Postnatal Depression

Postnatal Depression is a condition that affects up to 50% of new mothers at some point after their baby is born. It can be diagnosed by the follow symptoms:-

• Excessive crying for no apparent reason, or over trivial things.
• Difficulties in getting or staying asleep.
• Feeling constantly fatigued, or without energy.
• A lack of motivation to do anything.
• Anxiety/and or panic.
• Having difficulty in coping with day to day problems.
• A sense of guilt/blame.
• Severe doubts over the ability to be a mother.
• A loss of libido.
• Feeling disconnected/isolated from all significant people in your life.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Fears, thoughts, images of self harm.
• Fear of harming your baby.
• Being overprotective of the baby.
• Emotional disconnection.

When a woman is pregnant she produces seven times as much oestrogen and progestorone. When the baby is born it is often the biochemical imbalance in the brain, coupled with the adjustment to the demands of a new baby that can spiral into the symptoms of post-natal depression.

CBT and Post Natal Depression

CBT is the preferred counselling treatment recommended by GP's for women suffering from Post Natal Depression.

CBT helps clients challenge their thinking distortions that are associated with this specific type of depression and challenge these thoughts by 'reality testing' them to see the errors in their thinking. An alternative thought is then substituted which is a more balanced way of looking at themselves, others, or their future.

Clients come for an initial assessment, and diagnostic tests are given for anxiety, depression, personality type and self esteem to help make an accurate diagnosis. Then a problem list is drawn up of the areas of the clients life that they want to change as a result of the CBT treatment.

An individualised programme is developed to give clients a 'care plan' of how the treatment will work. Some of the common areas for treatment are:-

• Panic attacks/anxiety.
• Low self-esteem.
• Depression.
• "Its never good enough".
• How to be a "good enough mother".
• A need for parenting skills.
• How to understand your baby.
• Difficulty in coping/adjusting to this stage of life.
• Activation of early life events.