5 Tips on How to Get Out of Postpartum Depression
There are millions of women around the world who are caught off guard by postpartum depression. Since not a lot is written about it and many people refuse to take it seriously, women suffer all by themselves without being able to explain what they are really going through. Not only do they suffer but they also have to listen to people calling them bad mothers. You may get postpartum depression after childbirth or if you have had a miscarriage or a still birth. All the anticipation and the planning following by disaster can put you completely off balance and make your emotions and hormones go haywire. The bad news about postpartum depression is that there is not much clinical treatment available for it. However, postpartum depression is a real sickness and requires treatment and attention like any other form of mental illness. But all id not gloomy though. Although it goes away after a few months, you still have to get it under control and here are a few ways you can do that.
1. Self-care
If you do not have a great support system, then you should take matters into your own hand. Take some time out for yourself even if looking after the baby is demanding. Do things that would relax you. It could be a shower, a long hot bath, a book that you had always read to relax. You can even go for a long walk if that would relax you and take you off the pressure of looking after the baby 24/7. If you are suffering from postpartum depression, you need to put yourself first as you cannot look after the baby if you are not right.
2. Interact with people
Have yourself surrounded by as many people as you can. It can be your parents, your friends or your husband or partner. Go out with your partner or your husband and relax for a little while without feeling guilty about leaving the baby behind. You can even go shopping with friends or have a cup of coffee with your colleagues.
3. Support groups
Look for support groups either in your neighborhood or in your hospital. Usually hospitals will have information about support groups and can be a great source of help. Another place where you can get support or meet a group of like-minded people is your church and you need to be open about how you are feeling.