If you’re worried that yourself, or someone close to you may be suffering with postpartum psychosis, initially start by looking out for some of the symptoms listed below:
- Mania: feeling over-excited, elated or 'high', active, energetic, not needing to sleep, feeling agitated, restlessness, and irritable, with a busy mind or racing thoughts.
- Depressed or low mood or alternating rapidly between mood states.
- Hallucinations - hearing voices, seeing things or smelling smells that other people cannot perceive.
- Delusions - false beliefs that are firmly held, sometimes related to the baby, such as it is 'sent from God', or 'evil' in some way. Delusions, such as that the mother has won the lottery, that the TV or radio are referring to her, or that she has special healing powers, are not uncommon.
- Confusion, rapid or muddled thinking.
- A lack of insight - a woman experiencing this condition may be unaware that her behaviour is off in any way. Very often it will be other people who notice that she is behaving oddly and is not well.
- Delusions can frequently be paranoid in nature. Mums may believe that everyone (especially hospital staff and/or loved ones) are trying to harm her and/or her baby.
- Loss of inhibitions
- Behaviour that is out of character
- Feeling as if you are in a dream world
We know that talking about how you are feeling can often be very difficult, however, there is help out there. You do not have to feel like this. We hear that women often worry that they will be judged or seen to be ‘not coping’ - this is a common misconception. Health professionals are aware of how much bipolar can affect people can be during the perinatal period, and are able to support you and your family. There will be a range of treatment open to you.