Women Fear ‘Bad Mother’ Stigma of Postnatal Depression

Postnatal depression is estimated to affect over 1 in 10 women within a year of having a baby.

However, research has shown that many women are reluctant to seek treatment due to the fear of being thought a bad mother.

The study also showed that women felt the health professionals are far more focused on the baby’s health than the mother’s wellbeing. There were also some concerns about expressing difficulties based on a previous experience of unsympathetic or unhelpful staff.

Signs of Postnatal Depression

The NHS have produced a video to help mothers and raise awareness of the condition in general.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hew8Fhbf3g

Health visitor Maggie itemises some of the symptoms:

  • Being quite tearful – or crying all the time
  • Finding it a chore to care for baby
  • Lack of pleasure in daily things
  • Loss of appetite
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Feeling helpless/hopeless
  • Relationship difficulties

Maggie urges new mums to talk to someone about how they feel:

“If you think you have postnatal depression, please do talk to your health visitor. They’re specially trained to help and support you with this, you can ask your health visitor to come and visit you at home or you can visit the clinic or you can talk to your GP. It’s a very treatable illness…

“…Get help, don’t let other people put you off or tell you that you seem OK if you don’t feel it.”

Medication-Free Treatment for Postnatal Depression

Many new mothers resist the traditional antidepressant treatment due to breastfeeding.

rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) may be a suitable treatment for postnatal depression in such cases, as it is a safe, medication free treatment.

NICE Approved Treatment of Depression

NICE approved rTMS as a safe and effective treatment for depression in December 2015 (NICE Guidelines, 2015).

The innovative treatment works by stimulating the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, which controls mood, motivation, social skills and positive feelings.  This can lead to complete remission from depression, with patients reporting that they feel much more positive, sociable, motivated and talkative.

Private rTMS for Depression Treatment

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a technological breakthrough in the treatment of depression without drugs.

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As well as depression, which is approved by NICE, there is clinical evidence for a variety of further potential treatment applications including: Drug Addiction, alcohol dependence, DPD, OCD, PTSD, BPD.

The treatment is now available for private patients in London at Smart TMS, a specialist provider of the innovative treatment based at The Smart Clinics Brompton Cross (South Kensington).

CONTACT US

For any queries or to book an appointment, please contact us:

Tel: 0345 222 5678

Email: info@smarttms.co.uk