Beauty Tips

How to Tell if You Have Postpartum Depression

The condition might not be as obvious as you think (lots of women overlook no. 7)

by Rose Curiel | COMMENT

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Postpartum Depression Symptoms: Anxiety If you are suffering from postpartum depression, you could have symptoms in keeping with clinical depression -- think lack of pleasure, inability to concentrate, change in appetite and energy level. But, as Ho explains, a patient's energy levels and appetite might be "less useful" in diagnosing postpartum depression because a mother could potentially be exhausted from middle-of-the night feedings, or she may be hungry all the time because she's breastfeeding.

That said, there are certain symptoms that tend to be more common with postpartum depression. "Postpartum depression generally manifests as anxiety -- often high anxiety," explains Ho.

That anxiety can translate into physical symptoms like chest tightening, muscle tension, eye twitching and nausea, but it can also manifest in the form of anxiety-driven thoughts that usually revolve around something bad happening to the baby. And while Kleiman points out that all postpartum women -- not just those with postpartum depression -- have these kinds of thoughts, for those suffering from depression, the thoughts can become especially intrusive and sometimes even OCD-like in nature. "Some of the most common ones are, "What if I drop the baby while I'm walking down the steps? What if I burn the baby? What if I slip and fall while carrying the baby? What if I inadvertently do something that causes harm to my baby?" explains Kleiman.

If these types of thoughts begin to impede your ability to function or care for yourself or your baby, you should seek help.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Postpartum Depression: Scary Thoughts

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