General Symptoms
1) Symptoms can be both physical and psychological.
2) PPD can be comorbid.
3) PPD is diagnosed after an individual is affected for a period of 2 weeks or longer and it affects everyday life.
4) An individual can experience only one symptom or many symptoms.
5) The following symptoms are listed in a self-explanatory way for ease to the reader.
Physical Symptoms
- Insomnia - Lack of Sleep
- Nightmares - Scary Thoughts
- Tremors - Loss of Appetite
- Restlessness - Crying
- Irritability - Social Isolation
- Headaches - Aches and Pains
- Nausea - Upset Stomach
- Panic Attacks - Unable to Relax
- Jumpy - Hyperactive
- Easily Frustrated
Psychological Symptoms
- Lack of concentration
- Unwanted thoughts
- Thought disorder
- Depression
- Fear
- Repeatedly going over thoughts
- Anger
- Numbness/emptiness
- No bondness with child
- Guilt
- Overwhelmed
- Disconnected
- Simple tasks seem like daunting tasks
- "Feelings of loss of a sense of who she is as an individual" (Brizendine,
- Lack of concentration
- Unwanted thoughts
- Thought disorder
- Depression
- Fear
- Repeatedly going over thoughts
- Anger
- Numbness/emptiness
- No bondness with child
- Guilt
- Overwhelmed
- Disconnected
- Simple tasks seem like daunting tasks
- "Feelings of loss of a sense of who she is as an individual" (Brizendine, 2006, p. 182).
- Feeling inadequate in caring for the new baby
- Inability to find enjoyment in activities (particulary in activities that were enjoyable before childbirth)