{"id":120518,"date":"2020-09-24T11:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T10:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=120518"},"modified":"2023-03-16T08:35:48","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T08:35:48","slug":"what-is-postpartum-psychosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-postpartum-psychosis.htm","title":{"rendered":"What is Postpartum Psychosis? Symptoms and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-120522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jen-theodore-pSGmANK36LQ-unsplash-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"postpartum psychosis\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jen-theodore-pSGmANK36LQ-unsplash-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jen-theodore-pSGmANK36LQ-unsplash-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jen-theodore-pSGmANK36LQ-unsplash-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jen-theodore-pSGmANK36LQ-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><span style=\"color: #333399;\">by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Have you had<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-mental-health.htm\"> mental health problems<\/a> in the past? Or a diagnosis or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/schizophrenia.htm\">schizophrenia<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/bipolar-disorder.htm\">bipolar disorder<\/a>? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/she-or-he-doesnt-want-kids.htm\">Planning on having children,<\/a> and worried about possible repercussions? The risk of postpartum psychosis is small but important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What is postpartum psychosis?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Postpartum psychosis, also called &#8216;postnatal psychosis&#8217; and \u2018puerperal psychosis,\u2019 <strong>sees a mother experience a break with reality in the days or weeks following birth.<\/strong> Y<\/span><span class=\"s1\">ou will have sensory experiences and\/or thoughts that seem real to you, but aren\u2019t actually true.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">A very serious mental health phenomenon, postpartum psychosis is much more than having the \u2018baby blues\u2019. And basic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/postpartum-care.htm\">postpartum care<\/a> will not be enough. If you feel you are experiencing psychosis, it\u2019s important to seek help immediately. Book a same-day appointment with your GP, or go to the hospital. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Symptoms of postnatal psychosis <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The main symptoms of any form of psychosis are<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/flashback-vs-hallucination-vs-delusion.htm\">hallucinations, delusions,<\/a> and confused thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Hallucinations are sensory experiences of things that aren&#8217;t real.<\/strong> They most commonly involve hearing voices, or seeing visuals. But they can involve any of your senses. You could smell things, or feel like something is touching you when there isn\u2019t anything there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Delusions are thoughts that feel correct and you believe, but aren&#8217;t at all true.<\/strong> You might think someone is trying to to do bad things to you or your loved ones, or that your child is possessed or has been replaced at the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Confused thinking means your thoughts race, can seem jumbled, and can even<\/strong> make speaking clearly difficult. You might find that your confused thoughts are also leading to out of character behaviours and choices. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">You may also have other symptoms, either leading up to or during postnatal psychosis, such as:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">rapid mood changes, both high and low <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">out of character behaviour, loss of inhibitions\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">social changes &#8211; more or less talkative than usual <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">feeling restless, agitated,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/sleep-problems-mental-health-issue.htm\"> not sleeping<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/fears-and-phobias.htm\">fearful<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-paranoia.htm\">suspicious thinking\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">acting like someone else. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Psychosis, depression, or \u2018baby blues\u2019?<\/span><\/h2>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">According to <a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3109493\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">a review of postpartum psychosis published in the Journal of Women&#8217;s Health<\/span><\/a>, while up to 75 per cent of women experience baby blues, and around 13 per cent postnatal depression, postpartum depression only affects about one in 1000 women.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-120520\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharon-mccutcheon-Xxg0ZiqTIgU-unsplash-267x400.jpg\" alt=\"what is postpartum psychosis\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharon-mccutcheon-Xxg0ZiqTIgU-unsplash-267x400.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharon-mccutcheon-Xxg0ZiqTIgU-unsplash-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharon-mccutcheon-Xxg0ZiqTIgU-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/>Having a baby is a big change, and it&#8217;s quite common for new mothers to experience mood swings.<\/strong> Often this involves crying, snapping at those around you, or feeling overwhelmed and gloomy. This is known as \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/postnatal-depression-symptoms-treatments.htm\">the baby blues<\/a>\u2019. It tends to clear up in a few weeks. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>For some women, it\u2019s more than just the blues. They have very negative thoughts about themselves and the world, feel<\/strong> hopeless and despondent, and have changes to sleep and appetite. You can also can struggle to connect with your child. If this goes on for several weeks, you might be diagnosed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/postnatal-depression-case-study.htm\">postnatal depression (PND)<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #800080;\">Postpartum psychosis is different because you lose touch with reality. You have sensory experiences of things that aren\u2019t real, or believe things to be true that aren\u2019t. And you\u2019ll act out of character, not just moody or sad. It\u2019s as if you are suddenly someone else entirely. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Another difference is of awareness. If it\u2019s<\/strong> baby blues or PND, you are aware that you are sad. If you have postpartum psychosis, you are in a state where things seem \u2018real\u2019 to you. So you aren\u2019t necessarily aware that you are having a psychiatric episode. It\u2019s those around you, and the way they are reacting to you, who can seem strange.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What&#8217;s it like to have postpartum psychosis?<\/h2>\n<p>The same\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3109493\/\">review in\u00a0 the Journal of Women&#8217;s Health<\/a> poignantly shares the story of &#8216;Ms. A&#8217; as follows:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #666699;\">&#8220;Within 2 days of delivery, she told her husband that she thought he was poisoning her food and that the baby was staring at her strangely. She thought she smelled horses and heard them galloping outside her bedroom. She could not fall asleep even when her mother came to the house to care for their newborn and allow the patient to rest. At home, Ms. A. was able to sleep only 2\u20133 hours nightly. Her husband noticed that she would gaze out the windows in their apartment for hours without explanation.&#8221;<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Who ends up with puerperal psychosis?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The reason some people develop postnatal psychosis and others don\u2019t isn\u2019t perfectly clear. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">What is sure is that you didn\u2019t \u2018make\u2019 postpartum psychosis happen. Your thoughts or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/she-or-he-doesnt-want-kids.htm\">doubts about having children<\/a> or <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/stress-in-pregnancy-care-info.htm\">stress during<\/a> pregnancy<\/span> are nothing to do with it. It is not your fault.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>What is at play is hormones and genetics.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rcpsych.ac.uk\/mental-health\/problems-disorders\/postpartum-psychosis\">According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RPsych)<\/a>, if <\/span><span class=\"s1\">you have no history of mental health issues and no psychosis in your family, you only have a one in 1000 chance of developing<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>postpartum psychosis. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/the-mother-wound-under-mothered.htm\">mother<\/a> or sister, on the other hand, had it, you have a 3 in 100 chance. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Your chance of developing postpartum psychosis is particularly higher if you already have had a diagnosis of<\/strong> schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, particularly type II. This is true even if these days you show no further symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What do I do if I am high risk?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-schizoaffective-disorder.htm\">schizoaffective disorder<\/a> and are worried, it\u2019s important to be as prepared as possible. You can talk to your doctor and psychiatrist before getting pregnant, to discuss, for example, which of your medications you can continue during and after pregnancy. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you are already pregnant, it\u2019s important to let everyone know in advance that you are at risk,<\/strong> so you can together make plans for any eventuality. This means letting your partner know if you haven\u2019t already, as well as your GP, midwife, and obstetrician. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you were ill in the past but have been fine for a long time, don\u2019t think you can just ignore your mental health history.<\/strong> Talk to your GP, and ask to be referred to a perinatal mental health unit or psychiatrist to discuss all possibilities in advance. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/self-care-and-depression.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Self-care<\/span><\/a> is also hugely important. If you can lower stress in your life, or a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/reaching-out-support.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sk for more support<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s important to do so. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What do I do if I think I have postpartum psychosis? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-120521\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/manu-b-B4R9UPvtqDo-unsplash-267x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/manu-b-B4R9UPvtqDo-unsplash-267x400.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/manu-b-B4R9UPvtqDo-unsplash-401x600.jpg 401w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/manu-b-B4R9UPvtqDo-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/>It\u2019s a very serious situation so do treat it as one before any harm comes to you or your child.<\/strong> If you can\u2019t get a same day GP appointment, go to your local A&amp;E. If they say you don\u2019t have postpartum psychosis and your condition worsens, then go back. If you want to talk to someone and can\u2019t get through to your GP, you can call 111. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you were already identified as high risk, and have a crisis team,<\/strong> then of course now is the time to contact them. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Will I be hospitalised? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Most women do need to be treated in hospital. Here in the UK you can ask<\/strong> to be put on a &#8216;Mother and Baby Unit&#8217; (MBU), where mental health care workers can care for you and your baby. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Unless, of course, you are unable to care for your child at this time, prefer to<\/strong> be away from your child, or there is a waiting list for an MBU placement in your area, in which case you might be put on an adult psychiatric ward.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What is the treatment for postpartum psychosis?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It is generally a combination of<\/strong> medication and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/psychotherapeutic-approaches-the-main-schools-of-thought.htm\"> talk therapy<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Medications can include<\/strong> antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilisers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Treatment can involve<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-london.htm\">cognitive behavioural therapy<\/a> (CBT), which helps you recognise and regulate the link between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How long is recovery? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Postpartum psychosis is not forever, and most make a full recovery.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/mental-health\/conditions\/post-partum-psychosis\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">NHS states that<\/span><\/a>, \u201cthe most severe symptoms tend to last two to 12 weeks, and it can take six to 12 months or more to recover from the condition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Do note that many women <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/depression-counselling-london.htm\">suffer depression<\/a> after postpartum psychosis, as well as<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-therapy.htm\">anxiety<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/building-confidence.htm\">confidence issues<\/a> around their ability to parent. You might feel bad about the time you missed with your child, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/connecting-with-people.htm\">struggle to connect<\/a> with other mothers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It\u2019s important to remind yourself that postpartum psychosis is an illness, <\/strong>and in no way a reflection on your ability to mother. Each parent has their own unique journey, and it\u2019s important to find support to help you with yours. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Reading this on behalf of a partner or loved one?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Watching someone you love experience psychosis, or being their partner or carer, <\/strong>can be an at times overwhelming experience. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/male-postpartum-depression.htm\">Men can have postpartum depression<\/a>, too. Do not overlook seeking support for yourself, too, in the form of counselling or a support group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Further information\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/mental-health\/conditions\/post-partum-psychosis\/\">NHS advice on Postpartum Psychosis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.app-network.org\/peer-support\/\">Action on Postpartum Psychosis peer support network<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pandasfoundation.org.uk\/who-we-are\/\">PANDAS Charity (for families experiencing perinatal mental health)\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rcpsych.ac.uk\/mental-health\/problems-disorders\/postpartum-psychosis\">Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) advice on postpartum psychosis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/cg192\/chapter\/1-Recommendations\">NICE guidelines for postnatal mental health<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>Looking for <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/psychosis.htm\">talk therapy for psychosis<\/a><\/span>? Or helping a loved one with postnatal psychosis, and could use some support yourself? We connect you with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/psychosis.htm\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">London-based psychosis specialists<\/span><\/a>, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Mid%20Post\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">UK-wide registered therapists<\/span><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">online counsellors<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Andrea M. Darcy Have you had mental health problems in the past? Or a diagnosis or schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Planning on having children, and worried about possible repercussions? The risk of postpartum psychosis is small but important.\u00a0 What is postpartum psychosis? Postpartum psychosis, also called &#8216;postnatal psychosis&#8217; and \u2018puerperal psychosis,\u2019 sees a mother [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":120521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[296],"tags":[112,939],"class_list":["post-120518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting","tag-new-parent","tag-pregnancy","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Postpartum Psychosis? Symptoms and Treatment - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is postpartum psychosis? 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Darcy","author_link":"#"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"by Andrea M. Darcy Have you had mental health problems in the past? Or a diagnosis or schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Planning on having children, and worried about possible repercussions? The risk of postpartum psychosis is small but important.\u00a0 What is postpartum psychosis? 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