Post Partum Depression/Anxiety Sucks

People don't tend to talk about this stuff. But it's a sickness like any other. If I'm chronically ill for a period of time, I'm going to want friends and family to know what's going on. Technically, any episodes of diagnosable anxiety or depression within the first year of baby's life is labeled "post partum" but I have had issues with this in the past before becoming a mother as well - which just makes it more likely to happen to me now. So for the past few weeks, this has been what's going on with me. I did talk to my midwife/naturopath and am getting some treatment, but I can't tell a difference yet. Hopefully I will start feeling better in the next couple of weeks; if not, we will try the next step as far as treatment.

I'm not particularly asking for help or sympathy - mostly just for understanding, if I don't seem like myself. I am not too surprised that I am feeling like this, since we have a lot of stressors right now, and in the past my anxiety has often had environmental/situational triggers.

From webmd: http://www.webmd.com/depression/postpartum-depression/understanding-postpartum-depression-symptoms

There are many possible symptoms of postpartum depression, including the following [the ones I experience are in bold]:

• Inability to sleep or sleeping a lot  
• Change in appetite  
• Extreme concern and worry about the baby or a lack of interest or feelings for the baby  
• Feeling unable to love the baby or your family  
• Anger toward the baby, your partner, or other family members  
• Anxiety or panic attacks  
• Fear of harming your baby; these thoughts may be obsessive, and you may be afraid to be left alone in the house with your baby.  
• Irritability  
• Sadness or excessive crying  
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering  
• Feelings of doubt, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or restlessness  
• Lethargy or extreme fatigue  
• Loss of interest in hobbies or other usual activities  
• Mood swings marked by exaggerated highs and lows  
• Feeling emotionally numb  
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs  
• Hyperventilating  
• Frequent calls to the pediatrician with an inability to be reassured  
• Recurrent thoughts of death, which may include thinking about or even planning suicide  
• Obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors that are intrusive