What are the Signs of Postpartum Anxiety?
Postpartum anxiety would be diagnosed for any woman who meets diagnostic criteria, for an anxiety disorder, within one year of giving birth.
Signs of Postpartum Anxiety are More than New Parent Emotions
Postpartum anxiety is extremely common and oftentimes goes unnoticed because many women believe that an increase in anxiety is just something that comes along with motherhood, which it does, to some extent. However, when a woman is experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to seek help from your provider:
- extreme anxiety
- difficulty controlling worry
- difficulty concentrating
- extreme irritability
- sleep disturbance
Who Might Get Postpartum Anxiety?
Women at increased risk for postpartum anxiety include:
- women who have a personal or family history of anxiety
- women with history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- women with history of obsessive-compulsive disorder
If you or anyone you know meet that criteria, it’s important to be evaluated by a medical professional.
Anne has been a registered nurse since 2009 working in a variety of settings including psychiatry, pediatrics, and internal medicine. She graduated in 2017 with her masters in nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Ann sees patients of all ages and conditions and specializes in perinatal (before, during and after pregnancy) psychiatry as well as women’s health psychiatry.
