to worry but sometimes it just comes
out of the blue. Either way, we need
to be aware of it, understand it, and
recognize that while motherhood is
hard, it does not have to be this tough.
Early signs can often be seen in the last
trimester of pregnancy and reaching
out to your obstetrician or a midwife is
an important first step to ensure a care
plan is triggered.
In terms of treatment for Postnatal
Anxiety or Depression, this can depend
greatly on the individual’s history, if
any, of mental health issues and the
severity of the symptoms. If the illness
is presenting as more severe in nature,
evidence would show that best practice
is a combined approach of medication
and high intensity psychotherapy,
such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
While the decision to prescribe and
take medication is a serious one, the
importance of preserving the mother’s
wellness and in turn the wellness of the
baby is paramount. Many women sadly
think of taking medication as a sign of
failure in their new role of being a mother
and struggle to see that treating their
illness will actually allow them to be
the mother they want to be. Facilitating
self-help is probably one of the most
important roles that a psychologist plays
in working with mothers experiencing
mental health issues.
There are so many mothers who
struggle through perinatal mental health
issues, unfortunately. The newborn
period is not a time to try and swallow
or ignore those negative thoughts in
your mind, it is the time to reach out
and tell someone. Having Postnatal
Anxiety or Postnatal Depression does
not define you as a mother. Some of the
bravest mums that I have met are those
that have quietly struggled through this
terrible illness, while still managing to
meet the needs of their babies, but then
recognise that enough is enough. It is
time to do something about it.
Dr Suzanne Meenan is a Doctor with
Central Health.
November 2016
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