The first step is usually to talk to your doctor to be screened for PPD. They’ll likely refer you to a therapist for psychotherapy (talk therapy) and may also recommend an antidepressant, if it’s deemed appropriate.
But how can you tell whether your PPD treatment is effective and will eventually lead to your recovery from the condition?
“Treatment for PPD varies for everyone, but research shows that the sooner you get diagnosed and receive help, the better the outcome,” says Juli Fraga, PsyD, a psychologist who treats PPD in San Francisco. “Treatment can include talk therapy, group support, medication, and lifestyle adjustments, such as meditation, light exercise, and getting extra rest when you can.”
Here are seven signs that your PPD treatment is working.
1. You Feel More Emotionally Stable, and Your Mood Has Improved
One of the earliest signs that your PPD treatment regimen is working is an increase in emotional stability, says Sipra Laddha, MD, a perinatal psychiatrist in Atlanta and the founder of LunaJoy, a women’s mental health practice.
“The lows might not feel as low, permanent, or sticky,” Dr. Laddha says. “Someone may still have difficult moments, but they feel less overwhelmed by them.”
Your mood also lifts, even if it’s just a little at first. “You feel less sad, hopeless, and irritable,” says Dr. Fraga.
2. You’re Better Able to Handle Stress
But after spending time working with your therapist or giving medication time to work, that overwhelm you feel in response to daily stressors may begin to lift. “You feel better equipped to handle stressful situations like your baby crying [when treatment is helping],” says Fraga.
3. Daily Tasks Feel More Manageable
“Things like getting out of bed, showering, feeding yourself, or responding to messages may start to feel more achievable instead of impossible,” Laddha says.
4. You’re More in Control of Your Thoughts
“Depression can cause [such] thoughts,” says Fraga. “One sign that treatment is working is when these thoughts, such as ‘I’m a bad mom,’ start to decrease.”
5. You Feel More Connected to Your Baby and Loved Ones
“PPD can create emotional numbness or disconnection,” Laddha says. “Feeling more present and emotionally engaged is often a meaningful sign of progress.”
6. Your Sleep, Appetite, and Energy Begin to Improve
But once these basic functions start to normalize again, it can be a positive sign that your treatment plan is doing the trick.
“It’s hard to get good sleep with a baby, but depression can cause you to feel more fatigued or cause you to wake up without feeling rested,” Fraga says. “When treatment works, your sleep improves, which can also improve your mood…. Depression can [also] cause appetite changes, such as eating when you’re not hungry or not eating enough. When your appetite returns to normal, it’s a sign that treatment is moving in the right direction.”
7. You Feel More Hopeful About the Future
Feeling hopeless is a classic sign of PPD, so if that cloud of dread starts to lift, it can mean you’re making progress with treatment.
“When treatment is working, people often begin thinking beyond survival mode,” says Laddha. “Even small feelings of hope or motivation matter.”
If treatment is helping, you may be tempted to discontinue or alter what you’re doing, but that can be a bad idea.
“Anyone receiving treatment for postpartum depression should avoid making changes to medication or their treatment plan without consulting their doctor first,” Laddha says. “Stopping medication abruptly or adjusting treatment on your own can worsen symptoms and make recovery more difficult.”
And you shouldn’t try to deal with PPD on your own. Getting the proper care is critical to your recovery.
“One of the challenges with postpartum depression is that many mothers believe they should simply push through it alone,” Laddha says. “Or they might think it will go away quickly on its own, or [that] it is a normal part of the journey. But PPD is not a personal failure or weakness. It is a real and treatable mental health condition, and reaching out for help is an important act of care for both the parent and the child.”
Read the full article here
