Not recognizing yourself in the mirror and feeling completely adrift. That is how Halle Baileythe young 24-year-old actress who became famous for playing «The little Mermaid» of Disneyshe talked about postpartum depression.
An age-related problem?
Her first baby, Halo, was born in January 2024 and since then she has felt like she is constantly swimming in the ocean trying not to drown. «He has nothing to do with my baby. It has everything to do with me and who I am right now,” she confessed on social media, in the hope of helping all new mothers feel less alone.
Exists an age where is postpartum depression more common? «There are studies that talk about a triple risk of postpartum depression (PPD) in women under the age of 25, while others do not highlight age as a risk factor. The fact is that mothers of all cultures, ages, socioeconomic levels and races can develop perinatal mental health disorders, including postpartum depression,” said the doctor. Alessandra Bramantepsychotherapist expert in perinatal psychopathology and president of the Marcé Italian Society for Perinatal Mental Health.
The risk factors
Postpartum depression strikes 10 to 30% of new mothers, according to international literature, and appears to be linked to important risk factors such as sociodemographic, biological, psychological and obstetric. «Among these factors, those with a greater weight seem to be: having a previous personal or family history of depression or psychiatric illness, depressive symptoms during pregnancy, diabetes (type 1, type 2 or gestational) and lack of marital and social support. Other important risk factors are mode of birth (emergency or elective caesarean section), having suffered violence or abuse, immigration, complications (during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), stressful life events, a low socioeconomic level, thyroid imbalances and hormonal vulnerability.”
Baby blues vs depression: the differences
Feeling tired, vulnerable and easily irritable after giving birth is common and these symptoms are not always attributable to depression, but are more likely to fall within the framework of a benign, transitory and reversible syndrome, known as baby blueswhich occurs in about 80 percent of women after the birth of the baby, due to the hormonal decline. «The symptoms are the same as depression: excessive tiredness, fluctuating mood, frequent crying, irritability, insomnia, and lack of pleasure in doing things. Self after two weeks the symptoms persist, then the presence of a PPD must be investigated. At this point it is important to evaluate the situation and ask for help from an expert”, continued the psychotherapist. «Mothers call PPD “the thief who steals motherhood”, “a dark tunnel devoid of movement” or, as Halle Bailey says “an ocean in which one feels drowned” phrases that well illustrate the sadness, the sense of loss , the anxiety and the sense of helplessness and immobility that PPD brings with it.”
Prevention
Are there any preventative behaviors to adopt? «I believe it is essential that women know the risk factors for PPD and, if she has a past history of depression, she is aware of the fact that she is more vulnerable than a woman who has never suffered from it”, he continued. «Some ladies, for fear of possible depressive relapses, in particular if they have already had PPD in a previous pregnancy, decide to seek psychological support even in the absence of active symptoms. Depression during pregnancy is the strongest predictor of whether a woman may develop depression after the birth of the baby. It is estimated that more than 50% of postpartum depression begins during pregnancy». It is also important to know that this disease can begin during pregnancy, as well as at any time during the first year after giving birth and, if not adequately treated, can turn into a long-term problem.
The alarm bells
What are the first signs of depression to recognize? «The main ones are a persistent feeling of sadness and low moodlack of energy and feeling of tiredness continuous, difficulty sleeping at night and drowsiness during the day, social withdrawal, lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the outside world, problems concentrating and making decisions, difficulty taking care of yourself and your babyscary thoughts of harming yourself or your child”, explained Dr. Bramante, who recommends asking for help, because depression is an illness and as such must be treated.
The woman can talk about it «with family, friends, with her general practitioner or even with the midwife who has followed her who can support her and refer her to specialist mental health services. In Italy there are perinatal psychopathology clinics second level hospitals, family clinics with dedicated teams but also specifically trained psychotherapists and psychiatrists who work in the private sector. PPD must be identified early because it has effects not only on the mother but also on the child, on the mother-child relationship and on the entire family. There are effective therapies that have faster effects if PPD is identified in a timely manner.”
