A new study has revealed there’s one symptom of postnatal depression which has been overlooked that can actually go a long way in affecting recovery.
According to a study by the University of British Columbia, while most women are screened for signs of anxiety and depression, they’re not actually being checked for signs of anger.
In fact, anger doesn’t even appear on the commonly used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale screening tool.
The study was conducted by nursing PhD student Christine Ou, who discovered anger actually plays quite a large role in postnatal depression, and can even hinder a woman’s recovery if left untreated.
"We know that mothers can be depressed and anxious in the postpartum period, but researchers haven’t really paid attention to anger," Ou told the University of British Columbia.
"There’s some evidence that indicates that being both angry and depressed worsens the intensity and length of depression. That can have many negative effects on the mother, child and family, and on the relationship between parents."
Ou discovered many women feel anger as a direct result of motherhood not living up to their expectations.
She said many mothers also felt angry about having their parenting judged by others, and not having the support they had hoped for from those closest to them.
"Mothers may feel that they have not met their own expectations and that also others may judge them because, for example, they’re formula-feeding instead of breastfeeding," she told the University of British Columbia.
"Many mothers have also expressed feeling let down by others in terms of support from partners, family members, and health-care providers as well."
She also explained that many cultures make it unacceptable for women to express anger, which can often transition into depression.
According to Ou’s thesis supervisor and co-author, University of British Columbia nursing professor Wendy Hall, this discovery will play an important role in the successful treatment of postnatal depression moving forward.
Top Comments
This is such a valid point. There are times when I have felt such intense rage that it scared me and not once was it asked in the Edinburgh screen. I had the depression and anxiety but could not pin point where this anger and rage had come from as it wasn't something that was part of me before becoming a mum. I still have to check myself 2 years on and have made the decision not to have a second child for the reason that I am too scared that the anger would intensify with 2 children. I have to really work on my anger with my toddler now. Take a breath and stop myself or walk out of the room to calm down before I get too angry at him for my own feelings and not because of something he's done. Although I understand toddlers are frustrating at this stage, I still sometimes feel that my reaction is over the top for what he's actually done. It's a constant struggle of checking myself before flying off the handle and I don't want him to learn bad behaviours from me :(
Damn straight Mama.
I was the same. After my second, I was filled with rage.
It was palpable. I lived without support from my family or my then husbands family and it wasn’t until I left my husband that things actually started looking up and I started looking inside. This was when my baby was about 13 months old.
I still have moments where I catch myself but dammit ever since freeing such an isolating and suffocating situation, I’ve been acknowledging my anger, hurt and have been able to be a better mum because I can recognise where it came from.
Best of luck honey xo