Understanding Postpartum Depression

Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields are engaged in a war of words over the treatment of a category of depression, known as postpartum depression. The episode started because Tom Cruise disapproved of Brooke's choice of getting treated with prescribed medication to cure herself of postpartum depression. Cruise said this during the Today Show, and is a known proponent of Scientology (meaning one who believes that the body can be cured via natural means as opposed to taking medicines believed to cause our body harm). His view is that Shields should have opted to face postpartum depression by performing recommended exercises. He also added that many people don't have a clear idea when it comes to depression and the cure for this illness.

Let us see what postpartum depression is really about. Though heard often enough, this phrase is not easily discernible for the layman amongst us to understand what it is all about. Being pregnant should ideally be a cause of happiness for everyone, especially for the would-be mom, who, for nine long months, will have a living being growing from inside her. There are also more things you need to do in this happy occasion as being pregnant often means that you need to make some adjustments in your life to ensure a safe pregnancy period. Smoking, strenuous activities, alcohol, and stress need to be avoided at any cost. A healthy and happy baby begets a happy mother. Although much efforts to curb bad habits during pregnancy goes a long way ensuring the child's health, there may still be some cases wherein both the mother's and the child's life may be in danger.

Postpartum depression usually happens after childbirth. It's somewhat common and many women have even learned the best way to deal with postpartum depression and how to treat it successfully (like Brooke Shields). But it is still avoidable. The symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to that of clinical depression, but it targets new moms. There may actually be a lot of factors causing postpartum depression.

One of the major causes of postpartum depression is the actual physical stress of giving birth. The other main cause is the massive change in the levels of hormones in the new mom's body. Many new moms who were hesitant to have a baby are more likely to get affected by this disorder, as those who are psychologically not ready to become a mother just as yet are easy victims as compared to those moms who are happy and excited to be so.

When postpartum depression does happen, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately. Apart from having obvious ill-effects on the new mom, postpartum depression could cause harm to the baby also. New moms suffering from the symptoms of this type of depression may be unknowingly harboring grudges against their own offspring. There have been some murder cases in which postpartum depression was named as the motive. Mothers suffering from this type of depression may blame the baby for their increased weight, coupled with feelings of having become less attractive or unloved. It is advisable to see a good cognitive behavior therapist as soon as you feel the symptoms of postpartum depression, as your therapist will be able to prescribe medications and therapy sessions to cure you of the symptoms as well as to release any pent-up emotions that your heart harbors.