[Self-Test] Signs of Postpartum Depression (PPD)

additudemag.com:

EXPERT WEBINAR ON SEPTEMBER 7:Register here for “The Unspoken Truths of Postpartum Depression” with Dr. Jayne Singer.Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious but treatable condition that occurs during pregnancy or after childbirth. (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders uses the term “peripartum depression” in recognition that many pregnant individuals experience depressive symptoms prior to delivery.)Postpartum depression is more than the “baby blues.” Along with typical symptoms of depression — from persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness to difficulty concentrating — postpartum depression may cause a parent to feel distant from their baby, to feel like a bad parent, to experience anxiousness (sometimes called postpartum anxiety), and to think about hurting themselves or their baby.1About one in eight women experience symptoms of postpartum depression.2 Certain factors may increase risk for PPD, including a history of depressive disorders.3Women with ADHD may be at greater risk for PPD.

According to a 2023 study of more than 773,000 mothers with and without ADHD, about 17% of women with ADHD experienced PPD compared to 3.3% of women without ADHD.4 The same study found that about 25% of women with ADHD were diagnosed with anxiety disorders postpartum, compared to 4.61% of women without ADHD.4Postpartum depression is treated with medications and/or psychotherapy.

In August 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a pill for the treatment of postpartum depression that is the first of its kind.If you are pregnant or a new parent, take this self-test to see if you may be experiencing symptoms of postpartum/peripartum depression and/or anxiety.