Depression After Miscarriage – Signs and Tips to Deal With It

Having a healthy baby is every pregnant mother’s dream, but sometimes this dream may turn into a nightmare when there is an unexpected abortion or miscarriage. While some women may be able to cope with this mental and physical trauma, others may slip into depression after miscarriage. How would you know that you are dealing with post-miscarriage depression? Well, this and other facets related to the topic will be discussed in the following post!

Is Depression After Miscarriage Common?

Depression after undergoing a miscarriage is very common among women. Where most women may come out of the depressive state within a year, others may experience it for a longer duration and sometimes may experience depression even after a healthy child is born to such mothers. Not only mothers but fathers may feel depressed too, but men often come to this state sooner than women do.

What Are the Symptoms of Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage?

Depression can adversely affect a woman in many ways, and therefore, it is important to establish it and take measures to overcome it. If you are going through any of the below symptoms, there are chances that you may be suffering from postpartum or postnatal depression after miscarriage:

• If you lose interest in regular day-to-day activities;
• If you become too frustrated or irritable;
• If you feel hopeless, sad or empty;
• If you experience a lack of energy or feel extremely tired;
• If you feel distressed, anxious or restless;
• If you experience extreme changes in your appetite, you may have too much or too little;
• If you are not sleeping well or sleeping too much;
• If you experience difficulty in recollecting or remembering things, focusing or can’t make decisions on your own;
• If you feel extremely guilty or worthless;
• If you get thoughts of committing suicide;
• If you feel pains and aches that do not seem to go away, even with treatment.

If you feel any of the signs or symptoms mentioned above, there are chances that you may be experiencing depression after missed miscarriage or depression after an early pregnancy.

How to Differentiate Grief From Depression?

It is very normal for a woman who has gone through a miscarriage to grieve, and sometimes this grief may last a long period of time. However, sometimes, it may become difficult to establish whether the woman is undergoing grief or depression. One determining factor could be the time frame, but if someone is grieving for a long, it does not necessarily mean that she is undergoing depression. While for some women, grieving can last a few months, for others, it may be a lifelong experience.

The best way to differentiate between grief and depression is by observing how it may be affecting your regular life. Though you may experience difficulty coping with your daily life initially or soon after your loss, however, you may get back to your normal life after a while. But if you are experiencing difficulty in coping with your regular life, you may need help!

How to Overcome Depression After Miscarriage?

There is no doubt that it may take some time for a woman to come out of a depression after miscarriage. Here are some ways of overcoming depression:

• In order to cope with your emotions and grief in a better way, you may be offered to undergo psychotherapy sessions.

• Your doctor may prescribe anti-depressant medications to alleviate the symptoms of depression and balance the chemicals in the brain to help you feel better.

• If a patient does not respond well to medications or psychotherapy, ECT or electroconvulsive therapy may be administered. The therapy involves giving mild electric shocks to the brain. However, this method of treatment is only followed under severe cases of depression that usually do not respond well to other resorts.

Whatever treatment plan your doctor chooses for you, it is important to stick to it to feel better. You should also pay heed to proper nutrition by eating a well-balanced diet and also invest in a good exercising routine. Getting ample rest and sleep is also equally important to get over a depressive state of mind. No matter whether you are suffering from grief or depression, it is always a good idea to seek professional help to feel better. Talk to your therapist, counsellor or psychologist and get the required help. Sometimes treatment may require medication but joining support groups, non-drug therapies, attending a counselling session with your partner, and other such options may help a great deal. Also, give yourself enough time to grieve and them slowly come out of it.

All women respond to grief differently. Take the help of your partner and loved ones to get over this difficult phase of life. Share and communicate your emotions and find effective ways of handling depression on a personal level, too.

References/Resources:

1. National Institute of Mental Health; Depression; National Institute of Mental Health; https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression#part_2255, September 2022

2. Kong, G. W. S., Chung, T. K. H., Lai, B. P. Y., & Lok, I. H.; Gender comparison of psychological reaction after miscarriage—A 1-year longitudinal study. BJOG, 117(10), 1211-1219, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02653.x/full, September 2010

3. Bardos J, Hercz D, Friedenthal J, Missmer SA, Williams Z; A National Survey on Public Perceptions of Miscarriage; Obstetrics & Gynecology, https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2015/06000/A_National_Survey_on_Public_Perceptions_of.8.aspx, June 2015

4. Adolfsson, A.; Meta-analysis to obtain a scale of psychological reaction after perinatal loss: Focus on miscarriage. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, PubMed Central, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218782/, March 2022

5. Mayo Clinic Staff; Depression (major depressive disorder); Mayo Clinic,
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977, July 2015

6. After a miscarriage: Surviving emotionally; American Pregnancy Association, 
americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-loss/miscarriage-surviving-emotionally/, August 2015

Also Read:

Late Miscarriage
Bleeding After Miscarriage
Miscarriage Risks During Pregnancy