Pregnant and feeling depressed

Is it normal to feel this depressed and pregnant? What causes pregnant women to become depressed? Why is I drank while I was pregnant? In fact, the feelings can continue to compound.

Mood disorders are biological illnesses that involve changes in brain chemistry.

During pregnancy , hormone changes can affect the chemicals in your brain, which are directly related to depression and anxiety. Drug-free approaches like talk therapy can help. Feeling Depressed During Pregnancy. Traditionally most attention has been directed towards psychological problems after the pregnancy.

With hormones rising and falling all the time, stress from the pregnancy , as well as, other issues that come up, it is no wonder that we can sometimes feel blue. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor, if you think that it’s not getting better with time. Hormones: Research has shown that hormones affect the areas of our brains that control mood and the difference in hormonal levels during pregnancy may trigger depression in some women.

However, while hormones are often blamed for many of the mood swings and other emotional and psychological happenings in pregnancy , they are usually only one part of the whole picture when it comes to pregnancy and depression. Like other forms of depression , prenatal depression is caused by a hormone imbalance during pregnancy. Other contributing factors include morning sickness, anxieties over becoming a mother and worrying about how your relationship or finances will cope with your new arrival. Getting your period every month is heartbreaking. Pregnancy may be overwhelming enough on its own to cause depression.

You might hear the term perinatal depression to describe this situation. The word perinatal describes the time during pregnancy or just after birth. WebMD explains why and tells you how to get help.

Depression strikes up to of pregnant women. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis. Women who have high stress levels in their lives or even great difficulty becoming pregnant often feel the most depressed. This group of women is also the most likely to stay quiet about their feelings.

Women can also become depressed during pregnancy for no apparent reason at all. If left untreate it can be harmful to both you and your growing baby. Unfortunately, Alexander is far from alone.

For example, you may have too much or too little of different brain chemicals or hormones (eg, low dopamine or serotonin levels can lead to depression). Talk to your doctor and trust your instincts. Your baby’s birth day can be joyful too.

A topic that isn’t talked about enough. I have (thankfully) never dealt with depression other than when related to hormonal changes of pregnancy and the post partum period but having gone through a really rough couple of months, I wanted to open up about it here because I believe so many others feel the same but don’t want to come forward about it. Online Therapy with a Licensed Counselor. Available Anytime, Anywhere You Need It.

The Time is Now to Put Yourself First.