Postpartum anxiety doesn't get as much attention as postpartum depression, but it may be even more common.
By Korin Miller, Self
New moms are often warned about the dangers of postpartum depression
(PPD), but not as many people have heard of postpartum anxiety (PPA)—in
spite of the fact that it might even be more common than PPD. Of
course, having a baby can spark at least some level of anxiety
in even the most laid-back woman—after all, you’re suddenly responsible
for keeping a tiny person alive at the same time you’re struggling to
get enough sleep. But postpartum anxiety is more than just general
stress or worry.
[post_ads]Also known as
perinatal anxiety, PPA can cause sufferers to feel constantly anxious—to
the point where it can interfere with their daily lives. Postpartum
anxiety can go hand-in-hand with postpartum depression or it can be
completely separate, Catherine Birndorf, M.D., founder of the Motherhood
Center in New York City and an associate professor of psychiatry at the
Weill Cornell Medical College, tells SELF. Doctors aren't totally sure
what causes PPA, but suspect that the lack of sleep and fluctuating
hormone levels that come with being a new mom may be at play, she says.
Never
heard of it? You’re not alone. While PPA itself isn’t a new thing, it’s
only recently that people have begun to pay attention to it, Karen
Kleiman, L.C.S.W., director of the Postpartum Stress Center, and author of The Art of Holding in Therapy: An Essential Intervention for Postpartum Depression and Anxiety, tells SELF, as the condition hasn’t been extensively researched. A 2013 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics
of 1,123 mothers found that 17 percent of them had signs of postpartum
anxiety, while 6 percent had signs of postpartum depression, two weeks
after delivery. (In the study, 3.7 percent of women tested positive for
both anxiety and depression.) Study authors noted that they didn't have
data on the women's pre-pregnancy mental health and that the study was
focused on women who intended to breastfeed (so their findings can't be
applied to women intending to formula feed), but it implies that PPA may
occur more than PPD.
Another study conducted on pregnant and postpartum Canadian women that was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders
in 2016 suggests that PPA may be more common than PPD. For the study,
researchers screened 310 pregnant women for anxiety and followed up with
in-depth interviews with the women three months after they gave birth.
About 16 percent of the new moms suffered from anxiety and
anxiety-related disorders while they were pregnant, and 17 percent had
significant anxiety after giving birth. (Just 5 percent of new moms
suffered from PPD, researchers found.) “This study provides evidence
that, as a group, anxiety and related conditions affect a significant
proportion of postpartum women, and are more prevalent than is
postpartum depression,” researchers concluded. The study was small and
researchers only interviewed women who showed some signs of clinical
anxiety, but it indicates that PPA may be more common than people think.
While
there are no concrete numbers on how many women suffer from postpartum
anxiety, anxiety itself is very common. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America,
an estimated 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, and
only about one-third of them receive treatment. If you suffer from
anxiety before pregnancy, you are at an increased risk for developing
PPA, but it can affect any mother. "For some women who may be more
sensitive or have a history of anxiety, the postpartum period can
trigger more problematic anxiety," Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety, tells SELF.
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While
some anxiety as a new mother is normal, Clark says that women who
suffer from PPA have anxiety that spreads beyond normal new parent
worries (keeping your baby safe, fed, and clean) and into more
disturbing and uncomfortable fears. “Some women have obsessive worries
about the health and safety of the baby, fears about care-taking and
parenting, or panic about how all these new experiences feel,” she says.
“The worry is significant and distressing and gets in the way of being
able to carry out life.” Women who suffer from PPA may be irritable,
moody, have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, are edgy, and may even suffer from stomach distress as a result.
Women
who suffer from PPA may also suffer from rumination—constantly worrying
that she’s not a good enough mother or that she’ll do something
wrong—and have catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily symptoms, such
as thinking she’s having a heart attack and then worrying about who will
take care of the baby if something happens to her, Kleiman says. And,
she adds, it can cause women to develop compulsive behaviors, like
constantly checking on the baby while he sleeps to the point that it
hinders her ability to sleep.
[post_ads]If you
suspect that your anxiety is actually PPA, Clark says it’s important to
recognize that you’re not alone and it doesn’t make you a bad mom.
“Postpartum anxiety can be an understandable reaction to the
extraordinary changes in your life, and it means you care deeply,” she
says. The first step toward recovery is recognizing that you suffer from
anxiety, which can help you feel more in control. “Leaning on your
support system to get more sleep is probably the most effective thing
you can do as well,” she says. “Sleep is a critical necessity to life,
and more especially when facing change and adjustment.”
And,
if that doesn’t help, it may be time to seek out guidance from a
professional (Clark suggests asking your doctor or your child’s
pediatrician for a recommendation). Just know this: People may brush off
your concerns as a normal part of being a new mom, so it's up to you to
advocate for yourself. "Find someone who will hear you," Birndorf says.
"You know when something is not right." Cognitive behavioral therapy, a
form of psychotherapy that works to change negative patterns of
thought, can be helpful in teaching you how to mentally reframe your
irrational worries into rational ones, Clark says, and medication can
also be effective.
Anxiety can be
incredibly stressful, Kleiman says, adding that women say it makes them
"feel like they are going crazy." But, she adds, anxiety is treatable:
"Women shouldn’t hesitate to let someone know how they are feeling so
they can get the support they need."
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