Becoming a new mom is a joyous occasion, yet it can be completely overwhelming – even for the most prepared women.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, postpartum depression is an important mental health issue to address, given that it can affect up to one in five women in the United States*.
One of the central concerns surrounding postpartum depression is the staggering number of women who do not receive treatment for the condition: 78 percent of women who screen positive for postpartum depression don't get mental health treatment due to the cost of treatment, the inability to take time off work, or challenges arranging childcare.
Even when an individual schedules an appointment for mental health care, it can take an average of 25 days to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, and nearly half of patients with mental health issues go without treatment. Taking time out to travel to and from doctor’s offices, missing work, and being less productive during the day, ultimately results in higher costs to patients, insurers and employers.
In addition to facing difficulty scheduling mental health sessions, those experiencing postpartum depression also face the stigma around mental health issues that are all too prevalent in this country. A lot of new moms think they should be nothing but happy after the birth of a baby. That can lead to them feeling uncomfortable about expressing how they are actually feeling. For half of the women who experience postpartum depression, this is their first time experiencing signs of depression.
Fortunately, at least 12 states have adopted state legislation, developed awareness campaigns, or convened task forces to bring awareness to postpartum depression. In the state of California, there is a current bill underway to require mandatory screenings for symptoms of postpartum depression in new moms.
While every new mom is going to experience some ups and downs with her mood, postpartum depression involves symptoms like changes in appetite, insomnia, loss of interest in things, extreme sadness or irritability and difficulty bonding with the baby. The presence of any of these symptoms lasting longer than two weeks indicate that a mother should see a doctor for further evaluation. Doctors evaluate a patient's symptoms, the amount of time the patient has been experiencing these symptoms and whether a patient has had a history of mental illness or if any other factors might be causing the depression.
In order to prevent new moms from silently suffering, it is important that family and friends are aware of the symptoms of postpartum depression, and encourage moms to share their feelings.
Telemedicine can allow new moms with busy schedules to receive the help that they need in an accessible way. Telemedicine services like Doctor On Demand provide high-quality medical care at a time and place that is convenient for patients. Mothers don’t have to worry about taking time off from work or finding childcare services for their newborn.
About Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi
Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who passionately believes access to mental health treatment should be available to everyone. She completed her undergraduate education at Johns Hopkins University, followed by medical school and residency training at New York University School of Medicine. She then completed a fellowship in Public Psychiatry at Columbia University. She has done research and writing on women’s mental health issues and her approach to treatment is patient-centered and recovery-focused. She is dedicated to reducing mental health stigma and providing quality treatment in order to help patients maintain the quality of life they deserv