Reliable Methods to Treat Postpartum Depression in Colorado Springs & Englewood
Few life events are as cathartic as carrying a pregnancy and giving birth. While this is a happy time, the majority of new moms will go through the “baby blues” after childbirth. This experience is characterized by mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping, and most cases of “baby blues” last no more than a few days or weeks. However, many new moms experience postpartum depression symptoms or postpartum anxiety symptoms that can last far longer and lead to many life challenges. At Cognitivve, we can help you get back to "business as usual" and treat postpartum depression in Colorado Springs and Englewood with our innovative therapies.
If left untreated, postpartum depression or anxiety can last for multiple months or longer. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and when you delay treatment for too long, you risk letting the postpartum depression or anxiety negatively affect your relationships with your partner and your new baby. Don't worry: we'll help find the relief you need and treat PPD in Colorado Springs and Englewood with you.
Understanding Postpartum Depression
Your body and mind undergo many changes throughout your pregnancy and afterwards. While it is natural to experience the “baby blues” for a few days after childbirth, you may have postpartum depression if symptoms do not dissipate after 2 weeks.
“Postpartum” literally means the time after childbirth. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mental illness that affects roughly one in nine new mothers. Many describe postpartum depression symptoms as being more intense versions of “baby blues,” and your symptoms may eventually interfere with your ability to care for your baby and manage other tasks. The variability in symptoms can make it challenging to treat PPD in Colorado Springs, Englewood, and across the world. That said, some of the most common symptoms of PPD include:
- Depressed mood
- Excessive crying
- Severe mood swings
- Loss of appetite
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Sever anxiety or panic attacks
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
Hormonal changes are commonly the main cause of PPD symptoms, as you’re experiencing high levels of estrogen and progesterone throughout your pregnancy. Once you give birth, your hormone levels quickly drop to normal, pre-pregnancy levels, which may contribute to feelings of depression and/or anxiety.
Is PPD the Same as Postpartum Anxiety?
New mothers may additionally experience postpartum anxiety (PPA) after becoming a parent. Postpartum anxiety is best described as when a person experiences severe anxiety after having a baby or becoming a partner. These anxious feelings are often out of control and dominate your thoughts. Some level of worry is naturally expected when welcoming a new baby to your family, but if you have PPA symptoms, your worry may be all-consuming and make you feel worried all day and/or all night.
New mothers with PPA often have irrational fears or excessive worries about events that are unlikely to happen. At times, the anxiety may be related to a specific incident from your past, but at other times the worry is general and vague. Those with PPA may feel a constant sense of danger, but are unable to determine why.
There is an overlap between PPD and PPA symptoms, but these conditions are different in many ways. Here’s a brief run-down:
- With postpartum depression, new parents to experience excessive sadness, frequent crying, or may feel like they can’t take care of themselves of their new baby. Those parents may even have trouble finding joy in their offspring or may feel incapable of being a parent.
- On the other hand, postpartum anxiety is associated with excessive worrying, not with sadness. If you feel panicked or overwhelmed with fearful thoughts, you may be suffering from postpartum anxiety.
Both PPD and PPA can co-occur in new parents, however not everyone with PPA is also depressed. It’s important to discuss all of your symptoms and feelings with your healthcare provider so they can properly diagnose your condition and provide appropriate support. Once you've had that conversation, you can start to explore options to treat PPD in Colorado Springs and Englewood.
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety Affects Fathers Too
Although they did not carry the pregnancy or give birth to their new baby, many new fathers can experience PPD symptoms too. It is sometimes referred to as paternal postpartum depression and can have the same negative effects on partner relationships and child development. New fathers can additionally experience PPA symptoms as well.
If you’re a new father and are experience symptoms of depression or anxiety within the first year after your child’s birth, talk to your healthcare professional to see if you’re afflicted by postpartum depression or anxiety.
How to Treat Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Anxiety Symptoms
In most cases, physicians will prescribe medications to address symptoms of PPD and PPA. Antidepressants are the most common prescriptions and many types can be safely taken while breastfeeding. However, it can take several weeks for antidepressants to start working and they can come with many unpleasant side effects, such as nausea, lightheadedness, and more.
Talk therapy is another reliable postpartum depression treatment in Colorado Springs and Englewood and many other types of depression or anxiety disorders. This approach will help you talk through your feelings and learn effective coping mechanisms for your symptoms.
These traditional treatments can prove to be effective for many people, however there is no one-size-fits all solution to this depression or anxiety disorder. It’s additionally worth noting that these common treatment methods only address the symptoms of your condition; they do not fully treat the problem at the source.
If you’re struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety, it’s worth considering alternative and holistic treatment methods, like neurofeedback.
Leverage Neurofeedback to Treat Postpartum Depression in Colorado Springs & Englewood
As noted earlier, pregnancy causes significant in your body and your mind. This experience can drastically change the functionality and regulation of your nervous system and your fight/flight response. Pair this large stress response with your hormonal fluctuations and it’s understandable why you can feel overwhelmed, fatigued, and unable to complete necessary tasks.
Neurofeedback therapy is an innovative brain training technique that can rebalance your nervous system and re-orient your fight/flight response. Neurofeedback works to re-train the brain by gathering real-time measurements of your brain’s electrical activity, comparing that against normal levels, and providing recurring training exercises to develop new neural pathways.
We should additionally note that PPD is technically a type of depression, and depressive disorders are closely linked to electrical imbalances in your brain. Neurofeedback has been shown to effectively treat depression in the short and long term, and research has shown the treatment to be effective for anxiety disorders as well. In addition, research has suggested that neurofeedback can greatly reduce and mitigate symptoms of PPD by helping new mothers develop greater feelings of empathy for others.
Start Your Postpartum Depression Treatment in Colorado Springs & Englewood
At Cognitivve, we are proud to offer neurofeedback services in Colorado Springs and Englewood and remote neurofeedback to anyone across the U.S. This non-invasive, drug-free therapy could be the ideal support solution as you recover from postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety. We will build a custom treatment plan personalized to your needs and we’ll help guide you toward a significant reduction in your symptoms.
Contact Cognitivve today to learn more about your options to treat PPD in Colorado Springs and Englewood.
