Maternal Mental Health Awareness: Signs, Symptoms, and When to Seek Support

Written by: Amanda White, LCSW

Motherhood can feel heavier than you expected. Even when you love your baby deeply, you may still feel overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, or not like yourself—and many moms quietly wonder if what they’re experiencing is normal.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, where we focus on the importance of recognizing mental health symptoms and seeking treatment and support as needed. It seems like no better time than this month to bring more awareness to mental health in motherhood, and especially during the postpartum period.

Here are the facts and some statistics about moms and their mental health:

• 1 in 5 mothers are affected by mental health conditions.

• The “baby blues,” which is a normal period of transition following childbirth and is characterized by emotional sensitivity and weepiness, affects 85% of pregnant or postpartum women.

• Postpartum depression affects approximately 14% of pregnant or postpartum women and can involve intrusive thoughts of wanting to harm oneself or one’s baby.

• 6–8% of pregnant or postpartum women are affected by anxiety disorders. Symptoms may include panic attacks, feeling overwhelmed, a fear of going outside, and sleep disturbances.

• Postpartum psychosis is a more rare but serious mental health condition, which tends to affect 1–2 women per 1,000 births. Onset is very sudden and should be considered a medical emergency. Women may experience paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, sudden mood changes, cognitive impairment, and reckless behavior.

• As far as timing and onset of mental health diagnoses, women experience peak onset of mental health conditions 3–6 months postpartum. If untreated, however, moms may experience mental health symptoms up to 3 years postpartum.

• Many times, moms do not speak up about mental health symptoms, even when assessed by their doctors, due to the guilt and shame they experience.

Facts and statistics are incredibly helpful to raise awareness but now let’s get a little more personal. How do you know as a mom that you need support in the form of mental health therapy?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help determine this:

1. Are you feeling persistently overwhelmed by the everyday tasks and responsibilities in motherhood?

2. Are you feeling disconnected or lacking attachment to your baby or children?

3. Have you been having intrusive thoughts about something bad happening to yourself or your children?

4. Have you been experiencing consistent disturbances in your mood, appetite, and sleep?

5. Are you experiencing intense mood shifts, including anger, irritability, anxiety, and crying episodes?

6. Have you been struggling to find joy and experiencing a lack of interest in hobbies and activities you used to enjoy?

7. Do you feel you are lacking an identity outside of motherhood and find yourself feeling hopeless and confused?

There is no shame in seeking therapy and receiving help—in fact, it may be the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby or children.

Even the best moms may experience mental health symptoms. Even moms who have longed to have children may struggle in the postpartum period. Even moms who have individuals supporting them in their lives may need more intensive professional help. Experiencing mental health symptoms and needing support does not make you a bad mom; motherhood is hard and help is available.

If any of this resonates with you, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Our practice specializes in helping women in the postpartum period and throughout motherhood journey. Call or text 412-965-8497 to schedule and appointment today.

Please note all statistics were drawn from the “Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.”