Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating Postpartum Blues, Depression and Psychosis

With recent media attention and a growing awareness in popular culture, the appropriate treatment for post-partum depression has taken center stage as a prevalent women‟s health issue. There is little agreement on the definition, existence and treatment of postpartum depression. Contributing to this factor is the lack of research that exists to support which method of counseling best treats postpartum depression. The intent of this paper is to suggest that with increased counseling and counselor involvement postpartum depression can be lessened, decreasing the length and severity of the symptoms without the use of anti-depressants Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating Postpartum Blues, Depression and Psychosis Despite many research studies and a growing awareness throughout the late 20th century, postpartum depres-sion (PPD) has remained an understudied phenomenon. When Texas housewife Andrea Yates murdered her five children in 2001, PPD returned to the forefront of media attention. Yates had a history of PPD and post-partum psychosis; she was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity (Doherty, 2007). Moreover, when actress Brooke Shields (2005a) published her memoir detailing PPD, fellow actor Tom Cruise pub-licly condemned her use of antidepressants. Shields fired back by defending her choice and became a vocal advocate for women seeking help with PPD (2005b). These two incidents serve as important reminders tha