Getting help: how much benefit do counselling and psychological treatments provide?
For mild depression, getting more emotional support and practical help in everyday life will be enough. The key here is to get support from a non-judgmental person, who is not going to make you feel bad about yourself or criticise you because you are not coping as well as you would like to be. You might find that talking to other women who have been through the same experience will help. Remember, this is very common. Even if you do not realise it, some of the women you know who have babies are likely to have been depressed too. There may also be self-help groups near to you where you could meet other women and families who understand what you are going through. However, for moderate or severe depression especially, getting medical or psychological treatment is important. Many women do not tell people how badly they are feeling because they are ashamed or feel guilty. It is important to know that there are many options for getting help and support. Researchers have found that although
