Postpartum depression DSM 5
A new baby is a thrilling occasion for any parent. But the thought of added responsibility, bringing up a child, building your life around it, social and financial changes due to this…all this can be quite overwhelming, especially for a mother who has just given birth. All this pressure could result in postpartum depression. However, to be very honest there is no single reason for a woman to develop Postpartum Depression.
Is Postpartum depression in the DSM 5?
DSM-5 is not a separate diagnosis for postpartum depression. It recognizes if patients meet a major depressive episode as well as a peripartum-onset specifier. So, we can say it’s a major depressive episode in women with an onset within 4 weeks of delivery or during the pregnancy period.
What are the mood disorders in DSM 5?
The latest psychotic developments include that it recognizes catatonia as a clinical state with 3 new disorders such as persistent depressive disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Here are a few other factors that might be the cause of depression postpartum:
It’s All Physical
Right after childbirth, the body experiences a dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone (hormones) this is usually one of the biggest causes of Postpartum Depression. This condition can be worsened due to the fact that during this time, the thyroid gland also drops production sharply — which makes the mother feel unnaturally tired, lethargic, and depressed. Frequent fluctuations in blood pressure, immune system, and metabolism can also add to this situation.
It’s Getting Emotional
A newborn means little or no sleep for the parent, who in this state might be called to make crucial decisions about the baby itself or the rest of the family. It is an exhausting state to be in and no one can blame the mother for feeling tired, emotional, and even unattractive. A lot of women feel depressed and overwhelmed during this time. They feel like they have lost their entire being and self-identity at the hands of a baby. All of these thoughts can be quite rattling and often leaves the mother feeling extremely drained, thus being one of the major causes of Postpartum Depression.
Maybe It’s Just Life
When it comes to discussing the causes of depression postpartum. You just cannot disregard the fact that maybe it stems from the patient’s lifestyle itself. New mothers have to face a lot, the constant demands of a baby, trouble breastfeeding, and lack of social or family support. Managing the household, and living up to the expectations of the existing family members or the disappointment of giving up a career. All these could be the root causes of depression –postpartum.
Some of the other factors which greatly increase the risk of postpartum depression are:
- If the mother already has a history of depression or suffered depression during or after prior pregnancies.
- She has experienced a rough or stressful time in the past year or just prior to getting pregnant, or miscarried previously.
- an unhappy relationship and does not get the required support from her better half.
- having financial problems.
- It was an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.
- Women who suffer from bipolar disorder are in the high-risk group of those who might suffer from postpartum psychosis.
Now once you have established the causes of depression postpartum. It is of the utmost importance that the mother gets medical help for this condition as soon as possible. Treatment and recovery from postpartum depression vary from person to person as well as the severity of the depression.
