Mental Health: Health Issue Mental Woman

Pregnancy and the ensuing mental health of the would-be mother

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful phases of a woman’s life. It is also one of the most traumatic one. Many women find this time to be both exhilarating and exasperating. When pregnancy occurs, the woman’s body is flooded by hormones and these hormones in turn wreck havoc with the systems in the body. Usually, the woman’s become very tender and sensitive, the morning sickness starts, the woman looses totally or gains a huge appetite for certain foods, etc.  But what can be the worst of all, many times the woman will feel totally and hopelessly depressed.

Depression is something that can be treated, even when you are pregnant

For many people – men and women alike – the fact the depressions is a treatable disease is news, although a very welcome news. What is needed first of all, in order to treat depression, is to identify it or diagnose it. Put yourself or to your spouse these questions to get an idea whether what you/they feel are depression or not:

1. Do you feel that your life is worthless? That you have no reason to live?
2. Do you feel that you are hungry all the time, or not hungry at all?
3. Do you feel better when you sleep than when you are awake and try your best to sleep as much as possible?
4. Do you find that you cannot sleep more than a few hours a day?
5. Do you find that you feel anxious about something, but do not know what you are anxious about?
6. Do you hate to socialize or talk even to your closest friends?
7. Do you find that all of a sudden even the best things you liked do not provoke any interest in you?
8. Do you find it difficult to go through the routines of your life?
9. Do you find that you cannot concentrate on absolutely anything try as much as you can?
10. Do you find that you forget things all the time?

If you answer ‘YES’ to even three of the above questions then you are suffering from depression. This is expected during pregnancy since the mental health is highly influenced by the surge of hormones that the body produces post-pregnancy.  There are medicines which can help you snap out of this, and at the same time protect the fetus from any side effects. Be careful that you never self-medicate yourself during pregnancy as any mistake may cost the baby dearly.

Besides medication, the doctor advises that you exercise regularly if you want to beat the blues. Exercising will bring you a feeling of positive reinforcement that will chase away the depression to a large extent. For those who have the inclination, yoga has been found to be highly beneficial in treating depression during pregnancy. As a matter of fact so does aerobics, but yoga has along-term effect which is highly beneficial for the would-be mother.

Whatever treatment you choose to undertake, be sure you confide and seek help from someone you are attached to and can share your feelings easily. This person could be your spouse, a close friend, your sister/ brother or your mother.  It is very important for your mental health that you do not bottle up feelings but share them freely. Sharing of feelings and communication are some of the most effective weapons against depression. Take heart though, in the majority of cases your depression will disappear as magic once the doctor places the tiny bundle of joy in your arms, i.e. after the birth of your baby.�