Postpartum depression can happen to any woman, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, culture or education. It doesn't matter whether you are a new mother or a mother to a few children, or whether you are married, or not. As long as the following factors are present, you will be more vulnerable to developing the condition.
You live in an environment that lacks physical or emotional support. You have a family history of depression or mental illness. You have a past history of depression. Signs and symptoms of postpartum depression can vary greatly from one woman to another. But some of the more common and telltale ones are when:
You lose pleasure or interest in things you used to enjoy, including sex. You feel worthless, and find yourself burdened with doubts of your own ability to become a good mother. You fear being left alone with the baby. You think about harming herself or even the baby. If the above symptoms last longer than two weeks, you may need to speak to a doctor or licensed mental health service provider, such as a registered counsellor, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist. The treatments you need to recover from postpartum depression depend on the severity of your symptoms.
If you have mild symptoms, simple counselling sessions and support from your friends and family may suffice. If you have symptoms that are slightly more severe and persistent, you may need to take anti-depressants and go for special psychotherapy sessions. However if you have severe symptoms, like persistent suicidal thoughts and thoughts of harming your baby, you will most likely need medications and other more invasive therapies to help you. More importantly, you will also need to learn how to develop skills to manage your feelings and cope with problems.