by the attending physician. Different therapies treat different symptoms and severities of postpartum depression. ETC is gradually becoming a leading practice in recovering mothers, with minimal side effects. (Heh 23). Upon surveying thirty women in a postpartum support group, the majority of the attendees revealed that they are undergoing treatment by ETC. The effects of treatment are all positive, with minimal side effects. ETC is a drug free treatment program, that retrains the brain through minor electric shock therapy. Treatment has instant results as well as long lasting recovery. Antidepressants and antipsychotics have adverse effects on patient's long term and are commonly used as a last resort to treating postpartum depression. (Heh 26) Antidepressants also retrain the brain, but have a long side effect list. Among the women surveyed in the postpartum support group, two were administered antidepressants as a short term treatment plan, with the understanding that the prescribed drugs would not treat the symptoms of postpartum depression, only mask them. Thus rendering the subjects to massive mood changes as the dosage of the drug is reduced. Identifying the symptoms of postpartum depression allows physicians to properly treat the condition with the healthiest, most productive therapy. Patients who receive therapy, in comparison to patients who do not receive therapy are consistently reporting less adverse effects on the family unit as a result of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression and the adverse effects on the family unit. Postpartum Depression impacts the family unit. Research shows that children with mothers who suffer from postpartum depression are more likely to become depressed themselves. In addition these children are less social and lack in cognitive capabilities (Murray 55). This leads to social disorders and antisocial tendencies. Patient is emotionally unavailable, causing a hard time being happy with the family. This often leads to unhappy and even hostile home environment. Mother infant bonding is damaged and often non existent. This causes anxiety disorder in many infants as a result. (Paris 311). Mother infant bonding is used in treating postpartum depression. This method helps strengthen the family unit. Upon interviewing women in a new mothers support group, many of the new mothers revealed that their physicians suggested an uninterrupted hour of skin to skin time with the infants. Doctors suggest that this treatment reduces stress in both mother and baby. Participating mothers agreed that the treatment was effectively improving the relationship of the family unit and reduced new mother related anxiety. Given the adverse effects on the family unit, gone untreated, postpartum depression has a high suicide and infanticide rate.

Postpartum depression has a high suicide rate. Every year an estimated 600,000 women die in the United States from the adverse effects of postpartum depression. (Paris 317) That is thirty percent of new moms who will never see their baby grow up. That number can go down. Modern medicine has so much to offer with available treatments. Many hospitals on the west coast now offer free support groups to new mothers. The suicide rate among diagnosed women with postpartum depression is a crisis that needs attention. Raising awareness and destroying the stigma of postpartum depression will allow struggling mothers to get the treatment needed to save their lives and the lives of the infants. As mentioned, the mothers are not the only ones who suffer the symptoms and side effects of postpartum depression. In several cases, women suffering from postpartum depression killed their infants. Many of the delusional mothers considered the act a mercy kill. The mothers thought the action would spare the infant a life of sadness. Postpartum depression kills if untreated. Given the high number of women dying from this condition, understanding postpartum depression, updating the screening and admitting treatment earlier to women suffering will save lives.

By identifying postpartum depression and recognizing the symptoms early on, providing treatment to those suffering will improve the adverse effects on the family unit and save lives. The effectiveness of this research is crucial. Presently, postpartum depression is at all an all time high, statistically. According to Ruth Paris from Boston University, there is a strong link between postpartum depression and suicide in new mothers (317). The research gathered and presented identifying postpartum depression allows physicians to effectively treat the condition for the betterment of the individual as well as the family unit will save lives. Postpartum Depression is a vast mood disorder that is defined by symptomology, treatment, and the adverse effects on the family. The Symptoms of postpartum depression are recognized through the use of early screening. Early detection of postpartum depression relays into faster and more effective treatments. By providing treatment earlier, women suffering the effects of postpartum depression will see positive results earlier on and will be less likely to hurt themselves or their infants. The adverse effects of postpartum depression on the family unit will be eliminated. Postpartum depression kills, but if the information gathered through research is shared, awareness about the adverse effects can be raised and new mothers going forward will not have to suffer the same sad fate as 600,000 women did last year.

Works Cited
Murray, Lynne and Peter J. Cooper. "The Impact of Postpartum Depression on Child Development." International Review of Psychiatry
Paris, Ruth, et al. "Postpartum Depression, Suicidality, and Mother-Infant Interactions." Archives of Women's Mental Health
Thurgood, Sara , BS, Daniel M. Avery, MD, and Lloyda Williamson, MD. "Postpartum Depression (PPD) ." American Journal of Clinical Medicine
Shu-Shya, Heh. "Postpartum Depression." Journal of Nursing

Pricilla, you need to separate the first paragraph into your thesis statement and then the start of your second paragraph. From my review of your written work, the thesis statement is the part that goes "The purpose of identifying ... well as infanticide." The next part of the statement is more of information gleaned from research so it should not be part of the thesis statement. You can however, use that section to open the second paragraph. By the way, you have a redundancy because you use the same sentence, "Postpartum depression is defined by symptomology. " twice. Try to create a more varied presentation for it. I know it all relates to symptomology but your professor would like to read a fresh take on the same topic. Whether you know it or not, using similar or the same presentation too close together in the essay creates reader fatigue and as such, creates an irritant for the reader, which could affect your grade. Your overall research is well done and creates an informative take on a little understood illness. Good job on the rest of the presentation. Just make sure to double check for your redundancies and topic presentations. In your final paragraph, you have room to create a more convincing closing statement if you divide that paragraph into to. Make the actual closing statement "Postpartum Depression is a vast mood disorder ...600,000 women did last year."