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What are the symptoms of antenatal
depression? How can I avoid this?
If you’re not feeling so chipper every day, then it helps to know
that, to a degree, having the baby blues is a completely normal
part of pregnancy. There’s a lot of information out there about
postpartum depression, but antenatal (or prenatal ) depression
has been given a lot less attention. While the ups and downs
of hormonally-charged mood swings during pregnancy are
pretty commonplace, feeling more bad than good, or more
anxious and overwhelmed than calm is something you should be
concerned about. If not properly treated antenatal depression
can sometimes even lead to postnatal depression.
Once you recognise that your blues are nothing to shrug off, it’s
time to take action. Talk to your doctor immediately and ask them
for recommendations. Talking therapy can help, but you might be
in need of medication. With the help of a professional therapist,
you can identify the factors causing your depression and get
help dealing with them properly.
If your everyday life during pregnancy involves
one or more of these symptoms, you might
have antenatal depression:
•
Inability to concentrate
•
Difficulty remembering
•
Feeling emotionally detached
•
Extreme irritability
•
Sleeping too much or not enough, or restless sleep
•
Endless fatigue
•
Feeling isolated
•
Loss of appetite
•
Weight loss/gain unrelated to pregnancy
•
No interest in sex
•
An ongoing feeling of dread
•
Feeling like a failure
•
Feeling guilty all of the time
•
Persistent sadness
•
Suicidal thoughts