People associate depression with sad things and sad looking human beings and that is a myth that needs to be broken and addressed. Depressed individuals can look happy on the outside but may be battling out severe anxiety and depression on the inside. To be depressed one does not need to look homeless and disheveled. One can be wearing the best clothes out there and eat the best food that money can buy and yet be depressed. Which is why it is not surprising for doctors to know that a large chunk of women suffer from depression during pregnancy which is supposed to be “the happiest time in a woman’s life”.
If you feel like things aren't looking up for you and the joys of being a would-be-mother aren't affecting you, then consult your doctor. Pregnant women should know that if you feel sad or upset easily, don't always blame it on the hormones. There could be an underlying problem that needs to be addressed and only a psychologist can assist you with it. Before you address the issue, keep this in mind:
Seek professional help
Depression is not something that you can cure. You are not choosing to be depressed and unlike sadness, this is not a feeling that goes away. Before talking about it with your friends and family, go to a doctor who may prescribe you pregnancy depression medication. Pregnancy is a delicate time for both you and your child, which is why you cannot afford to take any chances. Your depression will not only affect you but will affect the the child as well.
How does depression affect the unborn child?
1. When a person is depressed, they usually succumb to alcohol or drugs to help them numb the empty feeling in their heart. The amount of damage drugs and alcohol can cause an unborn child, cannot be explained in a sentence. If you drink during your pregnancy your child may have to undergo surgeries for various problems after birth.
2. Depression can lead to premature birth which is before the ideal 37 weeks and when the baby is born, he or she can be underweight. It is very hard to cope with depression but you need to push yourself into understanding that you are not only going to try this for yourself but you will be do for your child.
3. Depression may cause jitters and respiratory diseases in children after birth. The child may also have a very low APGAR score which shows that he has very poor health.
Before you look for solutions yourself, make sure you keep professional help handy.
Depression also causes indigestion which is surprising but true. You may ask, how does that happen? Depression causes severe anxiety and restlessness at times which causes an increased sensitivity to reflux symptoms, which is why there are so many meds for pregnancy digestion in the market. After a lot of research and investigation it has been found that a person can suffer from GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) due to depression which can be seen in symptoms like regurgitation and heartburn.