Can Postpartum Depression Be Treated

Hi, it’s been a year since our child was born. My wife has been well all this time, but recently she started having symptoms like sadness, trouble concentrating and lack of energy. I read a little about these symptoms, and I think she suffers from postpartum depression. Can it be treated?

Postpartum depression affects one in every ten new mothers. It is more serious condition than baby blues, and less serious than postpartum psychosis. Beside the symptoms you described, there are frequent crying, "highs" and "lows," irritability, feelings of guilt and anxiety. It can and should be treated with psychotherapy or antidepressants, because these therapies are very effective. Postpartum depression can last from few weeks up to a year. It is usually caused by hormones, which are imbalanced after delivery. Estrogen and progesterone increase tenfold during pregnancy, but after delivery it suddenly drops. This leads to psychological problems, such as postpartum depression.