The first week of May is Maternal Mental Health week. It’s recognized to raise awareness for the difficulties new and expecting mothers can experience. According to theMaternal Mental Health Alliance,at least one in five women experience perinatal mental illness.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most widely-known condition. While its symptoms mirror those of clinical depression, PPD often revolves around the baby and motherhood in general.
“So for example, many moms can tell me that they’re having trouble bonding with the baby,” said Dr. Glorisel Gonzalez Viera, reproductive psychiatrist at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. “It’s a lot about the thoughts that they feel as a mom, compared to general depression, where maybe it’s more related to their self-esteem as a whole.”
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