Is the importance of maternal mental health known in our society? Can we learn statistical information about the mental health of mothers in Turkey?
We are pleased to see that maternal health has been given great importance in our country, especially in the last 10-15 years, and significant improvements have been made in this regard. Unfortunately, there has not yet been enough progress in improving the mental problems that occur in mothers. We hope that as the importance of this issue becomes more understood, significant improvements will be made by our health authorities in the prevention and treatment of mental diseases.
In our country, as in other parts of the world, an average of 1 in every 5 women suffer from pregnancy and childbirth. It is estimated that 133,000 to 270,000 mothers in our country experience postpartum depression or anxiety disorders every year. Maternal deaths due to untreated depression are also saddening situations.
However, all of these are treatable diseases and the above-mentioned consequences are completely preventable. Unfortunately, 7 out of 10 mothers with mental illness cannot receive treatment within 1 year after pregnancy or birth. These people often do not know that the condition they are experiencing is a disease and cannot be diagnosed, or sometimes they do not apply for treatment because of the fear of being criticized or blamed, which prevents them from getting the help they need, or because they think that the medication to be recommended will harm the baby.
What are the factors affecting maternal mental health?
The characteristics of the environment in which the mother lives, the resources and the quality of people from whom she can get the support she needs during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as the physical health of the mother and the course of the pregnancy. are also factors that affect maternal mental health. Although the physical and economic conditions in the environment and the quality of interpersonal relationships are always important for mental health, the needs, roles and responsibilities of motherhood make these factors even more effective. For example, a mother who cannot eat enough and cannot have pregnancy follow-ups due to economic difficulties. It is expected that women will experience pregnancy-related difficulties and their mental health will be affected due to these difficulties. Again, if the mother suffers from a disease such as diabetes or anemia during pregnancy, it can lead to both psychological problems due to these diseases and the risks they pose. In addition, situations such as excessive nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, threat of miscarriage, and risk of premature birth are physical factors that negatively affect the mother's mental state. The differences that motherhood brings can sometimes be challenging, and the mother may feel the need to get support from people in her close circle in overcoming them. Sometimes, even though there are many people in the close circle, these people cannot understand the support the mother needs, or sometimes they can increase the difficulties by thinking that they are supportive, and these situations can contribute to the deterioration of the mother's mental health. Of course, factors such as postpartum insomnia and fatigue are among the important topics that may have a negative impact on the mother's mental health.
What are the signs that the mother's mental health is not going well and that help is needed?
The 'Baby Blues' is a temporary psychological condition that usually begins on the third day after birth. Sudden mood changes (feeling suddenly very sad after being very happy), crying for no apparent reason, feeling impatient, unusually irritable, restless, anxious, lonely and sad are among the symptoms of motherhood blues. These symptoms last only a few hours or 1-2 weeks after birth and are resolved with effective support. However,if these emotions and feelings persist, negatively affect a mother's daily life, and the mother has difficulty in carrying out her usual daily activities, then a situation such as depression that is not going well with mental health should come to mind.
Sometimes, mental illnesses can manifest themselves in the form of introversion, talking very little, not paying attention to the baby, or going from doctor to doctor excessively worrying about the baby's health, unrealistic thoughts, unusual strange behavior and conversations. These situations may indicate a more severe mental illness and treatment should be done without delay.
Depression. What should a mother who does not feel well, even if it is not at ten degrees, do to feel better? What are the solution suggestions for mothers who feel unhappy, inadequate and angry?
Mothers may feel unhappy, inadequate and angry from time to time. This is quite expected for a person trying to get used to a new situation. It cannot be described as an illness if it is not at a level that interferes with the mother's work and previous interests and does not last longer than 2 weeks. However, in some cases, these symptoms may increase and a disease may occur. The following suggestions may help to overcome this situation:
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Try to engage in normal activities, no matter how difficult it is. For example; Get dressed, go for a walk, or talk to someone who can understand you on the phone Ask for help
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Go to bed at a suitable time in the evening and try not to sleep during the day. If you cannot sleep because of the baby, try to get support from your spouse or relatives by explaining the negative effects of insomnia on you
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Meet other mothers by joining groups of mothers with babies,
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Try to do fun activities with your baby,
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Happy, entertaining Listen to music,
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Become aware of the people who make you happy and spend more time with them,
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Become aware of the situations that make you sad. work,
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Be aware of the negative thoughts that you constantly come to believe without much thought,
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Try to cope with thoughts that do not benefit you by talking to yourself. ,
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If you have domestic or financial problems, try to find a solution or ask someone for help,
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Talk to someone who will understand you about what you feel, Because problems become lighter as they are shared.
Can depressed mothers realize their own situation, and if yes, how? What should be done in this situation?
Actually, mothers are the first to notice that something is not right. ir. However, they may often not be able to share their experiences with the thought that they will be criticized or thought to be inadequate or that there will be no solution to this situation. Sometimes, even if they share, they may not receive effective support other than advice from other people.
Despite these, mothers still feel the following: If they feel symptoms and this situation lasts longer than 15 days and is severe enough to prevent them from doing their job, they should definitely consult a psychiatrist. Depression is a treatable condition. If left untreated, bad consequences are inevitable for both the mother and her baby.
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Emotions Felt: sadness, unhappiness, anxiety, hopelessness, helplessness
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>Behaviors: Not doing much, not getting out of bed, staying away from people, avoiding caring for the baby, not paying attention to personal hygiene
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Bodily reactions: Fatigue/loss of energy, tension, weight loss, Waking up early, difficulty concentrating.
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Thoughts: ''What is the purpose? Thoughts and suicidal thoughts such as "I am a useless mother, I am a burden to everyone, I do not want to disturb anyone's comfort"
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Beliefs: "I am a bad mother, I am a failure, I am worthless, nothing It won't get better, I don't care about anyone.''
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Relationships: Tense relationships, introversion, moving away from the environment, difficulty in bonding with the baby.
What are the duties of the father regarding the mental health of the mother? What would you like to say to fathers about this?
Fathers are the most important supports of mothers. Although some fathers think that the support received from close relatives is sufficient, the father's support has a special place and is also very important for the mother's mental health.
Whenever possible, talk to the mother about her experiences and feelings, and share your own feelings. p>
Even if mothers are at home all day, they get very tired during the day due to baby care and other added responsibilities. Create time periods for the mother who spends the whole day with her baby when she is not busy with the baby. These periods may not be very long at first, but even a 15-minute outing where you keep an eye on the baby will be very meaningful for the mother.
Mothers are late. Older babies also experience sleep disruptions because they wake up frequently, and this can have a negative impact on their mental health. Even if the mother is breastfeeding, getting up from time to time to give the baby to the mother and burping her after breastfeeding is a small but important support to ensure that the mother's sleep is not interrupted too much. Thus, the mother will feel better with the feeling of this sharing. Again, in formula-fed babies, support can be provided to the mother by dividing the labor regarding night feeding hours.
Sometimes, fathers may complain that the mother's interest decreases after the baby is born. Remember, every minute you take care of the baby is an opportunity for the mother to rest and create warmer bonds with you.
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