The Three P's

Morning everybody. I have had lots and lots of response to my website with lots of people asking me questions about this type of depression. When I first started researching the condition I discovered that this illness falls into 3 categories, all following a distinct pattern with very concise symptoms.Ill try to explain it best I can so that you can seek help if you need to.

1. It starts in Puberty when the hormonal levels are rising rapidly and is often misdiagnosed as teenage angst. The symptoms, although very vague are generally  low mood and  tear-fullness, followed by a sense that something is "missing" or "not fitting in".  This is when I first noticed my particular depression and when I first began to seek help.

2. The second stage normally falls after the birth of a child and more often than not increases with every child that is born. This of course is known as Postnatal Depression and was my first real encounter of mental illness. The symptoms are varying according to the women, but include delayed bonding,anxiety,panic attacks, inability to cope and care for ones baby and extreme depression and irritability. I also had terrific nightmares and felt overwhelmed and extremely ill (physically as-well as mentally). As I initially ignored the feelings,( I just felt so ashamed) it then increased and rapidly escalated into Postnatal Psychosis. This in my opinion is one of the worst things that can happen to any new mother, and is something that needs urgent medical and professional attention. DON'T TRY TO DO IT ALONE TRUST ME IT DOESN'T WORK!!


3. The last stage of this condition is Pre-Menstrual Syndrome and is the lasting result of this hormonal condition. After stages 1 and 2 the women will notice the depression becoming more cyclical. The symptoms commence at ovulation, and as the days go by are often plagued by depression, anxiety and irritability which is often noticed by others around her. There will also be a multitude of physical symptoms (too many too count) and there will be a whole change in personality and character. My symptoms were so severe i would often hallucinate and become hysterical which some people now categorize as PMDD. Pre-menstrual Dysphoric disorder. As the years and months went by I started to feel normal only one week a month and it almost destroyed my life, hence my decision to have a hysterectomy. Incidentally this has cured me of every symptom, a miracle no less!

Without giving too much away, I want everyone to read my book so that you can see the whole picture, this is only a snippet of what it really means to have this type of  depressive illness and there are many other components. However, I hope I have made it easy to understand and I hope you can see the clear hormonal element with the three stages of a women,s life and the timing of the symptoms. In my next blog I am going to try to explain about hormonal "sensitivity" and why this dreadful illness occurs.

God Bless everyone and happy Sunday. Suzi xx