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Giving birth is one of the most significant changes that can come in a woman’s life. A new family member sparks great joy. But the mother’s body goes through various external and internal changes that induce feelings of irritability, sadness, overwhelm, and fatigue during the first few days of childbirth.

These mood changes are very common and are called ‘baby blues.’ However, if these feelings continue for longer, they might lead to Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder or Postpartum Depression.

Baby Blues

Baby blues are very common in women, and 80% of women experience it after giving birth. They come in bouts of emotional mood swings and last from 1 to 3 hours. These feelings start 2 to 3 days after delivering the baby and can last for around 2 weeks. Some common symptoms of baby blues are:

• Impatience
• Restlessness
• Crying for no reason
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Mood changes
• Sadness
• Poor concentration

These feelings occur because of the drastic hormonal changes that women go through. When women are pregnant, their hormone levels rise and drop to extremely low levels after childbirth brings baby blues.

Postpartum Depression

If baby blues last longer than 2 weeks, a person may be going through severe ‘postpartum depression.’ 1 in every 7 women is diagnosed with this. A woman is more likely to get diagnosed with it if it runs in their family.

Women suffering from postpartum depression must seek a mental health professional’s help and might need to take medications to balance the chemicals in their brain. Some of the common postpartum depression symptoms are:

• Severe sleeping issues — sleeping too much or too less
• Prolonged sadness — uncontrollable crying
• Changed appetite — eating too much or too little
• Drained energy and no motivation
• Feeling uninterested in things which brought pleasure before
• Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
• No interest in the baby
• Anger and irritability
• Lack of focus

While these symptoms may sound severe, you must know that they can be fixed. Postpartum depression impacts 1 in 7 women, and you can treat it with diet, lifestyle changes, and counseling.

Silicon Valley Marriage Counseling is a professional counseling institute in Palo Alto, CA. People seeking anxiety counseling, marriage and couple’s counseling,  and infidelity and sex therapy meet with Azizeh E. Rezaiyan, a Farsi-speaking psychologist with 20 years of experience, and work things out.

You can call (650) 206-9973 for a free 20-minute phone consultation or schedule an appointment online for a session. 

The rising number of coronavirus cases in the US is stirring fear and anxiety among people daily. Social media is accentuating this anxiety by bringing you stories of the havoc this novel virus is wreaking. We all want to manage this anxiety, and here are 3 ways you can do that. 

Be in The Present

When we think about the future, we get scared and upset. The term “what if?” can turn your world upside down. It’s because you begin to imagine the wildest and impossible things that can happen to you or your loved ones. 

You can’t predict the future. Therefore, spending time thinking about it is a waste of energy. Instead, choose to focus on a few days or a week down the road. That will help you figure out possible outcomes within that time frame and help you plan accordingly. 

When we think too far ahead, we ignore to live in the present and get anxious over things that aren’t in our control. 

Have Perspective and Think Scale Wise

You must keep things in perspective. It can help you with the amount of energy and attention you give to things. Make a rating scale in your mind from 0 to 100. Now think of an event that’ll have the least impact on you. Mark that as 0. Now think of the worst event of your life and mark it as 100.

Every other thing that’ll happen in your life will be in between these two extremes and relative to their rating. For instance, you rate your wife’s death as 100, losing your job as 70, and getting the virus as 50. On your way to the gym, someone overcame you, and it made you angry. Put this incident into perspective. 

Is it more important than losing your job or getting sick? It’s not! It’ll fall somewhere between 15 and 20. Therefore, it deserves that bit of your time and energy. Treat all your situations like this, and you’ll bid farewell to your anxiety.

Sleep, Exercise, and Diet

Ensure that you’re getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day, eating a balanced diet, and getting some movement in. These three things can manage your anxiety well. You can get out of a routine very easily if you’re stressed, so try to maintain your sleep schedule, and you’ll be able to manage your COVID-induced anxiety well. 

Don’t forget to indulge in comfort food once in a while and ensure that you go for a walk every day. 

A counselor can help you cope with anxiety. Silicon Valley Marriage Counseling is a professional counseling institute in Palo Alto, CA. People seeking anxiety counseling, marriage and couple’s counseling,  and infidelity and sex therapy meet with Azizeh E. Rezaiyan, a Farsi-speaking psychologist with 20 years of experience, and work things out.

You can call (650) 206-9973 for a free 20-minute phone consultation or schedule an appointment online for a session. 

50% of men are less likely to be diagnosed with depression when compared to women.

COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdowns have restricted people to their homes. Because of that, our relationships with our partners don’t look the way they used to be. A study conducted by Indiana University School of Public Health and School of Medicine shows that couples have experienced feelings of resentment towards each other living in close proximity at all times with decreased intimacy and feelings of loneliness. If you’re in a relationship and feeling lonely amidst the pandemic, these 3 tips are for you. 

1. Understand and Acknowledge Your Feelings

One of the biggest reasons to feel lonely in a relationship is that we divert our attention to things other than our feelings. Acknowledging our feelings and dealing with them is tough for most of us, but we must do it. 

The first step toward this is to slow down and reflect on those feelings of loneliness. Ask yourself why you feel those things, what triggers them, when they usually come up, etc. It will help you bring order to your nervous system and prevent you from getting defensive. 

2. Assess Your Behaviors

It’s common for people to think that their partners cause their lonesome and despairing feelings. But know that’s not always true. Many times, we aren’t aware of how our words and actions are impacting the other person. If you don’t acknowledge the impact your words have on your spouse, you’ll eventually distance from them.

Lack of avoiding vulnerability, sharing, and being emotionally available contributes to your feelings of loneliness. Therefore, you must judge your behavior and feel empathy toward your partner. 

3. Don’t Speak Without Listening.

If you want a relationship to last long, communicate! Communication is a two-way stream of speaking and listening. Speaking too much, and forcing another person to listen without letting them speak can create tension. If your partner is ranting about something, show patience and listen to them. 

This will enable both of you to feel heard and get closer. Most people feel lonely when they see that their partner is unapproachable and won’t listen to their story.

We all are going through trying times. Feeling of loneliness shouldn’t add to the stress. If you’re feeling lonely, a marriage counselor can help you. Silicon Valley Marriage Counseling is a professional counseling institute in Palo Alto, CA. People seeking marriage and couple’s counseling, and infidelity and sex therapy meet with Azizeh E. Rezaiyan, a Farsi-speaking psychologist with 20 years of experience, and work things out.

You can call (650) 206-9973 for a free 20-minute phone consultation or schedule an appointment online for a session.