Symptoms and treatment of postpartum psychosis. How to understand that a woman has postpartum psychosis? Is it possible to save a woman from postpartum psychosis

In the first days after childbirth, some women may experience a rare mental disorder called postpartum psychosis. The disease is severe, but treatable. It is important to recognize the signs of an incipient disorder in time. Moreover, it may turn out to be a big surprise for relatives, appearing suddenly. Although gradually developing psychosis is difficult to recognize immediately.

Postpartum psychosis - a rare mental disorder that usually occurs in the first 2-4 weeks after childbirth. With timely diagnosis and a quick start of therapy, a woman can get out of this rapidly developing state in a few weeks, and with a belated diagnosis, recovery can take months. Often, a woman suffering from postpartum psychosis is not aware of her painful condition. Source: Wikipedia

Causes of the disease

Little is known about the causes of the disease. Doctors are inclined to believe that a sharp hormonal change in the female body in the postpartum period can provoke the development of psychosis, complications during childbirth, emotional stress from the birth of a child. Constant lack of sleep, severe fatigue of the mother can also serve as a push.

Women whose relatives have suffered from postpartum psychosis, as well as women with a history of bipolar depression or schizophrenia, are more at risk of getting sick. If a woman has already been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis after the first birth, there is a high probability of its recurrence after the second pregnancy.

The use of drugs before pregnancy can provoke the development of psychosis.

Everyone who has a high risk of getting sick should definitely consult a psychiatrist in order to minimize the likelihood of the disease.

Fortunately, postpartum psychosis is much less common than postpartum depression - it develops in about 0.1% of women in labor.

Signs of postpartum psychosis

Contact a psychiatrist immediately if you notice the following symptoms in a woman who recently gave birth (literally in the first days after childbirth):

• A woman becomes absent-minded, cannot clearly express her thoughts. Periods of talkativeness are replaced by unwillingness to communicate;
• Aggressiveness or euphoria alternates with depression, and mood changes occur quite abruptly;
• The perception of taste and smell changes. Even refusal to eat is possible;
• Insomnia. If a woman's sleep is disturbed, she does not want to go to bed, this should also alert loved ones. She may develop delusional ideas and visions, auditory hallucinations;
• A woman has obsessions, it seems to her that the baby is in danger, they want to take his life, kidnap him. She does not allow anyone to approach the child, refuses to talk to people, is afraid to go out into the street;
• Or, on the contrary, the child becomes hated by the mother, she is even able to try to kill him. And he can show complete indifference to him. The same attitude can be towards people close to her.

The woman herself does not understand that she is sick, completely inadequate, so her family should take care of her and show her to the psychiatrist.

It is necessary to take this disease seriously. After all, a sick person, without receiving the necessary treatment, can not only harm herself and the child, but also deprive herself and his life.

Treatment

At the first suspicion of a disease be sure to consult a psychiatrist. He will examine the patient and prescribe the necessary treatment for her.

Most often, a sick woman is admitted to the hospital. If there are conditions in the clinic, the baby is next to the mother. Basically, there are no such wards in the hospital, so the baby is at home with someone from his family. If the child is with his mother, then breastfeeding the baby during treatment is prohibited, because his mother receives strong antipsychotic medications, various mood stabilizers (normotimics).

Usually the patient's condition improves in a couple of weeks so much that she can be discharged home for follow-up treatment. The full course of treatment can last from six months to a year.

A lot of strength and patience will be required from relatives and friends:

• It is necessary to provide the sick mother with comfortable conditions conducive to recovery: peace, the opportunity to rest more;
• Most of the household chores will have to be taken over by the husband and other family members;
• During the course of treatment, one of the relatives should take care of the baby, the mother herself cannot yet do this;
• Temporarily limit meetings at home with friends - it is not time for guests yet.
• Try to morally support the woman, talk to her calmly, kindly, without reproaching what happened. After all, what happened is not the woman's fault;
• If possible, do not leave her alone;
• Monitor medication intake, dosage and timing;
• Get a full 8 hours of sleep.

Effects

If you do not start treatment on time, the consequences of a formidable disease can be dire. Being in a state of psychosis, a woman does not control her actions, she is in captivity of obsessions. There are cases when a mother who has just given birth, without receiving timely treatment and being in a manic-depressive state, attempted suicide. And not all of them, unfortunately, were prevented.

An acquaintance of mine, who suffered from postpartum psychosis, recalls that time as bad dream... Her childbirth was premature, difficult, obviously, this contributed to the development of the disease.

She says that she suddenly became irritable, shouted at everyone, everyone suddenly became enemies. I even had a fight with my mother-in-law. She wrote some vague, incomprehensible notes. Everything around him became alien, life seemed over. It seemed to her that the vitality had left her. Gustatory sensations have completely disappeared. Because of this, she refused to eat in the hospital. She was forced to spoon-feed her. How she ended up in the hospital - she does not remember at all. The treatment lasted six months.

It's been three years now, and she and her husband want a second child. But a friend is afraid of a recurrence of the disease. So she and her husband went to a psychiatrist who treated her. Now the woman fulfills all the doctor's recommendations and hopes that the terrible disease will not recur.

If you could not avoid the disease, and postpartum psychosis still manifested itself, do not despair. Remember - life goes on. It is very important to be considerate of a woman who has just given birth. Take care of her, help with household chores. Surround her with love. Allow mommy not to be overwhelmed, to rest more often. And then the terrible disease will recede and will be remembered simply as a severe nightmare.

What you need to know about postpartum depression –

After giving birth, the woman seemed to be replaced. The newly made mother behaves aggressively, eats almost nothing, refuses to sleep, and does not let anyone near the baby. "I know you want to kill him!" She repeats frantically. Do you think this is the beginning of a detective story? Not. This is how a disease, dangerous to the life and health of the mother and child, begins - postpartum psychosis.

In completely healthy women, postpartum psychosis is quite rare. In this case, the blame for everything is hormonal changes in the body of the woman in labor, as well as the strongest emotional shock caused by the birth of a child.

Basically, postpartum psychosis threatens women who are initially at risk. The provoking factors include:

1. Heredity, genetic predisposition (delusions of reason were found in the family, among blood relatives).
2. Mental illnesses diagnosed even before pregnancy, traumatic brain injuries, brain infections.
3. A traumatic environment in the family during the period of gestation and after the birth of a child, constant overwork, systematic lack of sleep, severe physical fatigue of the mother, chronic emotional stress.
4. Very difficult childbirth with a lot of blood loss or blood poisoning, which led to a serious deterioration in well-being.
5. Abuse narcotic substances, alcohol.

Postpartum psychosis occurs in only 0.1 - 1.2% of women in labor, most of whom are primiparous. After the second and subsequent births, this condition develops much less often.

The main symptoms of postpartum psychosis

The manifestations of the disease can be seen in a woman in labor in the first days after the birth of a child, but most often signs of disorder appear 2-4 weeks after discharge from the hospital.

The new mother complains about bad feeling, chronic fatigue, insomnia. She may suffer from regular headaches, stomach cramps or cramps in the area of \u200b\u200bthe heart.

Mood swings are pronounced. Hysterical bouts of anger are replaced by joy, hyperactivity turns into depression, lethargy and excitement - into a breakdown, weakness. Loquacity, openness suddenly without apparent reasons are replaced by gloom, depression.

The woman eats very little and is reluctant, loses her appetite. Familiar tastes and smells cause unexplained, previously uncharacteristic reactions.

In the future, anxiety grows to the size of obsessive and frankly delusional ideas - for example, a young mother may claim that the child was replaced in the maternity hospital, that they want to kill or steal him. All around there are dangers that threaten the life and health of the baby, those around them cause unfounded fears and suspicions. At the same time, the newborn is exposed to excessive care, the mother does not even let anyone close to her child. Or vice versa, there are manifestations of complete indifference and dislike for the baby: the woman refuses to feed, take care of her child, speaks of her desire to harm him in any way.

At this stage, the patient has various hallucinations, she hears non-existent voices or noises, talks to herself, smells, sees events, objects that do not exist in reality.

In severe cases, even attempts at suicide or maiming your own child, murder are possible.

At the same time, the woman in labor herself is not able to objectively assess her behavior, considers it absolutely normal, and denies the need for medical intervention.

It is important for relatives and friends to be conscious of what is happening. Of course, many women, having given birth, experience manifestations of anxiety, anxiety associated with a new high responsibility, with hormonal changes in the body. However, postpartum psychosis is a serious mental disorder that has nothing to do with normal maternal anxiety.

In the video, psychiatrist Sergei Vetoshkin talks about the consequences of postpartum depression and psychosis, what are the causes of this condition and why it is necessary to see a doctor on time

Unlike postnatal depression, which often goes away in mild forms on its own, psychosis after childbirth, if treatment is not started on time, is dangerous for the mother herself, her baby and those around her. Relatives must necessarily isolate the baby from the mother, since in this state she is not able to answer for the consequences of her actions. And it is very important to apply for medical help... The sooner a woman receives the necessary treatment, the greater the chances of a favorable outcome and a quick return to normal life. Otherwise, the consequences can be completely unpredictable.

How to diagnose and treat

If postpartum psychosis began to develop already in the hospital, then the woman is immediately prescribed specific therapy, for the continuation of which the patient can be transferred to a psychiatric hospital.

Unfortunately, most often manifestations of psychosis become noticeable much later, when the woman in labor has already left the walls of the hospital and is not under the supervision of doctors. It is very important that in the first weeks after childbirth there are attentive and friendly relatives nearby, who can not only provide support, but also sound the alarm if the behavior of the young mother seems suspicious to them. This is especially true for women at risk of postpartum women, but since postpartum psychoses also develop in perfectly healthy women, it is better not to leave the newly-made mother alone at all.

To normalize the condition in postpartum psychosis, the following medications are used:

1. Antidepressants. They help with depression, reduce manifestations of anxiety, irritability, normalize sleep, appetite, and restore interest in life.
2. Normotimics. Stabilize mood, are used to prevent relapse in affective disorders of consciousness. Reduce irascibility, impulsivity.
3. Antipsychotics. They are prescribed for distortions of the adequate perception of the real world and disorganization of behavior.

Taking medications must be combined with psychotherapy sessions. It is important to help the patient accept her new status as a mother and the fact of the birth of a child. The woman will again begin to rejoice and appreciate the changes that have taken place in her life, and will stop feeling fear of caring for the baby. She will again feel the support of family and friends who will be able to tell her what to do with the child if the process of caring for him is too scary.

Often, postpartum psychosis, if symptoms indicate a severe illness, requires hospitalization for treatment. In this case, care for the newborn is taken over by the patient's loved ones. Even if the course can be taken at home, it will have to be temporarily protected from communication with the child. It should also be taken into account that the mother will not feed the baby for the entire therapeutic period. breast milk from taking medication.

At home, it is necessary to observe a number of conditions for the speedy recovery of a young mother:

• to provide the patient with a state of rest, comfortable conditions for rest, completely free from household chores, monitor compliance with sleep and food;
• make sure that the general atmosphere of the house is calm, peaceful, benevolent;
• exclude visiting guests, if possible, isolate other children living in the house from the sick woman;
• do not leave the patient alone, control medication in strict accordance with the doctor's recommendations;
• treat the patient with warmth, compassion and understanding, since she really needs the full support of family members. During this period, it is very important that someone is always there, consoles, encourages, entertains, does not allow anxiety and depression.

If you follow these and medical recommendations exactly, bring the course of treatment to the end, then the patient will have a real chance to recover and return to his baby. Treatment of postpartum psychosis is not a quick matter, and a woman will remain under the supervision of a psychiatrist for a long time after recovery.

Warning capability

Unfortunately, psychiatry does not yet know how to surely prevent postpartum psychosis. But doctors concluded that mothers who have completed special training courses for childbirth, the risk of getting sick decreases. This is due to the fact that the level of stress from the birth of a child decreases, it is easier for the mother to cope with new responsibilities.

Women who have already been diagnosed with mental disorders during pregnancy are shown observation not only by a gynecologist, but also by a psychiatrist. And it will be enough for expectant mothers from the risk group to carefully study possible manifestations postpartum psychosis and familiarize your loved ones with this information.

Output

Postpartum psychosis is quite rare but extremely serious illness, the reasons for which are still not fully understood. Any new mother can face such a condition, so it is very important to know at least approximately the signs and symptoms of this disorder. This will help to avoid serious consequences and not delay the visit to a doctor, if necessary.

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Postpartum psychosis - mental disorders that occur in a woman during the period after birth, more often during the first month after childbirth (postpartum psychoses can rarely be observed and in later periods - up to a year after childbirth).

Causes of postpartum psychosis

1. Hereditary predisposition
2. Overwork (lack of sleep, disturbed sleep-wakefulness, increased psychological and physical exercise)
3. Hormonal disorders
4. Difficult childbirth (large blood loss, surgical operations, infections and inflammatory diseases) and etc.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis

Symptoms range from depression with apathy and guilt to gross disturbances in perception in the form of illusions and hallucinations, disturbances in thinking in the form of obsessive, overvalued and delusional thoughts. Postpartum psychosis is usually preceded by periods of disturbed sleep and anxiety.

Fear may at first seem reasonable (concern for the child's health, doubts about proper nutrition), but as the painful condition develops, it becomes ridiculous and completely covers the sick person.

In a state of psychosis, dangerous aggressive behavior can be observed. Therefore, it is very important at the first signs of postpartum psychosis, or even only if you suspect its development, to seek the advice of a psychiatrist.

In the vast majority of cases, postpartum psychoses are completely reversed.

Where and how is postpartum psychosis treated?

Treatment for postpartum psychosis includes drug therapy, psychotherapy, physiotherapy and restorative procedures.

An important role in the treatment of postpartum psychosis is played by isolation from external stimuli, normalization of hormonal levels, restoration of nutrition and sleep patterns.

Recently emerging and not severely proceeding postpartum psychoses can be treated (at home (outpatient). Severe symptoms will require hospitalization for a period of several days to a month.

If psychosis proceeds with aggressive behavior, loss of a critical attitude to one's condition, then one has to resort to involuntary hospitalization (in accordance with the law of the Russian Federation). You can hospitalize a sick person in a state psychiatric hospital or to a private psychiatric clinic.

Treatment of postpartum psychosis in a private clinic is more comfortable and usually takes place in a shorter time.

Feeding the baby during treatment

If used to treat psychosis medications, then for the period of their intake, feeding is stopped, since most of the funds are excreted in breast milk.

Treatment of postpartum psychosis in the ROSA clinic

Our specialists - psychiatrists, psychotherapists, neurologists and therapists have extensive experience in helping with postpartum mental disorders.

We have our own inpatient department, which allows us to provide assistance even with very severe forms of psychosis.

In cases of hospitalization, we provide assistance in the delivery of the patient and psychological support to relatives.

Comfortable conditions have been created in the hospital, where medical procedures (taking medications, physiotherapy, classes with psychologists and rehabilitation therapists) are accompanied by rest, exercise therapy, massage, relaxation sessions, art therapy and music therapy.

Our clinic is equipped with modern diagnostic equipment that allows us to identify indications and contraindications for certain methods of treatment.

When choosing a drug treatment, we are guided by the rule " Do no harm!"and we use only safe forms of pharmacotherapy.

For the period of treatment, if necessary, is issued sick leave... Treatment is anonymous. We work around the clock.

Postpartum psychosis is a condition in which a woman is pestered by manic syndrome to do something to herself or her child. It is caused by complications that arise after childbirth. It is important that a woman who has problems of this nature is under the supervision of a highly qualified specialist. This condition is not always met. Because not all moms suspect that they have a problem. And it is not always easy to recognize the symptoms of psychosis.

ICD-10 code

• O99.0 Anemia complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. Conditions classified under D50-D64
• O99.1 Other diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving immune mechanismcomplicating pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Conditions classified under D65-D89
• O99.2 Diseases endocrine system, eating disorders and metabolic disorders that complicate pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
• O99.3 Mental and nervous system disorders complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
• O99.4 Diseases of the circulatory system complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
• O99.5 Diseases of the respiratory system complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
• O99.6 Diseases of the digestive system complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
• O99.7 Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
• O99.8 Other specified diseases and conditions complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.

ICD-10 code

F53 Mental and behavioral disorders associated with the puerperium, not elsewhere classified

Causes of postpartum psychosis

The main reasons lie in somatic and psychogenic factors. So, a huge role is played by an aggravating heredity. In this case, we are talking about the presence of any of the relatives mental illnessas well as disorders. A problem can arise against the background of difficult childbirth. Especially if they were accompanied by strong physical stress. This leads not only to mental disorders, but also to hormonal changes. Often the problem affects vegetative system and leads to shifts. The result is psychosis.

Heavy and protracted childbirth, protein shifts and blood loss entail a number of deviations. Dehydration, changes in pressure and impaired liver function can affect psychosis. It is capable of hiding everything even in ordinary fatigue, lack of sleep and a difficult situation in the family. Finally, not all women are ready for childbirth and motherhood. This depresses them and leads to different thoughts in their heads. Some personality traits can do their bit. It can be suspiciousness, anxiety, and previous severe mental trauma.

Pathogenesis

It should be noted that there are no obvious pathological and pathophysiological changes. The main specificity of the disorder is the presence of a depressive and stressful state in last weeks pregnancy. The fair sex begins to worry, think about the upcoming birth and wind herself up. Sometimes this condition is complicated by the presence of family problems. This all affects the pregnant woman psychogenically. Certain risk factors complement the situation.

If during the gestation of a child, the level of hormones responsible for blood flow increases sharply, and at the time of childbirth the uterus contracts, then at the end of the process an ordinary emotional decline occurs. This leads to the woman feeling uncomfortable. She does not understand everything that is happening. The main thing is to support her and not let her emotions take over. In this case, the situation will begin to improve and the body will return to normal work.

Postpartum psychosis symptoms

First of all, a woman begins to pester manic manifestations... Mania is a state of painfully increased arousal. It is characterized by the presence of obsessions, as well as representations that are not based on any real events. Mania can be paranoid. In some cases, delusions of grandeur arise, but this is not typical for a young mother.

Hallucinations. This symptom is the most common. Auditory hallucinations are most often pestered, visual hallucinations are not so common.

The woman may think abnormally. Her condition is changing, severe depression overtakes. There is no way to organize yourself, to start thinking normally. It becomes difficult for a woman to formulate her own opinion. The conversation becomes incoherent.

Lack of adequate self-esteem. Women are often unable to assess their condition. Therefore, relatives should convince the victim to see a doctor. Naturally, it will not be possible to avoid quarrels and scandals. But, nevertheless, there is a chance to alleviate the condition of a young mother. In addition, the woman does not want to eat at all. Finally, the worst symptom is thoughts of suicide and the desire to do something with your own child. This symptom is one of the most common.

First signs

The first symptoms begin to manifest themselves within the first few weeks. The woman is constantly in bad moodespecially worse in the morning hours. Waking up too early, decreased appetite. In addition, there is always a sense of guilt, self-blame for no reason. There are many negative thoughts in my head, including suicide.

It is easy to notice psychosis in a woman. She behaves inappropriately with the child. He annoys her, constant screams are heard. A woman can injure a child. It is not excluded a violation of concentration, as well as hesitation or indecision when making important decisions.

The woman suffers from a mental disorder called anhedonia. It is characterized by a lack of a sense of joy. Anxiety appears, excessive concern about one's own condition and the health of the baby. Irritability and nervous agitation are always present. Sleep is disturbed, lost interest in life, excessive fatigue appears. Suicidal thoughts rarely occur. Women refuse to have sex because they are afraid of getting pregnant again.

Acute postpartum psychosis

This condition is often associated with difficult childbirth. Women receive a so-called birth trauma and cannot move away from it for a long time. This occurs during prolonged childbirth, which lasts from several hours to a day. Mental changes do not appear immediately, and this is the main danger. The first manifestations can be detected after a few days or weeks.

After being discharged from the hospital, the young mother returns home depressed. Instead of joy, she is overwhelmed with negative emotions. She is not happy with the appearance of a child, you can notice both indifference and aggression towards him. Attitudes towards relatives can also change over time. Even the slightest trouble sleeping can indicate a problem.

Over time, the woman's behavior becomes strange and even unusual in relation to the child. So, the mother may not approach the baby at all or, on the contrary, not leave him for a minute. Sometimes she begins to think negatively about one of her relatives, they say, they supposedly want to harm the child. There are thoughts that they are trying to steal, kill the baby. The most dangerous thing is that a woman can start treating a child for a non-existent disease for no reason. At the same time, very strong medicines are used that can cause irreparable harm.

In addition to delirium, hallucinations appear over time. As a result, the young mother is no longer able to take responsibility for her actions. She can calmly throw the baby out of the window or cause irreparable harm to him. If you do not provide help to a woman in time, her condition will worsen significantly. Changes can progress, leading to unpredictable consequences.

Postpartum schizophrenic psychosis

This condition is especially dangerous. Indeed, in addition to the fact that a woman is experiencing difficulties associated with the birth of a baby, serious thoughts begin to visit her in order to get rid of him. Often this condition can be caused by taking steroid hormones. Usually, they try to eliminate psychosis with the help hormonal drugsbut it can have its consequences. So, there were cases when a woman acquired acute schizophrenic psychosis. In this state, the patient is constantly overwhelmed with fears and hallucinations appear.

True postpartum psychosis and is the main postpartum schizophrenia. Such a condition can occur at absolutely any age, regardless of the number of births and their severity. Nonspecific fragility of the nervous system, anxiety and neurotic disorders... In addition, conflicts can sharply increase, which is closely related to the topic of childbirth. It should be noted that the picture of psychoses is not uniform. Each individual case has its own problems and symptoms. The main thing is to notice deviations in time and prevent the aggravation of the situation.

Effects

The most dangerous consequence in this case, it is causing irreparable harm to the child. This condition is not capable of affecting a woman's health. Simply put, it will not go further than a mental disorder. Over time, it can fade away and the young mother returns to her usual life. But, you need to provide her with appropriate assistance. Indeed, without it, there is a risk of serious injury to the baby.

Psychoses are different. Some women simply do not sleep well, eat and do not enjoy their lives at all. This is probably the safest form. When obsessions appear, a young mother yells at her baby, hits, you should give her medical assistance... This condition is characteristic of a schizophrenic episode. Often mothers try to throw the baby out of the window, etc. It's very scary. When a woman comes to her senses, she may not even remember about her own deeds. Therefore, it is important not to let her harm herself and the baby. With timely assistance, there will be no consequences.

Complications

Postpartum psychosis is a fairly common condition. It can be caused by both difficult childbirth and some mental abnormalities in a woman, present even before the moment of childbirth. It is important to follow the young mother and help her in every possible way. Letting the condition take its course is dangerous both for her life and for the health of the baby. If strange symptoms are found, the young mother cannot be left alone with the child in order to prevent the development of a suicidal scenario.

Complications after psychosis are the presence of serious mental disorders... If mommy is not treated in time, her condition will begin to worsen. In this case, the risk increases. Because not in all cases, a young mother is able to return to normal life on her own. Psychosis is a serious disorder. It is very risky to wait until it passes on its own. You should drink a row sedativesso that the woman comes to her senses. With the timely elimination of the problem, complications are completely eliminated.

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Diagnosis of postpartum psychosis

There are no objective pathological signs. Usually, when taking anamnesis, special attention is paid to the presence of depressive diseases in relatives. If this is the case, then in almost 50% of cases, postpartum psychosis occurs.

After taking the history, a physical examination is done. It is necessary to determine the severity of the condition. Then proceed to laboratory research... It is important to take a blood test, bacterial culture. This will determine the level of leukocytes, ESR and other components that affect the human condition.

Further screening is carried out. it special examination mother, according to the results of which it is possible to fix the presence of a depression in her. Particularly pronounced symptoms are observed at the 6th week after childbirth. After the main research is carried out, quality treatment is prescribed. If in doubt, more research is done. This applies to those cases when a woman had mental disorders before giving birth.

Analyzes

The first step is to collect the patient's life history. Usually, there are no pathological signs, and it is not so easy to determine the presence of abnormalities in a woman. Therefore, detailed information about her relatives is collected. The fact is that if someone in the family has mental disorders or suffered from psychosis, the risk of the same problem in a woman in labor is great. The situation is repeated in almost 50% of cases. After collecting all the necessary information, they begin to examine the patient. Some signs are pronounced. It is important to record this moment. Because the forms of psychosis can be different, including aggravating ones.

When the details are collected, the analysis begins. They are nothing serious. This is an ordinary blood test, as well as bacterial culture if indicated. It is important to examine your mom and look for signs of depression. No other examinations or manipulations are performed. In most cases, the clinic is "on the face".

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Instrumental diagnostics

There are no special diagnostic measures in this case. It is enough to simply collect information about the patient and conduct a physical examination. Thus, the likelihood of developing psychosis increases if someone in the family suffers from serious disorders. This is especially true when someone has postpartum psychosis. The likelihood of a repeat situation is as much as 50%. Naturally, aggravating consequences can be in the event that a woman is constantly suffering from depression.

After collecting information, you need to examine the patient. No tools are needed for this. It is enough just to visually assess her condition. Based on the data obtained, an assessment of the severity of certain symptoms is made. It is important to especially carefully examine the woman for the first week after giving birth. The peak in the development of negative symptoms is observed at 6 weeks. Correct diagnosis and quality treatment will eliminate mental stress and return a woman to a normal life.

Differential diagnosis

It should be noted that postpartum psychosis in most cases indicates the presence of sepsis. This condition requires urgent differential diagnosis... In most cases, the examination is followed by hospitalization. It is important that the medical institution has the opportunity to provide both gynecological and psychiatric care.

The fact that psychosis is associated with bipolar affective disorder... This condition is called manic-depressive psychosis. It occurs quite often in women with schizophrenia or other mental disorders. In most cases, they were not diagnosed before delivery.

The first symptoms manifest themselves in the form of persecution mania, severe depression and schizophrenic manifestations. Such signs occur already in the second week after childbirth. Patients may suffer from uncontrollable fear, hallucinations. A young mother may be afraid of her baby's condition.

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Treatment of postpartum psychosis

Most women need to be hospitalized. Only in this way it is possible to observe them and prescribe quality treatment. If possible, both mother and child are hospitalized. Unfortunately, not every medical institution boasts a department for people with mental disorders, within the walls of which both a young mother and her baby can be.

In order to alleviate the condition of a woman, special antipsychotic drugs and mood stabilizers are prescribed. As a rule, a woman should not breastfeed while taking medication. When the condition begins to gradually stabilize, it is important to surround the victim with the support of relatives. In no case should the young mother be blamed for anything. In most cases, this condition is not controlled at all.

Full recovery occurs in about a year. It all depends on the complexity of the situation and the condition of the patient herself. Usually, the most severe symptoms stop pestering literally in 2-12 weeks. After recovery, a period of depression and anxiety often sets in. To cope with this, the support of loved ones will help.

Medicines

Antidepressants can help reduce symptoms. True, in this case, you should not breastfeed the child, so that the sedative effect is not transmitted to him. Psychotropic drugs are prescribed only when absolutely necessary. This is done after examination by a psychiatrist and under his supervision.

If excessive anxiety and a feeling of agitation pesters, then resort to the help of Amitriptyline and Pyrazidol. With the predominance of adynamic symptoms, you should pay attention to Paroxetine and Citalopram. Therapy should start with minimal doses, this will reduce the likelihood of complete mental clouding. Over time, the dosage is increased until the desired therapeutic effect is observed.

• Amitriptyline. The dosage of the drug should be prescribed on an individual basis. Usually prescribed at 50-75 mg per day, this is equal to 2-3 tablets. The dose can be adjusted depending on the patient's condition. Contraindications: hypersensitivity, heart failure, acute diseases liver and kidneys, peptic ulcer. Side effects: constipation, dry mouth, headache, nausea.
• Pyrazidol. The dose is also assigned on an individual basis. You need to assign with minimum dosage... Usually it is 50-75 mg 2-3 times a day. Over time, the dose can either increase or decrease. Contraindications: acute inflammatory liver diseases, hypersensitivity, blood diseases. Side effects: dry mouth, sweating, tachycardia.
• Paroxetine. The tool is taken once a day in the morning. At the initial stage, one tablet is enough. The dose is selected individually for 2-3 weeks after the start of treatment. Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, hypersensitivity. Side effects: constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention.
• Citalopram. The remedy has the same effect as Paroxetine. You need to take it in matins hours once a day. Over time, the dosage can be adjusted depending on the condition of the person. Contraindications: hypersensitivity. Side effects: dry mouth, nausea, increased sweating.

Alternative treatment

Traditional medicine can have incredible effects and soothe nervous system... But, this is possible only in cases where the symptoms are not pronounced. In a schizophrenic episode, only antidepressants will help.

Women suffering from psychosis should often take baths with poplar leaf infusion. It is enough to take the main ingredient and pour boiling water over it. After the product is infused, add to the bathroom.

Pay attention to the infusion of ginseng root. It's easy to prepare. It is enough to take the main ingredient, pour boiling water over it and guide it until it is completely cooked.

Mint has always been considered the number one remedy for nervousness. It can be added to tea and consumed without restriction. You can drink the mint infusion directly. Half a glass in the morning and evening is enough. Chicory root has a similar effect. You should take a tablespoon of the product and pour a glass of boiling water. Take a tablespoon 6 times a day.

Herbal treatment

Herbal treatment is very effective, but only if the person has some knowledge in this area. After all, many herbs have a poisonous effect and can do harm. In case of psychosis, nervous disorders, it is recommended to pay attention to knotweed.

• Knotweed. You should take one tablespoon of this ingredient and pour two glasses of boiling water over it. Then let it brew for an hour. You need to take the remedy in a small amount before eating.
• Mint. You should take a tablespoon of the main ingredient and pour it with a glass of boiling water, then boil it over low heat for about 10 minutes. The medicine is taken in the morning and evening hours. It helps to cope with depression and invigorate the whole day.
• Thyme. For cooking effective means you should take 5 grams of weed and pour 500 ml of boiling water over it. Then let the infusion stand for 30 minutes in a sealed container. The finished product is used 2-3 times a day in small portions for a week. Significant relief will come almost immediately. After application, a break is taken for a couple of weeks, after which the course is repeated.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment for mental disorders is particularly popular. Quite often, homeopathy is used in conjunction with color therapy. This will allow you to influence the human condition with the help of certain colors. The impact is on biological hotspots, zones and systems.

A number of different drugs are used to address the underlying problem. Thus, Aconite napellus, Belladonna and Medorrhinum are widely used.

• Aconite napellus (wrestler) D3, D6, D12. This remedy is widely used for anxiety disorders, it must be taken for 10-15 days. The person feels better outdoors. Worsening is possible due to loud noises, tobacco smoke, and cold air.
• Belladonna (belladonna) D3, D6. The remedy removes excessive irritability, nervousness, impressionability. Most often, the drug is prescribed to people with obvious head deviations. Especially in cases where the patient is pestered by a feeling of fullness in the head, pain.
• Medorrhinum (gonorrheal nosode) D30, C200, C1000. This remedy is powerful. It is shown exclusively in the chronic course of a mental disorder.

Detailed treatment should be checked with a homeopathic doctor. In general, it is recommended to resort to traditional medicine. This will avoid possible consequences and return the young mother to normal life.

Homeopathy can really provide positive action... But when choosing one or another method of treatment, it is worth considering all the pros and cons. Because the life of a young mother is at stake, or rather her mental condition... In case of any wrong actions, there is a risk of leaving everything as it is. That is, not to eliminate the mental disorder, but rather to aggravate it.

Operative treatment

Surgical intervention for this type of disorder does not make sense. After all, the problem lies directly in the woman's nervous system. In most cases, no disease affects him. The appearance of psychosis is associated with difficult childbirth and the mother's unwillingness to look after the child. Many women are very difficult to endure the process of childbirth, after which they need a lot of time to recover. It is important to support the young mother during these periods and not let the problem get worse.

In severe cases, apply drug treatment... It will calm the nerves and completely bring the nervous system in order. For this, both gentle medicines and antidepressants are used. A specific treatment is prescribed only by the attending physician after a complete examination of the patient and taking an anamnesis. It is important to record the severity of symptoms. Operative treatment does not apply due to the fact that it simply does not make sense.

Prevention

Prevention of such a condition involves the use of predictive diagnostics, taking into account some factors. So, it is necessary to identify the presence of depression in the patient, as well as relatives and friends. It is likely that someone from the environment has severe nervous disorders or depressive conditions. It is important to find out if any of the relatives had such problems immediately after giving birth. This will help prevent a repeat scenario and in time "save" a young mother from a bloom of negative symptoms.

The psychological situation in the family should also be identified, the main thing is that it should not be unfavorable. In this case, you will have to change either place of residence or all relatives become more united and prevent quarrels and conflicts during the woman's pregnancy.

A special role is played by traumatic events that could occur both before pregnancy and after it. Cases that have arisen directly during the period of bearing a child are dangerous. They can interfere with the birth process and make the situation worse.

Lack of sleep, overwork, the birth of a baby out of wedlock - all this leaves imprints on the mother's psyche. These situations must be excluded and try to surround the woman in labor with positive emotions. This will help save the situation.

Forecast

If the treatment was adequate and timely, then the postpartum mental disorder is progressing well. It is treatable and in most cases the woman returns to her usual life. In 75% of cases, there is a complete recovery after suffering a psychosis.

It must also be remembered that many women are subject to the influence of aggravating heredity. This aggravates the situation and can lead to the development of serious consequences. The forecast in this case is capable of taking an unfavorable course. Most often this applies to people with schizophrenia. In this case, childbirth only provokes the development of negative symptoms and aggravates the woman's condition. The risk of developing mental disorders over time is great. Not necessary strong manifestation deviations in postpartum period, they may appear much later. Therefore, it is important to seek the advice of a psychiatrist regarding further treatment. This will avoid serious consequences and make the forecast favorable.

After the birth of a child, sometimes a woman becomes nervous, refuses to go out, constantly worries about her baby and is even afraid to let anyone near him. This condition is commonly called postpartum psychosis.

This is a fairly rare mental disorder that occurs in young mothers who have experienced difficult childbirth. A feature of the postnatal symptom may be that during the manifestation of the disease in a woman, some mental abnormalities are revealed that do not manifest themselves in any way before pregnancy. Often it is, a little less often - schizophrenia.

Who is at risk and why?

The reasons for the development of postpartum psychosis in some women have not yet been fully understood, but there are factors predisposing to the appearance of the disorder:

• difficult childbirth (in some cases, pregnancy);
• large blood loss during labor or sepsis;
• hereditary predisposition;
• mental disorders existing in the expectant mother even before pregnancy.

Based on the factor that provoked the onset of postpartum psychosis, there are such varieties of it:

• manic-depressive;
• depression after childbirth;
• schizophrenia;
• mixed schizoaffective state.

What a typical patient looks like

After discharge from the hospital, a woman with postnatal psychosis is already a little depressed and unbalanced. She can relate to a child indifferent or dislike. The attitude towards everyone around them is also changing dramatically. Not listening to the maternal instinct, a young mother may ask her relatives to take her child to a baby house, claiming that she is not able to raise and educate him.

There is also a fundamentally opposite situation, when a woman takes care of the baby too much: for no reason she is worried, looks for non-existent diseases in the baby and tries to cure them, without listening to experts who claim that everything is in order with his health.

Such a patient does not admit absolutely anyone to the baby, she is constantly afraid that the child will get sick and die.

Features of symptoms

Postpartum psychosis can be mild or severe, the main symptoms of any of them are as follows:

Giving help

The selection of medications for the therapy of postnatal psychosis is carried out depending on the symptoms of a mental disorder.

During the treatment of postpartum psychosis in women, the following may be prescribed:

• to save the patient from delirium and hallucinations (,);
• able to eliminate the depressive state (,);
• helping to make the patient's mood stable (sodium valproate,).

In exceptional situations, electroconvulsive therapy is used.

If a young mother has any other diseases, it is necessary to carry out their therapy in parallel, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease.

What should relatives do?

The main thing that is required from relatives is to be there in time and give a woman who is faced with a postpartum mental breakdown, her love, support and care.

If a woman suffers from this disease and does not behave quite adequately, aggressively towards her baby, it is necessary to isolate her.

It is extremely important that at this moment there is always a person nearby who controls her actions. If a woman tries to make attempts to harm herself or others, she will have to urgently call an ambulance for psychiatric help.

In cases where the patient is taking medications in order to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, you will have to make sure that the baby switches to artificial feeding.

Possible dangers

If postnatal depression often goes away on its own, without consequences for the body, then postnatal psychosis is a great danger.

If therapy is not started on time, postpartum psychosis can have irreversible consequences... The worst of them is that a sick woman can harm herself, as well as her baby. There have been cases when, after giving birth, women and girls tried to commit suicide or take the life of a newborn child, absolutely not giving an account of their actions.

Forewarned and armed

In order to protect herself as much as possible from possible postpartum mental and psychological problems, a woman, even during pregnancy, needs to prepare for childbirth both physically and psychologically.

It is recommended to enroll in courses for expectant mothers, where the pregnant woman will be taught the correct breathing technique and caring for the unborn baby. Also, these courses provide an opportunity to communicate with women who have already taken place as mothers, and to the maximum tune in to the upcoming appearance of their own baby.

Experts note that those women who take courses for expectant mothers significantly reduce the risk of postpartum psychosis, because they prepare in advance for the difficulties of motherhood.

Pregnant women who are at risk of developing the disease are advised to consult a psychotherapist for prevention purposes. This will help minimize the risk of its occurrence.

The above methods of prevention are extremely important, because until now there is no one hundred percent method for preventing postnatal mental failures.

In addition, you should always listen to your doctor, avoid emotional upheavals, and provide your body with adequate sleep and rest.

If a woman is at risk of developing a disease, it is better to warn the father of her unborn baby about this in advance. This will help him to be mentally prepared, provide his support in time and seek help from competent doctors if postpartum psychosis overtakes his wife.