Depression of the Stay at Home Mom
Are you a stay at home mom? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed or depressed? Maybe you have experienced postpartum depression. The mood swings from hormone imbalances during and after pregnancy can wreak havoc on a woman’s mental stability. If this sounds like you, then this article should help.
There is no real diagnosis or designation for moms that stay at home and become depressed. It results from the simple fact of staying at home all day alone or feeling alone even if there is a child or children present. This type of depression is sometimes undiagnosed and perplexing even though it is very real to the mom who is experiencing it. If the depressive state becomes too deep, seek medical help.
One cause of this type of depression can come from the lack of feeling like you do not fit in. The lack of a job along with the absence of seeing friends daily, compounded with an insufficient amount of money can lead to a depressive state of mind. This feeling of isolation can make a stay at home mom climb into her shell and not share her feelings with others. Sometimes this situation is by choice, but more often than not the cost of daycare makes it impossible for the mom to work and just break even. In this case, it does not make much sense to work at all.
The cost of childcare can force a woman to stay at home with her children until they reach the age they can start elementary school. This feeling of entrapment can bring on a depression mood. She may feel sad, worthless or tired all day. She may experience stomachache, headache, body pains and have trouble eating, sleeping and other symptoms of depression.
The causes of a stay at home mom’s depressive symptoms may vary. Most of the time it is the feeling of worthlessness because of a lack of income. Most women have a better feeling of self-worth if they can provide for themselves and have their own spending money. Another cause can be the girl friend effect. The lack of social networking with her girl friends and other adults can bring on a feeling of isolation. Listening to whining, crying, screaming kids all day can work on the nerves. It is a good feeling sometimes to just be around a group of adults that are quiet and enjoying each other’s company.
Another cause of stay at home moms’ depression is the lack of sleep. With children, come midnight feedings and diaper changes along with a sense of restlessness for a mother who feels uneasiness as their child sleeps. This lack of sleep can also bring on eating disorders. Late night or middle of the night eating can interrupt her sleep pattern as well.
