Postpartum Depression - Losing Your Soul

In the past few months I have seen a few women with postpartum depression.  Despite Tom Cruises' beliefs, this is an actual process that can overwhelm the new mother.  Many times these poor women feel isolated and alone.  The feelings range from simple postpartum blues to severe depression where there can even be ideations of suicide and/or hurting the baby.  Obviously in the even of the latter, I would encourage the patient and her family to either call 911 or proceed directly to an emergency room so that the patient can be evaluated and protected.

I am not writing this post to bore you with the potential hormonal influences or the DSM-IV definition of postpartum depression simply because the women that have this issue, at times, defy the definitions and the categories.  

In the world of shamanic practice, there is a ritual and ceremony for something called soul retrieval.  Shamans believe that a portion of the soul is able to leave the body.  There are various reasons that one can experience soul loss; childhood traumas, accidents, sexual abuse, and loss of a loved one.  Indigenous healers also conjecture that a mother may give a part of her soul to her newborn baby in order to protect her infant.

The reason that I bring up soul loss in this discussion is because I think that in two of my most recent cases, the postpartum depression was a sign of a soul loss in that woman's life.  They were exposed to childhoods that were less than nuturing and where they were told that they would never amount to anything.  The loss suffered when the current mother was a child is a piece of that past/soul that will not return on its own, but during childbirth and the trauma of becoming a new mother, I wonder if that piece of soul memory comes flooding back to the patient.  Since the soul piece/memory does not know how to incorporate back into this new adult being, it becomes an anhedonia or a depression.

Is this something that medication would fix.  In my opinion, no, but it could help the lability of the mood.  I liken medications for depression to a new car.  It sure looks good sitting there in your driveway and people may think, "wow, what a beautiful vehicle", but it really doesn't go anywhere without gasoline.  The gasoline in my opinion is therapy.  Can people break free of depression with just medication? Yes.  Can people break free of depression with just therapy?  Yes.  My course of action is to usually start a medication if the patient is interested, but I prefer to get them in with a therapist.  The type of therapist depends on the patient.

In one particular case, the patient was exhibiting anger, rage, and somatic pain in her back and on the right side of her body.  I thought she may do well with a psychologist that specialized in somatics.   I recommended that she see a woman that utilizes a method called Rubenfeld Synergy.  The principles of Rubenfeld Synergy are as follows:

• Each individual is unique
• The body, mind, spirit, and emotion are all interrelated
• Awareness is the first key to change
• Change occurs in the present moment
• The body is a metaphor
• The body tells the truth
• The body is the sanctuary of the soul
• Humor can lighten and heal
• Altered states of consciousness can aid healing
• Reflecting clients verbal expressions validates their feeling

Here is a link the Rubenfeld Synergy Standard of Practice

The point I was hoping to make is that postpartum depression is real and devastating.  The new mother is grappling with the feelings that she may not like her baby even though she feels the love.  She then must deal with the potential judgement that she knows others may have for her if she speaks about her feelings.  This is indeed a patient that is isolated.

The best thing you can do for a friend or loved one that you feel may be depressed is to have them see a healthcare professional.  Hopefully, the healthcare profession will look beyond the medications and treat the soul as well.  You see, the medications will not bring back or repair any memories that have been created in the past.  They may assist the provider to stabilize the chemicals in the brain, but if the patient was abandoned by her own mother when she was young a pill may no be the answer.

Depression is incapacitating and devastating.  Postpartum blues happen within the first 30 days after birth and they are transient.   Consider seeing a mental health care professional or asking your primary doctor to refer you to someone with the training to help. 

Remember, your beautiful car needs gas to run, even if the price of gas is expensive.