Post by Admin on Nov 5, 2013 18:28:59 GMT 12
Often confused in the popular media as postnatal distress/depression... Postpartum psychosis ( or puerperal psychosis) is a very different, distinct and severe mental health disorder. Signposting you to another fantastic resource, the following is an excerpt from rcpsych.ac.uk
What is postpartum psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis (or puerperal psychosis) is a severe episode of mental illness which begins suddenly in the days or weeks after having a baby. Symptoms vary and can change rapidly. They can include high mood (mania), depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions. Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency. You should seek help as quickly as possible.
Postpartum psychosis can happen to any woman. It often occurs ‘out of the blue’ to women who have not been ill before. It can be a frightening experience for women, their partners, friends and family. Women usually recover fully after an episode of postpartum psychosis.
It is much less common than Baby Blues or Postnatal Depression. It occurs in about 1 in every 1000 women (0.1%) who have a baby.
How do the symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis differ from Postnatal Depression or Baby Blues?
Many women experience mild mood changes after having a baby. It is common to feel many different emotions.
Over half of new mothers will have the 'Baby Blues'. This usually starts 3 to 4 days after birth. You may have mood swings. You may burst into tears easily. You can feel irritable, low and anxious at times. You may also over-react to things. It usually stops by the time your baby is about 10 days old. You don’t need treatment for Baby Blues.
Postnatal depression affects 10 to 15 in every 100 women after childbirth. The symptoms are similar to those in depression at other times. These include low mood and other symptoms lasting at least two weeks.
Postpartum psychosis is different from postnatal depression. It is a more severe illness. There are many different ways the illness can start. Women often have symptoms of depression or mania (see our leaflet on Bipolar Disorder) or a mixture of these. Symptoms can change very quickly from hour to hour and from one day to the next.
There are many symptoms that occur in postpartum psychosis. These may include:
- feeling ‘high’, ‘manic’ or ‘on top of the world’
- low mood and tearfulness
- anxiety or irritability
- rapid changes in mood
- severe confusion
- being restless and agitated
- racing thoughts
- behaviour that is out of character
- being more talkative, active and sociable than usual
- being very withdrawn and not talking to people
- finding it hard to sleep, or not wanting to sleep
- losing your inhibitions
- feeling paranoid, suspicious, fearful
- feeling as if you’re in a dream world
- delusions: these are odd thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true. For example, you might believe you have won the
lottery. You may think your baby is possessed by the devil. You might think people are out to get you.
- hallucinations: this means you see, hear, feel or smell things that aren’t really there.
You may not be able to look after yourself as well as you would when you are well. Your symptoms may make it very difficult for you to look after your baby. If you have postpartum psychosis you may not realise you are ill. Your partner, family or friends may recognise that something is wrong and need to ask for help.
When does it happen?
Most commonly these episodes begin in the first two weeks after birth. Often symptoms begin in the first few days after having a baby. More rarely, the illness starts later – several weeks after the baby is born.
Why does it happen?
Postpartum psychosis is not your fault. It is not caused by anything you or your partner have thought or done. Relationship problems, stress or the baby being unwanted do not cause postpartum psychosis. There are likely to be many factors that lead to an episode of postpartum psychosis. We know that genetic factors are important. You are more likely to have postpartum psychosis if a close relative has had it. Changes in hormone levels and disrupted sleep patterns may also be involved. More research is needed.
There is a great deal of further useful info on this page, including risk factors, current practice in prevention, care during pregnancy for those considered high risk, postnatal care and medication etc.
I would also signpost to the excellent information about this on mothersmatter.co.nz
Once again there are many stories out there, though with the nature of this particular illness some of them can be very difficult to read, so please be mindful of that if you go a 'googling' whilst feeling vulnerable. Here is one personal account which I hope provides a useful general introduction.
Looking forward to to hearing your thoughts.
What is postpartum psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis (or puerperal psychosis) is a severe episode of mental illness which begins suddenly in the days or weeks after having a baby. Symptoms vary and can change rapidly. They can include high mood (mania), depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions. Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency. You should seek help as quickly as possible.
Postpartum psychosis can happen to any woman. It often occurs ‘out of the blue’ to women who have not been ill before. It can be a frightening experience for women, their partners, friends and family. Women usually recover fully after an episode of postpartum psychosis.
It is much less common than Baby Blues or Postnatal Depression. It occurs in about 1 in every 1000 women (0.1%) who have a baby.
How do the symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis differ from Postnatal Depression or Baby Blues?
Many women experience mild mood changes after having a baby. It is common to feel many different emotions.
Over half of new mothers will have the 'Baby Blues'. This usually starts 3 to 4 days after birth. You may have mood swings. You may burst into tears easily. You can feel irritable, low and anxious at times. You may also over-react to things. It usually stops by the time your baby is about 10 days old. You don’t need treatment for Baby Blues.
Postnatal depression affects 10 to 15 in every 100 women after childbirth. The symptoms are similar to those in depression at other times. These include low mood and other symptoms lasting at least two weeks.
Postpartum psychosis is different from postnatal depression. It is a more severe illness. There are many different ways the illness can start. Women often have symptoms of depression or mania (see our leaflet on Bipolar Disorder) or a mixture of these. Symptoms can change very quickly from hour to hour and from one day to the next.
There are many symptoms that occur in postpartum psychosis. These may include:
- feeling ‘high’, ‘manic’ or ‘on top of the world’
- low mood and tearfulness
- anxiety or irritability
- rapid changes in mood
- severe confusion
- being restless and agitated
- racing thoughts
- behaviour that is out of character
- being more talkative, active and sociable than usual
- being very withdrawn and not talking to people
- finding it hard to sleep, or not wanting to sleep
- losing your inhibitions
- feeling paranoid, suspicious, fearful
- feeling as if you’re in a dream world
- delusions: these are odd thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true. For example, you might believe you have won the
lottery. You may think your baby is possessed by the devil. You might think people are out to get you.
- hallucinations: this means you see, hear, feel or smell things that aren’t really there.
You may not be able to look after yourself as well as you would when you are well. Your symptoms may make it very difficult for you to look after your baby. If you have postpartum psychosis you may not realise you are ill. Your partner, family or friends may recognise that something is wrong and need to ask for help.
When does it happen?
Most commonly these episodes begin in the first two weeks after birth. Often symptoms begin in the first few days after having a baby. More rarely, the illness starts later – several weeks after the baby is born.
Why does it happen?
Postpartum psychosis is not your fault. It is not caused by anything you or your partner have thought or done. Relationship problems, stress or the baby being unwanted do not cause postpartum psychosis. There are likely to be many factors that lead to an episode of postpartum psychosis. We know that genetic factors are important. You are more likely to have postpartum psychosis if a close relative has had it. Changes in hormone levels and disrupted sleep patterns may also be involved. More research is needed.
There is a great deal of further useful info on this page, including risk factors, current practice in prevention, care during pregnancy for those considered high risk, postnatal care and medication etc.
I would also signpost to the excellent information about this on mothersmatter.co.nz
Once again there are many stories out there, though with the nature of this particular illness some of them can be very difficult to read, so please be mindful of that if you go a 'googling' whilst feeling vulnerable. Here is one personal account which I hope provides a useful general introduction.
Looking forward to to hearing your thoughts.
