As incredibly rewarding as parenting can be, the emotional stress of taking care of other people day in and day out can take its toll on just about anyone. When you're dealing with feelings of depression as well, the routine tasks, pressures, and emotions that come with being a mom — or dad — can seem overwhelming and even unbearable.
And a new study shows that a mother's depression can have a dramatic effect on her kids, too. Looking at 1,106 sets of mothers and children (birth through 5 years), researchers found that the kids, especially boys, of depressed moms (who accounted for nearly half of the women) were more likely to have behavior problems. Plus, these young tots were far more likely to get hurt, especially at home.
A mother's untreated depression and its effect on her energy level, interests, motivation, and concentration could contribute to kids' injuries because she may be less vigilant about safety (like using car seats or placing babies to sleep on their backs) and childproofing (like installing smoke detectors and outlet covers), as the study points out.
A Closer Look at Depression
The most common mental health disorder, depression doesn't discriminate — it can affect people of every age, economic level, and race (though females do seem to be affected more often than males).
And the possible causes, which vary from person to person, include:
- lowered levels of neurotransmitters (chemicals that carry signals through the nervous system) in the brain, which can limit a person's ability to feel good
- genes — depression can run in families
- significant life events such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, a move to a new area, even a breakup
- stress — a common part of many parents' lives
- chronic illness
- side effects of certain medicines or infections
The normal stresses of life can lead anyone to feel sad every once in a while. But depression is more than occasionally feeling down in the dumps. With depression, a person may feel sad, discouraged, desperate, hopeless, helpless, and/or worthless for weeks, months, or even longer.
Depression can cloud everything — it interferes with people's abilities to participate in normal activities and affects their thoughts, outlook, behavior, and mood. For those with depression, the world, overall, often looks bleak.
People with depression may experience some or all of these symptoms:
- depressed mood or sadness most of the time
- lack of physical and/or mental energy and feeling tired all the time
- lack of interest or motivation
- poor concentration
- inability to enjoy things that used to bring pleasure
- withdrawal from friends and family
- irritability, anger, or anxiety
- inability to concentrate
- significant weight loss or gain (and appetite changes)
- significant change in sleep patterns (inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get up in the morning)
- feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- aches and pains (with no known medical cause)
- negativity and indifference (not caring about anything in the present or future)
- thoughts of death or suicide
New moms may also experience postpartum depression, which can come on shortly after delivery or anytime during the first few months after giving birth. Many women feel a little moody and sad in the days and weeks after delivery — the "baby blues" are very common and may be related to physical changes as well as the emotional and often-demanding transition of taking care of a newborn.
But some moms experience a more serious condition called postpartum depression (PPD), which can persist and get worse if it goes untreated. Symptoms of PPD may include persistent crying and sadness, sleeping and appetite changes, and (in more serious cases) even hallucinations or thoughts of self-injury or harming the baby.
What This Means to You
Whether you're a mom to a newborn or a teen, don't hesitate to call your doctor right away if you think you might have depression. Explain all of your emotional and physical symptoms and how often you feel that way. And make sure to let the doctor know if you're pregnant (or think you might be) or breastfeeding, since that will affect what, if any, medications you're prescribed.
The doctor may refer you to a mental health professional for an evaluation. If depression seems to be the culprit, treatment (which might entail medications and/or talk therapy) is the key to feeling good again. Depression isn't something you'll just "get over" — it doesn't simply go away with time or once "things change."
Depression is a real and recognized medical problem that affects many people, including moms and dads. Getting professional help can make you feel better equipped to handle day-to-day duties and enjoy everything — especially your children — so much more.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: January 2008
Source: "Maternal Depression, Child Behavior, and Injury," Injury Prevention (a British Medical Journal), December 2007.
