Symptoms of Postnatal Depression:
|
Symptoms |
PPE |
Baby Blues |
Postnatal depression |
Postpartum Psychosis |
|
mood swings |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
feeling sad, anxious, overwhelmed |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
experience crying spells |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
loss of appetite |
|
√ |
√ |
|
|
sleep disturbances |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
hopelessness |
|
|
√ |
|
|
low self esteem |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
tiredness |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
guilt |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
eating disturbances |
|
√ |
√ |
|
|
inability to be comforted |
|
√ |
√ |
|
|
exhaustion |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
emptiness |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
social withdrawal |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
little or no energy |
|
|
√ |
|
|
becoming easily frustrated |
|
|
√ |
|
|
feeling inadequate in caring for baby |
|
√ |
√ |
|
|
impaired speech and writing |
|
|
√ |
|
|
spells of anger towards others |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
increased anxiety or panic attacks |
|
|
√ |
|
|
negative feelings toward the baby |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
lack of pleasure in all or most activities |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
decreased or significantly increased appetite |
|
|
√ |
|
|
low energy |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
feeling withdrawn, socially isolated, or unconnected |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
feelings of worthlessness or guilt |
|
|
√ |
|
|
intense agitation and irritability |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
difficulty concentrating or thinking |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
thoughts of death |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
thoughts of suicide (a suicide plan) |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
thoughts of harming baby or self |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
little or no interest in the baby |
|
|
√ |
√ |
|
hallucinations and delusions |
|
|
|
√ |
|
feeling confused and disoriented |
|
|
|
√ |
|
rapid mood swings |
|
|
|
√ |
|
attempts to harm self or baby |
|
|
|
√ |
|
paranoia |
|
|
|
√ |
|
bizarre behaviour |
|
|
|
√ |
|
inability or refusal to eat or sleep |
|
|
√ |
√ |
Symptoms: breaking it down
Many of these symptoms will seem (to anyone who has been a mother)to be fairly standard behaviours and feelings of a tired mother experiencing broken sleep, who is learning to live with a new baby and the many changes in her life. The key to these symptoms is that they are identified from two weeks to months after the baby arrives, and they are noticeable because they are a significant change in the mother (from her “before” child state).