Hello,
I have had some great comments recently about my post concerning Obama Vs McCain. I want to thank the people that spent the time to give me feedback - even the ones that I did not post.
But one thing that I wanted to mention was what the EPDS is - This is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and is what is used when a mother potentially might have Post natal depression.
I am not against people being helped as some have mentioned this to me - its just that I do not agree with all forms of "help"
I mean you must admit that Hitler did think he was helping the rest of the "pure race - blonde hair and blue eyes" by getting rid of Jews and other nonsense but was that really "Help?" NO!
So back to this scale - This scale is used to determine if a person needs treatment for being depressed after having a baby - I have included it here:
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
"As you have recently had a baby, we would like to know how you are feeling. Please UNDERLINE the answer which comes closest to how you have felt IN THE PAST 7 DAYS, not just how you feel today.
I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things.
As much as I always could Not quite so much now Definitely not so much now Not at all I have looked forward with enjoyment to things.
As much as I ever did Rather less than I used to Definitely less than I used toHardly at all
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* I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong.
Yes, most of the time Yes, some of the time Not very often No, never
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I have been anxious or worried for no good reason.
No, not at all Hardly ever Yes, sometimes Yes, very often
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* I have felt scared or panicky for not very good reason.
Yes, quite a lot Yes, sometimes No, not much No, not at all
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* Things have been getting on top of me.
Yes, most of the time I haven't been able to cope at all Yes, sometimes I haven't
been coping as well as usual No, most of the time I have coped quite well No, I have been coping as well as ever
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* I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping.
Yes, most of the time Yes, sometimes Not very often No, not at all
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* I have felt sad or miserable.
Yes, most of the time Yes, quite often Not very often No, not at all
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* I have been so unhappy that I have been crying.
Yes, most of the time Yes, quite often Only occasionally No, never"
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* The thought of harming myself has occurred to me. Yes, quite often Sometimes Hardly ever Never
So - that is the scale.
Now - my main upset with this is two fold...
1. The "handling" for someone like this is getting put onto prescription medication such as : selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), tricyclics, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRI), combined reuptake inhibitors, receptor blockers and monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI). There are MANY different types but the main thing is this... It does not handle the problem! These drugs adjust the different fluids in your brain, and if you actually study these drugs you will find that that there is NO clear knowledge as to what is going on completely. These drug side effect are almost exactly what its supposed to be handling - and there are no tests that can deem what you need IE - what fluid is out of wack etc! IT DOES NOT EXIST - So when someone says Prozac or Zyprexa its a guess!!!
2. My other upset is that when a women gives birth it is a MAJOR cycle for the body and for the most part there hormones and basic body functions and levels are up and down so yes a woman can feel all over the place and then after birth you give them lots of love and nutrients and vitamins and supplements and they do well.
I could go on and on but my main point is - I dont like it as it is NOT adressing the problem! I respect Mothers and think we should pay them more respect then giving them a trial and error method approach. I would think that you would also agree.
Well?
Monty
2 comments:
I don't have a problem with helping women after they have had a baby. I was there when my daughter was born. I personally am glad I'm a man so I don't have to go thought that.
But to give them powerful drugs based on a subjective test with no accompanying physical test to show that there truly is a chemical imbalance, and what level of imbalance - sorry I don't agree with that.
If you went to a doctor and he said, "you have the xyz virus and you need to take this drug with potentially horrible side-effects," then wouldn't you want to know that he had taken a blood test and found the virus in your body before you started taking the drug?
So where are the physical tests to show the chemical imbalance before the drugs with the potentially horrible side-effects are given?
They don't exist. There are no tests. Post-partum depression is a set of symptoms that some women get and the underlying cause is ...? Well, without a physical test you don't know. So what are you treating with these drugs? IMHO, the only thing you are treating is the profit margins of drug companies.
The test is bullshit, to be frank. I know a LOT of moms and 99% of them could answer yes or mostly yes to those questions at one point or another.
I think that women DO need help after childbirth. It is a major ordeal and not only is there a lot of physical recovery but most mothers are then subjected to MONTHS of sleep deprivation.
Hormonal changes, vitamin deficiencies and the lack of sleep alone will cause the mother to feel rather nutty. Add to that the complete life change of having a child, tending to the child's every need and even the overwhelming sense of love and concern for the child is enough to send anyone over the edge. Not to mention the incredibly short and unpaid maternity leaves, stress on the father (they feel it too) and the acting out any older children may do.
Mothers don't need to be drugged and made to feel numb. Made to feel like there is something wrong with them because they are caving under the pressure. They need help, help in the form of familial support, love, reassurance, SLEEP, a good nutritionist and a little understanding.
Sorry to go on and on but I'm pretty passionate about this subject. I find all the ways that mothers are fed in to the Psych system rather sickening.
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