For a mother, the moment of giving birth is usually one of the most beautiful, happy and memorable episodes in the lives of most women, as well as their partners.
Although pregnancy can be a source of great joy for mothers, in certain cases it gives rise to experiences of intense emotional pain; Sometimes a series of problems or psychological alterations may develop, especially after childbirth, at which time some women may begin to experience negative feelings that they did not expect.
Most of these psychological experiences of discomfort after the birth of the baby are characterized by feelings of melancholy, sadness, anxiety or discomfort; However, in some situations the problem becomes so pronounced that it constitutes a clinically studied phenomenon that constitutes a true pathology on a psychological level: postpartum depression. In this article we will see what this alteration is and How postpartum depression is associated with feelings of guilt.
Postpartum depression is a psychological alteration that some mothers experience, especially first-time mothers, after the birth of their baby , characterized by symptoms of anguish, discomfort and suffering related to depression. It is a phenomenon addressed through psychotherapy, often within the framework of perinatal psychology.
This psychological phenomenon usually appears immediately after childbirth or up to a year after giving birth to the baby, although it usually develops during the 3 months following childbirth.
It is an alteration that causes great discomfort in the mental health of mothers who suffer from it; It affects your mood, changes in your habits and also your social relationships.
Although the real causes of the phenomenon are not known, professionals agree that its appearance may be due to the hormonal imbalance that mothers suffer during pregnancy and childbirth.
In addition to that, the stress caused by the birth of the baby, the insecurity of being new mothers and the constant care that the new member of the family receives can also cause postpartum depression.
Symptoms of postpartum depression
Since not all people are the same, each woman experiences postpartum depression differently and may develop a series of differentiated and unique symptoms, these are the most common.
1. Irritability and mood swings
Irritability and mood swings are constant in women who develop cases of postpartum depression, and this considerably affects your private life and the daily development of your responsibilities and relationships.
In these cases, mothers usually have a clear tendency to argue with the people around them, to get angry over the smallest thing that happens to them, and to go from states of normality to anger or annoyance in a short time.
2. Anxiety and stress
As noted, postpartum depression is usually caused by the anxiety that comes with caring for a baby for the first time, as well as because of the stress that new mothers have.
In addition to depression, anxiety and stress are usually psychological disorders that deeply affect women’s mental health.
3. Uncontrollable crying
Frequent, inconsolable crying is also one of the most common symptoms of postpartum depression.
Being such a visible and obvious symptom, it should be considered a warning sign of postpartum depression in mothers who have just given birth to their children.
Hormonal alterations and imbalances in mothers’ bodies also cause sleep disorders, especially insomnia.
These difficulties falling asleep They tend to further worsen the person’s health and contribute to increasing discomfort, irritability and mood swings.
5. Lack of appetite
Lack of appetite and changes in women’s lifestyle are also common in cases of postpartum depression.
Likewise, it is also common for the person to abandon the activities that previously gave them pleasure and stop doing everything that previously fulfilled them and made them happy.
6. Intense sadness
Sadness is a classic symptom of postpartum depression, just as it is of normal depression and constitutes a feeling that constantly accompanies the person.
Mothers who develop postpartum depression are unable to find well-being, happiness or fun in any activity, not even in those responsibilities linked to their new status as mothers.
Guilt in postpartum depression
Guilt is another of the classic symptoms of postpartum depression and one of the elements that generate greater pain, suffering and anguish in mothers who develop this psychological alteration.
Most mothers who have postpartum depression, feeling sad after giving birth, They also feel guilty for not being able to fully enjoy their motherhood and caring for her new child, as any mother would do under normal circumstances. At the same time, gender roles come into play that link motherhood with femininity; This makes them feel like a failed project as a woman, as they do not conform to the expectations associated with the figure of the mother.
Thus, the fact of not fitting with the classic attitudes expected of a mother devoted to her children and socially imposed gender roles (absolute dedication to caring for children, permanent availability, need and constant willingness to attend to all the family’s needs, etc.) can also generate feelings of guilt.
Finally, some mothers with postpartum depression may blame themselves for something they believe they have done wrong in the past, and believe that they deserve their depression and discomfort by having acted wrong or done something bad at some point in their lives or during the pregnancy.
