POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS

.     Photo courtesy/Office on women's health 

Over 10% of new mothers suffer from postpartum psychosis which results from postpartum depression.

Postpartum psychosis is a mental illness that affects new mothers after giving birth.

According to Nyambura Gathumbi,a psychotherapist,postpartum psychosis develops from postpartum depression which has not been treated after a woman gives birth and starts showing signs of  the depression.

"80-85% of women show signs of postpartum blues which is normal in the first five days and between one and four weeks some show signs of postpartum depression which include fatigue,no sleep,no mood and suicidal thoughts,"said Nyambura.

The psychotherapist added that postpartum depression could have began while one was still pregnant and continue even after giving birth.

"Child birth is trauma,"siad Nyambura.

Nyambura has furthur said that according to research done by the doctors postpartum psychosis could have been due to a high possibility of bipolar where one becomes manic and starts hallucinating and being delusional and later one starts behaving beyond normal behaviour to a point of experiencing catatonia.

The psychotherapist has advised people to seek medical attention as postpartum psychosis,which is basically mental illness,can get worse and be irreversible,full blown psychosis.

Recently in the country,in Kitengela a 27 year old mother kills her two-year old baby and eats his body parts and in Eldoret a 26 year old woman kills her son and injures her daughter and when questioned by the media claimed that she was undergoing depression which is a common sign of postpartum psychosis.

Chebet Birir,a mental health advocate has urged the medics to inform people of their mental health condition and educate them about it so that one can be aware of what is happening to their bodies and not think it is something weird.