Self-help program

Baby blues

Baby bluesilla viitataan synnytyksen jälkeiseen lyhytkestoiseen alakuloon ja mielialan vaihteluun. Baby blues auttaa äitiä herkistymään vauvan tarpeille.

Listen

Mitä baby blues on?

Lähes jokainen synnyttänyt käy läpi jakson, jolloin mieliala heittelee jyrkästikin. Mielialan vaihtelut johtuvat hormonaalisista muutoksista, väsymyksestä ja odotusajan jännityksen purkautumisesta. Saatat itkeä ilman syytä ja tuntea syvää huolta vauvastasi. Saatat herkistyä monille asioille sekä kokea unihäiriöitä tai ruokahaluttomuutta. Tämä on täysin normaalia ja vaaratonta.

Baby blues auttaa äitiä mukautumaan uuteen elämäntilanteeseen ja olemaan läsnä vauvan tarpeille. Baby blues voi kestää muutamista tunneista pariin viikkoon. Jos oireet jatkuvat pidempään, pahenevat tai uusiutuvat, saattaa kyseessä olla synnytyksen jälkeinen masennus.

Raskausajan ja synnytyksen jälkeisellä masennuksella tarkoitetaan vanhemman masennustilaa. Suomessa noin 10–20 % vanhemmista kärsii raskausajan ja synnytyksen jälkeisestä masennuksesta.

Hormonaalisten muutosten lisäksi masennusta voivat aiheuttaa myös uusi rooli vanhempana ja sen mukanaan tuomat merkittävät elämänmuutokset. Tämän vuoksi synnyttäneen äidin lisäksi myös toiselle vanhemmalle tai adoptiovanhemmille voi puhjeta masennus.

Masentunut vanhempi saattaa

kokea vaikeutta iloita lapsestaan
kokea raskaaksi hoitaa vauvaa
pelätä, että satuttaisi vauvaa
vetäytyä perheestään tai ystävistään
kokea syyllisyyttä
tuntea paniikkia tai ahdistusta
tuntea voimakasta väsymystä
kadottaa kiinnostuksensa asioihin, jotka ovat aiemmin kiinnostaneet

Synnytyksen jälkeiseen masennukseen voi olla monta eri syytä. Masennus voi johtua hormoneista tai vaikeasta raskausajasta tai synnytyksestä. Jotkut masentuvat jo ennen raskauden alkamista, toiset raskauden aikana ja jotkut vasta synnytyksen jälkeen.

Myös toinen vanhempi tai adoptiovanhempi voi kokea stressiä ja huolta tai masentua.

Moni alkaa käymään läpi omaa lapsuuttaan ensimmäisen kerran vasta sitten, kun tulee itse vanhemmaksi. Se saattaa nostaa pintaan uudenlaista haavoittuvuutta ja surua.

Synnytyksen jälkeisen masennuksen riski

Riski sairastua synnytyksen jälkeiseen masennukseen on suurentunut, jos:

matka raskaaksi tulemiseksi on ollut haastava, esimerkiksi pitkän yrittämisen, lapsettomuushoitojen, toistuvien keskenmenojen, vaikean synnytyksen tai adoption vuoksi
raskaus on ollut yllättävä
synnytyksessä on tapahtunut vaurioita tai haastavaksi koettuja kehon muutoksia
vauva tarvitsee erityisen paljon huolenpitoa tai ei voi hyvin
imetys on hankalaa tai vauva ei halua syödä
vauva itkee paljon
sinulla on paljon univajetta
sinulta puuttuu tukiverkosto ja käytännön apu
sinulla on haavoittuvuutta aikaisempien mielenterveysongelmien takia
sinulla on muita ongelmia tai ristiriitoja, jotka painavat sinua

Mikään edellä mainituista ei suoraan johda synnytyksen jälkeiseen masennukseen. Vaikutusta on monilla asioilla, kuten elämäntilanteellasi, voimavaroillasi, saamasi tuen määrällä ja sillä, millaisen painoarvon kukin asia mielessäsi saa.

Short depression questionnaire (PHQ-9)

With this Patient Health Questionnaire depression survey, you can assess your possible depressive symptoms. You can complete the questionnaire regardless of whether you have a diagnosis of depression or not.

Instructions

Read the instructions below carefully on how to answer the questionnaire and calculate the score.

You can complete the questionnaire anonymously. Your responses will not be stored.

MentalHub also has symptom scales for more specific needs (currently in Finnish and Swedish):

The Youth Mood Inventory (R-BDI) may be suitable for you if you are under 18.
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) better takes into account changes related to aging and is well suited for people aged 65 and over.
Beck's Depression Inventory Scale may be more suitable if you want to explore your symptoms more broadly with a 21-question survey.

Remember

If you want an assessment of your situation by a healthcare professional, please contact the provider responsible for your care.

If you feel like harming yourself or others, you must seek professional help immediately. Assistance is available, for example, by calling the emergency number 112 or the national crisis helpline at 09 2525 0111 (in Swedish: 09 2525 0112).”

For each question, select the option that best describes your situation and feelings. Answer according to how you have felt over the past two weeks, including today.

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Interpretation of scores

With the help of these instructions, you can interpret your score. Click on the option below that corresponds to your score.

This score indicates a situation where mood is normal and good, and there are no symptoms of depression.

Occasional feelings of sadness, disappointment, and low mood are part of the normal range of human emotions. They are natural reactions to losses, life changes, and other stressful life situations. Mood usually begins to improve gradually as one recovers from the event. For most people, low mood does not develop into clinical depression.

However, if your mood still feels low and you wish to improve the situation, you may benefit from working on improving your mood independently. You may find help in the S el f-Hel p Program for D epression or Self-Help Pr o gram for D epression for Youth (Youth program is currently provided in Finnish/ Swedish), which teach ways to alleviate depressive symptoms. The programs also include information about depression.You may benefit from a self-help program even if your low mood is not due to diagnosed depression.

If your mental well-being feels poor despite this questionnaire indicating no depressive symptoms, the symptoms may be related to another mental health issue. For example, low mood can occur in connection with anxiety or heavy alcohol use. Separate questionnaires for these issues can be found in the symptom assessments at MentalHu b Symptom S cal es.

This score indicates a situation where mood is slightly lower than normal and mild symptoms of depression are present. However, the symptoms are occasional or mild and do not yet indicate depression.

However, if your mood feels low and you would like to improve the situation, you may benefit from working independently to improve your mood.You may find help in the S el f-Hel p Program for D epression or Self-Help Pr o gram for D epression for Youth.The programs also include information about depression. You may benefit from a self-help program even if your low mood is not due to diagnosed depression.

This score indicates low mood and mild symptoms of depression.

Symptoms of depression include, for example, low mood and difficulty experiencing pleasure from things that were previously enjoyable. Depression is also associated with difficulty initiating activities, fatigue, and problems with decision-making. Self-esteem is often reduced, the future may seem bleak, and appetite may decrease. When depressive symptoms are mild, external events usually still have an impact on mood, and there are also positive moments in everyday life.

Occasional feelings of sadness, disappointment, and low mood are normal reactions to losses, life changes, and other stressful life situations. If low mood persists for a long time and, in addition to sadness, other symptoms described above occur, it may be a mental health disorder known as depression.

Treatment

Depression can be treated. In this situation, it is important to talk about your feelings with another person. If talking to close ones does not help, it is advisable to contact a healthcare professional. You can read more about seeking treatment M ental H ealth S ervices section.

You may also benefit from working independently to improve your mood.In the S el f-Hel p Program for D epression or Self-Help Pr o gram for D epression for Youth teach methods for alleviating depressive symptoms.The programs also include information about depression.

You may benefit from a self-help program even if your low mood is not due to diagnosed depression.

One treatment option for mild depressive symptoms is I n t e rne t T herapy. In internet therapy, depressive symptoms are addressed through various exercises with the support of an online therapist. Access to internet therapy requires a referral from a doctor.

This score indicates clearly lowered mood and moderate symptoms of depression.

Self-esteem is often reduced, the future may appear bleak, and appetite may decrease. When depressive symptoms are moderate, these feelings are present in everyday life most of the time.

The situation reflected by this score may be related to a diagnosable disorder known as depression.

Treatment

Depression can be treated. If you do not yet have contact with a care provider, it is advisable to reach out to a professional helper. You can read more about seeking treatment M ental H ealth S ervices section.

You may also benefit from working independently to improve your mood. In the S el f-Hel p Program for D epression or Self-Help Pr o gram for D epression for Youth teach methods for alleviating depressive symptoms. The programs also include information about depression.

You may benefit from a self-help program even if your low mood is not due to diagnosed depression.

One treatment option for moderate depressive symptoms is I n t e rne t T herapy. In internet therapy, depression is addressed through various exercises with the support of an online therapist. Access to internet therapy requires a referral from a doctor.

This score indicates clearly lowered mood and severe symptoms of depression.

When depressive symptoms are severe, a low mood is usually constantly present in everyday life. It may even feel as though nothing improves your mood anymore.

The situation reflected by this score may be related to a diagnosable disorder known as depression.

Treatment

Depression can be treated.If you do not yet have contact with a care provider, it is advisable to contact a professional. You can read more about seeking treatment in the Mental Health Services section.

If you experience severe feelings of anger toward yourself, suicidal thoughts, or plans for suicide, it is important to seek professional help without delay.

You may also benefit from working independently to improve your mood.In the S el f-Hel p Program for D epression or Self-Help Pr o gram for D epression for Youth teach methods for alleviating depressive symptoms. The programs also include information about depression.

You may benefit from a self-help program even if your low mood is not due to diagnosed depression.

One treatment option for severe depressive symptoms is I n t e rne t T herapy. In internet therapy depression is addressed through various exercises with the support of an internet therapist. Access to internet therapy requires a doctor’s referral.

Source: Kroencke, K., Spitzer, R., & Williams, J.B.W. (2001). The phq-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure [Electronic version]. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606-13.

Muista

Vauva-aikana useimmilla vanhemmilla esiintyy tunteiden nopeaa vaihtelua, kuormittuneisuutta, uupuneisuutta ja itkuisuutta. Jos ahdistunut ja alakuloinen olo pitkittyy, voi kyse olla synnytyksen jälkeisestä masennuksesta.

Self-help program

Baby blues

Mitä baby blues on?

Milloin kyseessä on masennus?

Mistä synnytyksen jälkeinen masennus johtuu?

Milloin synnytyksen jälkeiseen mielialaan tulee hakea apua?

Miten synnytyksen jälkeistä masennusta hoidetaan?

Short depression questionnaire (PHQ-9)

Instructions

Answering

Calculating the results

Remember

Interpretation of scores

0-4 points: no depression

5-9 points: mild depressive symptoms

10-14 points: mild depression

15-19 points: moderate depression

20-27 points: severe depression

Muista

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