Post-natal depression: Supporting sufferers and their families - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... In this case, therefore, the aspect of a lot of care and treatment on the patients should be applied in the case of the mothers suffering from the condition. Studies indicate that this kind of condition lasts about a month after the delivery and the entire condition depends on the persons around the mother, and the kind of care being subjected to them. In the extreme cases, a lot of women have been seen to survive with the condition up to after six months of delivery. Brugha, et al. (2000) indicate that the number of women suffering from prenatal depression stands at around 10% -15%. Medically speaking, these women have been undergoing fluctuations in their hormones as well as many responsibilities they have had to go through so as to deal with the condition, and other motherly responsibilities. Feelings of anxiety and depression have also taken toll among the mothers, with a great percentage of them not being able to deal with the pressures and the new kind of medications they have to deal with. Other scholars have equated the condition to depression that is more often than not adjunct with low moods. At most times the mothers are completely unable to deal with their conditions; thus affecting their babies a great mile. In other occasions, the constant wails by the children result to the mothers’ inability to develop a sense of attachment with their babies. Other mothers have been extremely irritable, they lack appetite; always blame themselves while others can hardly breastfeed their babies for a long time. Severe forms of postnatal depression have seen many women unable to sleep, whilst others cannot maintain good social relations with their neighbors and the society at large. It is clear that a lot of care and support needs to be given to postnatal depressed women for the reason that the conditions of these women are getting worse, others losing memory, and the number of low self esteemed women increasing. Worse still, a lot of these women go through difficult times, since they have suicidal feelings, and a great percentage of them do not live in any form of reality (Horwitz, Friedman & Resnick, 2005). In this case, the sufferers and their families need a lot of care and support so as to survive with the condition. Aspects of care Postnatal condition has been referred to as a complex condition that requires a lot of care and dealings with extremely specialized health practitioners. The severity of the condition must be well scrutinized and the patients given a chance to deal with these conditions. This results from the caregivers assessing the situation, administering counseling to the mothers or at times includes the services of mental health workforces, in handling the condition. In the study of the care and support given to the mothers, it is recommended that the kind of services being offered by the health facilities be scrutinized so that patients can have the services that suit their conditions. The role of the midwives is of great importance since they are the first hand contact with these mothers. They have been known for their screening and referral services, and are the best persons that ought to be consulted in ...Download file to see next pagesRead More