The Yellow Wallpaper: The Effects Of Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbearing with an estimated prevalence of 19.2% in the first three months after delivery (1). Depressive episodes (major and mild) may be experienced by approximately half of women during the first postpartum year (1). Characterized by depressed mood, loss of pleasure or interest in daily activities, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, irritability, sleep and eating disturbances (2), its etiology is multi-faceted and complex (3;4).

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story, The Yellow Wallpaper, portrays the life and mind of a woman suffering from post-partum depression in the late eighteenth century. Gilman uses setting to strengthen the impact of her story by allowing the distant country mansion symbolize the loneliness of her narrator, Jane. Gilman also uses flat characters to enhance the depth of Jane’s thoughts; however, Gilman’s use of narrative technique impacts her story the most. In The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses interior monologue to add impact to Jane’s progression into insanity, to add insight into the relationships in the story, and to increase the depth of Jane’s connection with the yellow wallpaper it self.

There are times in the story that she gets really angry with her husband, John. John is a medical doctor that helps Jane physically instead of mentally and emotionally. Jane is also isolated from everyone else. Therefore, she finds herself many times getting bored. Since "The Yellow Wallpaper" is an autobiographical story, I conclude that she has worked before as a writer because she refers to writing in the story. After the baby is born, she has a sudden change to where she cannot write anymore. Jane also has a hard time sleeping at night. The symptoms of postpartum depression can take two forms: one starting right after the birth and becoming more distressing as time passes, and the other is several weeks after the birth and develops more slowly (Mothersbliss). Postpartum depression can last from "a few hours to several days and may affect between 40 and 80% of postpartum women" (O'Hara 277). Many of the symptoms are sleep disorders, panic attacks, poor concentration, irregular menstrual periods, anemia, and weakness (Carlson 477). One factor contributing to the postpartum depression is the sudden change in hormones caused by childbirth that can affect the mother's mood (Benson 1404). Another factor that adds to postpartum depression is the sudden change in lifestyle, especially if the mother had been working

This journal article focuses on postpartum depression and how it differentiates from other disorders. This paticuarl article however focuses on defining the different types of depression within this catagorey and looks into clinical involvement as well as recognsisng risk elements and sysmtoms that allow it to be characterized from other mood and anxiety disorders. Beck (2006) finds that persons who where most at risk of this disorder most commently had stressful lives, with a history of mental illness. This article also concludes that postpartum depression can lead into server physosi, which is in need of immediate intervention and that this mental state can lead women to be dangerous to themselves of there children and clearly states that they should never be left alone. Overall this article is paticually usuful as a researcher as it clearly describes the differences in distinguishing the types of depression as well as the servierty of postpartum depression which can be underrecognsied.

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

In summary, postpartum depression is the most widespread complication of childbirth, and the lack of diagnosis in postpartum depression cases results in the deterioration of their conditions. Deterioration arises in the form of progression stages of postpartum depression, and it varies from a case to another. Thus, preventive measures ought to be taken by detecting the onset of postpartum depression and providing early treatment. Also, the implications drawn from the aforementioned details may aid mental healthcare providers in the pursuit of better treatment

The birthing process generally leaves women with overwhelming joy and happiness. However, some women do experience a period of postpartum blues lasting for a few days or at most a couple of weeks but goes away with the adjustment of having a baby (Postpartum Depression, 2013). A condition called Postpartum Depression Disorder (PPD) leaves a dark gray cloud over 10-20% of woman after birth that is recognized in individuals 3 weeks to a year after the delivery of their baby (Bobo & Yawn, 2014). PPD leaves new mothers feeling lonely, anxious, and hopeless (Bobo at el, 2014). Postpartum Depression is a cross cutting disorder that can affect any woman after the delivery of a baby regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, or education level (Postpartum Depression, 2013). Although this disorder affects more than 10% of women the article Concise Review for Physicians and Other Clinicians: Postpartum Depression reports that less than half of women with PPD are actually diagnosed with this condition (Bobo at el, 2014). It is important that postpartum women and their support systems receive education on what PPD consist of and ways to recognize the signs and symptoms of PPD so that a diagnosis is not overlooked. Early diagnosis is important because early recognition and treatment of the disorder yields for better results when treating individuals with PPD. In this paper I will deliver information about PPD based on recent literature,

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper" after giving birth to her one and only child. Gilman centered her story around the depression she experienced soon after and the "rest cure" prescribed to her by Weir Mitchell. Gilman states that the purpose of writing "The Yellow Wallpaper" was "to reach Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, and convince him of the error of his ways" (Golden). What the author then labeled as "a slight hysterical tendency" (Gilman 1035), is now known as postpartum depression. In Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", both doctors and society as a whole view and treat postpartum depression differently than today.

The Yellow Wallpaper The Yellow Wallpaper was published in 1892 by author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Giliam, Born on July 3, 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. The story depicts the effect of under stimulation of her mental health, which are journal entries that the narrator wrote, are based on a woman who her husband believes she had a nervous breakdown, or what he called “"temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency.” She hides her journal from her husband and the housekeeper, fearing of being accused for overdoing it and having them make accusations that she might have a relapse.

A short story called “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman discusses about a women suffering from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression defines as depression suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue. Most moms consider that there are in the baby blues for about two weeks, but the blues are lasting longer and getting more intense resulting Postpartum Depression. Postpartum depression causes the mothers to see illusions of her surroundings. Hallucination occurs when the mother have postpartum depression for more than two months or the depression is getting worse.

Short Stories normally address issues in society at the current time of the story which these issues sometime end up being timeless issues that still occur in the current time period. For instance, in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman the story deals with the issue of postpartum depression in new mothers. While postpartum depression is still a very real and current topic in today’s society. Current society handles the issue differently than when the “The Yellow Wallpaper” was written. The difference in modern day and past society is contributed to the increasing knowledge of postpartum depression that has led to a new view for society, improved treatments, and a better approach for support from family. In “The Yellow Wallpaper”

There’s other way to cope with Postpartum Depression. Getting enough sleep, have some family members or your partner help you two days a week, so you can get a full 8-hours of sleep or even take naps with your baby. Exercising and eating healthier will be a big help too, because it will make you feel better about yourself and it will motivate you to get better for your personal health. Lean on your partner, even though you might feel like you’re just harming your partner or feel that you bother your partner, it’s always healthy to have support from your partner and them being able to understand what you are going through. Find friends that are there for support so when you’re feeling down you have someone to talk to, it’s always good to surround

Almost ten percent of recent mothers experience postpartum depression ((3)), occurring anytime within the first year after childbirth ((3)). The majority of the women have the symptoms for over six months ((2)) . These symptoms include

Mothers who have brought into this world a blessing have been preparing themselves for a big change in their life. They have been learning and educating themselves about how to be a good mother. Many mothers find it really hard to transition from being an independent woman without children to becoming a mother (Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Adapting to motherhood can be a drastic change, and usually creates challenges that lead to feeling overwhelmed (Leger & Letourneau, 2015). When a newly mother begins experiencing stress or becomes emotional then there can be a possibility that they can encounter Postpartum Depression (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be seen and experienced in many different ways, it all varies on every mother (Corrigan et al., 2015). Many different mental health issues can be seen including baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the most serious, postpartum psychosis (Tam & Leslie, 2001).

Postpartum mood disorders is defined as a spectrum of illness including postpartum blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. The postpartum blues are extremely common and no specific treatment is usually needed. Postpartum depression is less common and may significantly impact both the health of the mother and baby. Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare with clinical features including mania, psychotic thoughts, severe depression, and other thought disorders, and requires hospitalization. This paper will focus on reviewing and discussing postpartum depression.