What Does Postpartum Depression Feel Like?
What does postpartum depression FEEL like? For many people, they assume that postpartum depression would mean a new mom just feels sad all the time, but it’s so much more than that. In fact, some mothers experiencing postpartum depression don’t even identify sadness as one of their main emotions.
In plain mama English, it’s often described like this:
“It feels scary.”
“It feels out of control.”
“It feels like I’m never going to feel like myself again.”
“It feels like each day is a hundred hours long.”
“It feels like no one understands.”
“It feels like my marriage cannot survive this.”
“It feels like I’m numb.”
“It feels like I’m a bad mother.”
“It feels like emptiness.”
“It feels like I should never have had this baby.”
“It feels like if I could only get a good nights sleep, everything would be better.”
“It feels like I have no patience for anything anymore.”
“It feels like there is no way I can wake up and face another day…or handle another difficult night.”
“It feels like I’m going crazy.”
"It feels like there’s something wrong with me, but I’m too afraid to tell anyone.”
“It feels like I will always feel like this.”
Postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders (postpartum/perinatal anxiety, rage, OCD, and psychosis) are much more than just the “baby blues”. PPD symptoms can show up any time within the first year after a baby is born, and will last for more than two weeks.
Treatment For Postpartum Depression
While the above feelings can seem overwhelming, the good news is that they will not last forever — especially with specialized intervention from medical and mental health providers! With the right support, you can feel like yourself again and even enjoy this time of life.
If you or someone you care about is experiencing some of the feelings mentioned above, please talk to a medical provider and mental health specialist right away. The Healing Group has therapists with specialized training who can treat the unique needs of parents struggling during the postpartum period. Call or text 801-305-3171 to meet with a specialized Utah therapist and feel whole again!