What is PND?

by Tash Hughes of Word Constructions (www.wordconstructions.com) 

PND, or post natal depression, is becoming recognised as a problem, but many people don’t really know what it is.

Not all women with PND actually feel depressed, and many cases are milder than others so it is not always diagnosed.

Here are some facts about PND:

PND is an illness – the woman can’t choose to ‘snap out of it’

At least 14% of mothers experience PND

PND isn’t just a hormonal imbalance, although that may contribute

PND can occur in pregnancy (called AND), in adoptive parents, in Dads and after miscarriages and still births

Early detection and treatment has quicker results in easing the symptoms

Effective treatment includes biological, social and psychological aspects

Although more likely in a first baby, PND can appear for the first time with any baby

Subsequent pregnancies can compound PND if there isn’t enough of a gap in between

PND has been around for many years, although not called PND

High stress events and relationship issues during pregnancy increase likelihood of PND

14% means that 25,000 to 50,000 Victorians are diagnosed with PND each year

PND affects women in all groups – age, economics, rural, urban, education, etc

It is thought that PND may be a major factor in relationship break down in young families

Women with PND need patience, support and understanding

PND will go away and there is life and happiness beyond PND

Partners of PND parents also need support and assistance

PND is called the ‘smiling disease’ as many women are expert at smiling and hiding their illness

PND will get better quicker if it is caught soon and treated appropriately

there are a lot of symptoms that are seen in people with PND - each person shows it differently so it can be hard to recognise it

Anxiety is a common feeling for PND patients - more common than actually feeling sad or depresssed

Tash Hughes is the owner of Word Constructions and is available to solve all your business writing problems! From letters to policies, newsletters to web content, Word Constructions writes all business documents to your style and satisfaction.