Psychology
Mental health in Pakistan: stigma, faith and getting help
Mental illness is common in Pakistan and most people never get treatment. How stigma and beliefs shape help-seeking, and where to find help.
27 Sept 20267 min read
Postnatal depression
Also known as Postpartum depression, PPD
Depression that begins during pregnancy or in the year after having a baby. It is common, it is not a sign of being a bad mother, and it is treatable.
In Psychology
Postnatal depression is more than the . It lasts beyond the first two weeks, or starts later, and it can come on at any point in the first year. Fathers and partners can develop it too.
Signs
- Persistent low mood, tearfulness or hopelessness
- Losing interest in things, including the baby
- Exhaustion beyond ordinary new-parent tiredness, or being unable to sleep when the baby sleeps
- Anxiety, guilt, and feeling you are failing
- Frightening , or thoughts of harming yourself
Treatment is talking therapy such as , practical help at home, and sometimes an antidepressant — several are considered safe while breastfeeding. Most women recover, often within three to six months with treatment. The full article is postnatal depression.
Where this comes up
Psychology
Postnatal depression: more than the baby blues
Baby blues pass within two weeks. Postnatal depression lasts longer, is common in Pakistan, and gets better with treatment. Postpartum psychosis is an emergency.
27 Sept 20268 min read
Related terms
- Baby bluesMaternity blues, Postpartum bluesBrief tearfulness, mood swings and anxiety in the first days after giving birth. It is very common, normal, and settles within about two weeks.
- DepressionClinical depression, Major depressive disorderA medical condition in which low mood or loss of interest lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, and affects sleep, energy and daily life.
- Intrusive thoughtsUnwanted thoughts, Intrusive thoughtUnwanted thoughts, images or urges that pop into the mind uninvited, often disturbing ones. Almost everyone has them; they become a problem only when they cause great distress and take over.
- SSRISelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, SSRIsSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor: the most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant, used for depression and many anxiety conditions. Examples are sertraline, fluoxetine, escitalopram, citalopram and paroxetine.