Postpartum Anxiety? It Exists, But There is Hope

 

Postpartum anxiety is a clinical condition that often goes undiagnosed. Some mothers chalk off the symptoms as just the “baby blues.” For others, the feelings range from “a little down” to a full-blown depressive disorder. Furthermore, others may dismiss their feelings as just the “normal anxiety” that comes from becoming a parent. Women experiencing anxiety or intrusive thoughts may think they are crazy, or not fit to be a mother. “There’s a lot of misinformation and miseducation around what is common and or normal in the postpartum period,” says Paige Bellenbaum, co-founder of the Motherhood Center in New York City.

Now, a series of recent studies show that, of those who suffer from postpartum anxiety, one-third had been diagnosed with depression before their pregnancy, one-third suffered from depression during their pregnancy, and another third developed depression after their pregnancy.

Unlike the postpartum “baby blues,” which affect 50-85 percent of women for 1-2 weeks after delivery, postpartum anxiety and depression have more severe and persistent symptoms that become intrusive to daily life for at least two weeks but oftentimes linger much longer.

The symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression include:

• Constant worry
• Feeling that something bad is going to happen
• Racing thoughts
• Disturbances of sleep and appetite
• Inability to sit still
Physical symptoms like dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea

Treatment options for postpartum depression often include:

• Antidepressant medications
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Interpersonal therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
Light therapy
• Exercise, yoga, and meditation
• Ketamine infusions

Ketamine infusions are a great option for postpartum depression and anxiety. In a clinical study, 12 participants with major depression symptoms were given IV ketamine infusions 3x/week. 5 of the 12 participants were given maintenance infusions weekly for another 4 weeks. All 5 participants noted a marked improvement in their depression symptoms. Because postpartum mental health conditions are generally short-lived, one series of ketamine infusions may be all a patient needs to pull through the darkness and back into the light.

 

Contact Tahoe Ketamine

At Tahoe Ketamine, we offer ketamine infusions for the treatment of depression, which are proven to effectively alleviate symptoms for up to 70 percent of our patients, including those with severe cases of treatment-resistant depression.  Contact us today to learn more, or to schedule your appointment.

Contact us for more information about our IV Therapies at 530-208-9355 or by filling out the contact form below.

Home  |  About Us  |  Services​  |  FAQs  |  Research  |  Blog  |  Reviews  |  Contact  |  DrIrwin.org