Postpartum psychosis
10-minute read
If you or someone close to you is having thoughts of self-harm or you are worried about your baby's safety, go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
Key facts
- Postpartum psychosis is a rare mental illness that can affect you up to 12 weeks after giving birth.
- Symptoms can appear suddenly and affect your thoughts, behaviour, sleep, mood and perception (how you understand the world around you).
- Postpartum psychosis is different from postnatal depression, which is more common.
- Postpartum psychosis needs to be diagnosed by a psychiatrist and treated in hospital.
- After getting the right treatment, people with postpartum psychosis are likely to make a full recovery.
What is postpartum psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis is also called postnatal psychosis or puerperal psychosis. It is a rare but serious mental illness that can develop soon after you give birth. It can come on very suddenly from hours after you give birth, but it may occur up to 12 weeks postpartum.
The word 'psychosis' refers to a loss of sense of reality. If you have postpartum psychosis, you may:
- see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations)
- feel everyone is against you (paranoia)
- experience delusions (fixed beliefs that don't match with reality)
If you think you or someone you know could have postpartum psychosis, it's important to see a doctor urgently. This is important for the safety of you and your baby. If you have postpartum psychosis, you will need specialised psychiatric treatment to recover.
What are the causes of postpartum psychosis?
Rapid hormonal changes that happen during birth and physical stress of birth are thought to cause, or contribute, to having postpartum psychosis.
What are the risk factors for postpartum psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis can affect anyone who gives birth, even without a history of mental illness.
However, factors that increase your risk of developing postpartum psychosis include:
- a personal or family history of bipolar disorder
- a personal or family history of postpartum psychosis
- severe sleep deprivation
- a physically stressful or complicated birth
What are the symptoms of postpartum psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis can cause serious changes to your mood, behaviour, thoughts, perception and sleep.
Symptoms usually include a combination of the following:
- mood changes
- sudden mood swings
- excessive happiness
- irritation
- depression
- behaviour changes
- speaking quickly and not finishing sentences
- being disorganised, confused and forgetful
- making unrealistic plans
- being unable to care for your baby
- thought changes
- false beliefs (delusions) that may be paranoid
- being unable to concentrate
- considering or planning to harm yourself or your baby
- changes to perception
- hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- sleep changes
- being unable to sleep, sometimes for days
If you notice these changes in yourself, or someone you know, it's important to get professional help. See your GP, local hospital emergency department, or call one of the support service helplines listed at the end of this article.
How is postpartum psychosis diagnosed?
Postpartum psychosis is a very serious mental illness that is diagnosed by a psychiatrist. If your doctor thinks you may have postnatal psychosis, they will admit you to hospital for psychiatric assessment and care.
How is postpartum psychosis treated?
Postpartum psychosis is treatable. After getting the right treatment, you are likely to make a full recovery.
When you are first diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, you will need to stay in hospital to ensure your own safety and so that you can be closely monitored by your medical team. You may be able to go to a mother and baby unit to allow you to continue to care for your baby in a safe place.
This first phase of treatment can take weeks or months, depending on your symptoms and how well they respond to treatment. It will take time and ongoing treatment for you to recover fully.
Your doctor will recommend treatment depending on your symptoms and condition. There is a wide range of treatment options for postpartum psychosis:
- Various medicines such as antidepressants, mood stabilisers, and antipsychotic medicines. These treat symptoms and reduce the likelihood of the symptoms reoccurring.
- Electroconvulsive therapy is a process that stimulates nerve cells in the brain with an electric current to treat severe symptoms of mania, psychosis and severe depression. You might need this if your symptoms are severe.
- Psychological therapies, such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can help you to develop coping strategies as you recover.
Recovery can be slow and take time. It's important to minimise stress and try to sleep well. Consider limiting the number of visitors you have, especially as the beginning, as too many visitors can be overwhelming.
Counselling and support for your partner and support people is also important.
How can I help my partner, family or friend if I think they might have postpartum psychosis?
If you are worried that your partner or loved one is showing signs of postpartum psychosis, it's important to arrange a doctor or mental health professional to see them urgently. While this may be difficult, it is necessary.
Both the mother and the baby could be at risk. Delaying treatment can make things more complex and lengthen recovery time.
If you or someone close to you is having thoughts of self-harm or you are worried for your baby's safety, go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
Resources and support
Experiencing or caring for someone during a mental health crisis can be frightening, but help is available 24 hours a day.
- Ask your GP, maternal health nurse or the hospital where your baby was born for advice.
To find a maternal, child and family health service near you, use the Pregnancy Birth and Baby tool.
- COPE has a factsheet about postpartum psychosis, as well as a comprehensive list of helplines, resources and services.
- Call one of these mental health support services:
- PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306 — available Monday to Friday, 9am to 7.30pm, Saturday, 9am to 4pm AEST/AEDT.
- ForWhen (Perinatal Depression & Anxiety Helpline): 1300 24 23 22 — available Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.30pm.
- Gidget Foundation — online and telehealth support: 1300 851 758 — available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST.
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 — available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
The Pregnancy, Birth and Baby video call service allows you to speak face-to-face with a maternal child health nurse. Video call is a free service and is available from 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week (including public holidays).
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Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.