Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Beth* is a 35 year-old mother of a 4 month-old baby
“It has been a few months since my life changed forever. As I am sitting here looking at my beautiful baby napping on my chest I can’t help but feel so overwhelmed. So lost, so tired, so numb. I didn’t think this is how I would feel. I had imagined motherhood to be an amazing, fulfilling, exciting experience and instead I just feel sleep-deprived, lost and not myself at all. Realistically I knew my life would be different and that there would be an adjustment but somehow nobody prepared me for the reality of the day-to-day struggles of life with a small child (or children).
The funny thing is not all of it is hard – there are many magical moments, times when I feel my heart bursting with love for my baby. But often I feel completely checked out, unable to truly bond with my child. I scour the Internet and social media for answers but seeing the highlight reel of others’ lives just makes me feel even more of a failure as a mom. What is wrong with me? Is this what my life will be like from now on? Something feels off but is it even serious enough for me to seek help? Could I have postpartum depression?”
These are some of the experiences and worries of moms in the post partum period who come to see me
The reality is that as many as 1 in 7 new moms may experience postpartum depression and 50% of them never seek help or get diagnosed. When you are in the trenches it can be tricky to figure out whether something is wrong because postpartum depression and anxiety can present in many different ways. The most common symptoms, however, include sadness, loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities, social isolation, feeling like a failure, extreme guilt, sleep issues, unexplained rage, fatigue, not feeling bonded to the baby, and worthlessness. In extreme cases it can also include thoughts of suicide or wanting to harm the baby.
Many women I work with also struggle with anxiety and trauma/PTSD.
Often symptoms begin during or before pregnancy especially if you have had anxiety or depression in the past. Other times you may not experience such symptoms until a bit later, maybe 6 months to a year (or even longer) after having a child. Life with young children presents a whole different set of stressors, which can also increase the chances of postpartum anxiety and depression.
In my work with clients we focus on the things that matter to them
This often includes learning how to prioritize their needs, get more rest, ask for and accept help, take the pressure off of themselves and redefine what it means to be a good parent, setting healthy boundaries and increasing social connections. We also work on finding easy ways to reduce symptoms of anxiety and handle any potential transitions such as starting daycare, hiring a nanny or going back to work.
You are worthy of feeling better and getting the right kind of support during such a huge transition in your life.
My clients often find it helpful to know that I am a mom of two young children myself and can personally relate to so many of the topics that may come up during our work together. I like to pull from my personal experience in addition to the evidence-based therapeutic approaches I utilize to offer the kind of support that moms find truly helpful. The good news is most moms with postpartum depression who find treatment fully recover.
You don’t have to live this way! Let me be your guide…
You deserve to feel better and be the mom you want to be.
Please call (914) 888-6413 or email me to set up a free 20-minute phone or video consultation. You will see how good it feels to take responsibility for taking that first step toward improving your life.
*Names changed to preserve client confidentiality.