Postpartum depression makes headlines

Symptoms of postpartum depression
Part of the blame for the silence surrounding postpartum depression can be put on the baby blues, which leave approximately 80 per cent of new mothers moody for up to a week and a half after giving birth. Postpartum depression is a more severe version of this sadness. Use Dr. Berber's "Face is sad" acronym to remember the following nine symptoms of postpartum depression:

Fatigue
Anxiety
Concentration loss
Esteem loss

Interest loss
Sleep disturbance

Suicidal thoughts
Appetite change
Depressed mood

Mothers suffering with postpartum depression suffer at lease five symptoms on this list for over two weeks. In addition, they have "impaired functioning": trouble keeping up with the demands of motherhood, work, housekeeping, or their relationships. Often, their marriages suffer. In fact, many husbands, friends or family encourage women to see the doctor. Once there, a patient may receive talk therapy, couple's counselling, take part in support groups, learn stress management strategies, or be prescribed anti-depressants. And they feel better, Dr. Berber says, right away. Hopefully leaving every mother like Brooke Shields, who, recovered, is now busy adoring her toddler.

A hopeful outlook
The fact that postpartum depression is a real disease -- in need of real treatment -- is a message that Dr. Berber is happy to have Shields shouting from the pages of everything from The Times to People magazine to the The New York Times. He's happy to have a celebrity help dislodge the stigma associated with any mental illness and start conversations that will help spread his advice to mothers in need of comfort: "This is an illness, you're not alone, and you will be a good mother."

For more information about postpartum depression, contact the Pacific
Post Partum Support Society (www.postpartum.org), Our Sister's Place
(www.oursistersplace.ca) or Motherisk (www.motherisk.org).