Post-partum depression is more common than you may expect. An estimated 1 in every 10 women experiences depression within a year of giving birth. Unfortunately, many women ignore their symptoms; however, this can negatively impact your overall health, quality of life, and relationships. If you or someone you know may be experiencing post-partum depression, it’s important to seek professional help. In this article, we’ll explore whether CBT reduces the risk of post-partum depression so you can improve your mental well-being.
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How Can CBT Help Reduce the Risk of Post-Partum Depression
Post-partum depression is unfortunately a reality that many mothers face. Many new moms can feel tired, overwhelmed, and anxious after giving birth, and this significant life change can cause mental stress and strain on their own mental well-being and relationships with others.
It’s important to understand that there are preventative treatment interventions, like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), that expectant parents can receive in order to reduce their risk of experiencing post-partum depression. Research has found that talk therapy like CBT can help reduce the risks of developing postpartum mental health conditions, like depression.
While CBT does not guarantee you will not experience depression symptoms postpartum, it can help reduce your risk and help develop coping skills to help you navigate this season of life.
Interested in learn how does CBT reduce risk of post-partum depression? Keep reading below!
- Helps Practice Coping Skills
First, CBT can help parents practice healthy coping skills so they can proactively handle intense emotions after birth. Inevitably, all parents with a new child will feel intense emotions from feeling overwhelmed to exhaustion and in some cases frustration or sadness. Therefore, rather than waiting until you feel those emotions, you can receive CBT to reduce your risk of experiencing these intense negative emotions. Your therapist can work with you to develop coping strategies so when you experience those intense feelings, rather than letting them control you, you can lean on your coping skills.
- Supports Emotional Regulation
Similarly, CBT can help you control and effectively regulate your emotions. As explained above, it can be overwhelming for any parent, especially new parents, caring for an infant and many parents may neglect how they are feeling. This can lead many to bottle up their emotions or ignore them until they start causing significant negative strain on their personal well-being and relationships.
During CBT, you can work with a therapist to better understand your emotions and regulate them. For instance, if you find you are getting a toxic cycle of negative thought patterns, you can work with your therapist during CBT to address and change those negative thoughts with more positive ones.
- Reduces Stress
Finally, CBT can reduce stress and help with stress management. Stress is a normal part of life, and you’ll inevitably feel stressed when caring for a newborn. However, CBT can equip you with certain stress management skills like deep breathing, being self-aware of toxic thought patterns, and more, so you can minimize your stress and prioritize being a healthy parent to your child.
Help Is Available
Now you know more about does CBT reduce risk of post-partum depression. The short answer is yes, cognitive behavioral therapy can be used as a preventative measure to help reduce one’s risk of post-partum depression. However, it’s critical to understand that CBT does not eliminate the potential of experiencing depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum depression or another mental illness, it’s critical you seek professional support so you can safely improve your mental health and well-being.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is CBT effective for postpartum depression?
Yes, CBT can be an effective treatment for postpartum depression. You should never ignore your postpartum depression symptoms. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is one of many treatments you should consider if you are struggling with depression. CBT can help individuals learn healthy coping skills to better manage stress, address negative thought patterns, and create more positive thoughts and behaviors to improve their overall quality of life and well-being.
How can I prevent postpartum depression?
While it’s not possible to eliminate your risk of postpartum depression, there are several ways you can lower your risk of developing postpartum depression. First, it’s important to prioritize your mental wellness before, during, and after your pregnancy. It can be easy for anyone, especially new or expecting parents, to not prioritize their mental health and well-being. Next, ask for help from trusted family and friends, and seek professional support to help better manage your depression symptoms so you can lead a healthier, happier life.
What are the benefits of CBT therapy?
CBT is a highly effective, evidence-based treatment option that can help improve a range of mental health conditions. Specifically, CBT helps individuals better understand negative thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, and shift them to create positive transformation in their lives. Oftentimes, CBT will involve a range of coping skills tailored to an individual’s needs to help them minimize stress and toxic thoughts so they can heal.
CBT is also highly adaptable in that it can help improve a wide range of mental health conditions across a range of patients. This makes it highly versatile, whether you are struggling with depression, drug addiction, or another mental disorder, CBT therapy can provide you with the effective coping skills and strategies to make positive change in your life.
When is CBT not effective?
CBT is a common and effective treatment for many; however, there are some instances in which CBT can not be effective. This may include if you have extreme unresolved trauma, CBT may not be the best treatment option, as it’s critical you address the root cause of your trauma. Additionally, it’s important to understand that if you are not ready or actively motivated to do the work during and in between your CBT sessions, inevitably the treatment will not be as effective compared to someone who is actively working toward improving their mental health.
