3 Mental Disorders That Often Occur After Childbirth That Can't Be Ignored

YOGYAKARTA - The birth of a baby is the happiest moment for a mother. But behind the joy of welcoming the presence of the baby, not a few mothers experience psychological disorders. Research shows that about 85 percent of mothers experience mood swings after giving birth.

Many new mothers feel sad, easily anxious, or get offended quickly after giving birth. This condition is natural only for a short time. However, if these feelings are prolonged, even disrupting daily activities and relationships with babies or families, then it could be a sign of post-birth mental disorders.

Most of them only experience mild and rapidly improving symptoms, but about 10 to 15 percent are facing more serious psychological problems. Reporting from Women's Mental Health, here are 3 mental disorders that often occur after giving birth.

In general, mental disorders after giving birth can be grouped into three types, namely postpartum blues, post-born depression, and post-born psychosis. The following is an explanation of the three types of mental disorders.

The blues postpartum is often also referred to as baby blues. This condition was experienced by about 50 to 85 percent of mothers in the first weeks after giving birth. Symptoms include changing moods, easy crying, feeling anxious, and being offended quickly.

Symptoms usually appear on the fourth or fifth day after delivery and can last several hours until a few days, then subside by themselves in about two weeks. Although it feels annoying, baby blues generally doesn't make the mother lose the ability to care for the baby or do other activities.

This condition is often considered as the body's normal response to hormonal changes, fatigue, and self-adjustment to being a mother. However, it is important to be aware of if sadness or anxiety lasts more than two weeks.

In certain cases, postpartum blues can develop into post-born depression, especially if the mother has a history of depression before.

2. Post-born Depression

Unlike baby blues, post-born depression is a more serious condition and can last a long time. This type of depression usually appears in the first two to three months after giving birth, although symptoms can also be seen since pregnancy.

Signs of post-born depression include persistent moods of sadness or gloomyness, easy crying, loss of interest in daily activities, feeling worthless or incompetent as a mother, excessive fatigue, and thoughts of suicide.

In addition, there are excessive feelings of anxiety or worry from the mother to the baby. For example, some mothers have unreasonable fears that they can harm their babies.

To detect this condition, one of the most frequently used tools is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, which is a questionnaire with 10 questions. A score of 12 or higher, or answering a question related to the suicide mind, is a sign of the need for further examination by professionals.

3. Psychosis After Childbirth

Post-born psicosis is the most severe mental disorder. This condition is very rare, namely only experienced by about 1 to 2 mothers from 1,000 births. However, the impact is very serious and dangerous.

Psychosises usually appear in a fast time, often in the first 48 to 72 hours after giving birth, or no later than two weeks. Symptoms include severe sleep disorders, drastic changing moods (can be very sad then suddenly very happy), confused and disoriented, even hallucinations, such as hearing sounds that tell to hurt yourself or the baby.

This condition is often associated with bipolar disorder, because the symptoms are similar to that of the mania episode. The risk of suicide or the act of harming a baby is very high, so the psychosis after giving birth must be treated immediately with intensive medical treatment.

Mental disorders after giving birth are not a sign of a mother's weakness, but a health problem that needs serious attention. Support from a partner, family, and the surrounding environment is very important to help mothers recover.

If the symptoms last more than two weeks or appear to get worse, immediately consult a doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Handling can be in the form of counseling, therapy, to medical treatment according to the conditions experienced.

Recognizing signs of mental disorders after giving birth early on will help mothers get the right help, so they can return to enjoying their new role happily with their baby.