What Is Postpartum Depression?

The woman who was killed at the U.S. Capitol was a victim.

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What Is Postpartum Depression? - Miriam Carey, 34, who was killed by Capitol Hill police after a high speed chase in Washington, D.C., Thursday, reportedly suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her 1-year-old daughter, Erica. She also suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. BET.com takes a look at what this illness is and other women who have experienced it. – Natelege Whaley  A mother can have this form of depression within the first few months after childbirth, after a miscarriage and or stillbirth. Postpartum depression can last for months. (Photo: Facebook via Miriam Carey)

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What’s Up With Victim Blaming? - It happens often that instead of focusing on the rape and the perpetrator, the blame unjustly shifts toward the actual victim. The victim can be scrutinized for her past sexual behavior, what she was wearing or how much she was drinking. This can lead to shame, depression and not reporting the attack.   (Photo: Bruce Laurance/Getty Images)

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Not the Baby Blues - Postpartum depression is not to be confused with “the baby blues,” which usually goes away within a few weeks. Up to 80 percent of women go through the baby blues after a pregnancy, in which a woman experiences drastic mood swings. (Photo: Bruce Laurance/Getty Images)

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Extreme Cases of Postpartum Depression - Postpartum psychosis is an extreme case of detachment that a woman feels toward her baby. Women with postpartum depression often have thoughts of harming her child and herself, but a woman experiencing psychosis feels she must act out these thoughts. (Photo: Comstock/Getty Images)

They Isolate Themselves From Loved Ones - People who are suicidal often push loved ones away and prefer to be alone. If you see them pulling away, not calling you back, spending time alone and even falling back from being an active parent, this could be a major sign of depression and suicidal tendencies.  (Photo: laflor/Getty Images)

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Symptoms - Women who have postpartum depression may feel as if she’s lost pleasure in things that usually make her happy. She may feel sad, hopeless, empty and anxious. It may also take a toll on her body. She may have trouble sleeping, lose weight or gain weight and not be able to concentrate or daily tasks. (Photo: laflor/Getty Images)

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The Causes - After childbirth, women have a drop in estrogen and progesterone, which may contribute to this depression, according to Mayoclinic.com. Women who have a history of depression or postpartum depression have a greater chance of experiencing this illness. Lack of support from her partner, friends or family drives up these chances. A sickly baby and stress in other parts of her life can add to the possible causes. (Photo: i2i Images/Getty Images)

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Can Antidepressants Cure Sickle Cell? - Giving antidepressants to those who suffer from sickle cell anemia is showing promise in treating the disease, reported The Huffington Post. Researchers from University of Michigan believe this type of treatment might reverse the disease’s effects, yet they admit that it’s too early to know for sure.  (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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How Is It Treated? - Counseling, antidepressants and hormone therapy are the common forms of treating post-partum depression. A psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional is a source of counseling. Because of breastfeeding, a woman must be sure anti-depressants and hormone therapy does not affect the health of her baby. A woman experiencing psychosis would be closely monitored in a hospital setting. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Get Help - If someone has said something to you about wanting to kill themselves or you are noticing a lot of signs, DO NOT sit idly by. Call a doctor, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or try to convince your loved one to go to the hospital immediately and seek help.   (Photo: Izabela Habur/Getty Images)

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When to Call the Doctor - If a new mother has strong feelings of sadness and detachment throughout her day for more than a week or two, she should talk her doctor. She should speak to her doctor immediately if she is having suicidal thoughts. (Photo: Izabela Habur/Getty Images)

Don’t Rub Your Eyes  - This can be especially tricky during allergy season, but rubbing your eyes can cause wrinkles and break the teeny capillaries just under the skin, which results in dark circles. Hands off: Lack of sleep can lead to dryness, and if your eyes are itchy, OTC antihistamine eye drops might help.  (Photo: Geri Lavrov / Getty Images)

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Prevention - Women with a history of depression and postpartum depression should tell their doctors as soon as they find out they are expecting. This will allow the doctor to keep track of their condition, through the pregnancy and postpartum. (Photo: Geri Lavrov / Getty Images)

More Research Links Racial Oppression and PTSD - Can racism cause post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? A new Psychology Today article sheds light on the emotional impact that experiencing racial oppression can have. Past data shows that Blacks have higher rates of PTSD compared to whites and we are more likely to have difficulties performing everyday activities and going to work because of it. (Photo: Image Source / Getty Images)

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How Many Women Have Postpartum Depression? - Northwestern University Medicine this year screened 10,000 women after their pregnancies and found that 14 percent of them had postpartum depression. Of the women who had tested positive for depression, 30 percent of them had been experiencing depression prior to pregnancy, 40 percent post-pregnancy and 30 percent during pregnancy. (Photo: Image Source / Getty Images)

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Jill Scott - Jilly recently joined the 70-pound-down club, dropping the weight after she realized she was unable to climb a flight of stairs. Her secret? Good old fashioned low-fat diet and exercise three times a week. But the real key to her progress, Scott says, is to stay humble and recognize she has a long way to go. "I have a goal in mind and I haven’t quite reached my own personal goal," she explains. "So I’m appreciative of the support but quite frankly I’m not tripping in any sort of way."(Photo: Koi Sojer, PacificCoastNews.com)

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Jill Scott Describes Post-Pregnancy Stress - Although Jill Scott never said she had postpartum depression, she described feeling helpless and stressed after her first child was born. “The first two months I wanted to give him back,” she said. “One day as I was standing by the door and I was considering throwing him out into the pool, at that moment I looked at him and said, ‘ah, I love you.’” (Photo: Koi Sojer/Pacific Coast News)

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Jennifer Lopez on sister Lynda Lopez:  - “I just love and respect her so much. She’s a single mom but not like I’m a single mom.  I have a lot of help — she doesn’t.”  (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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Jennifer Lopez Says She Had the Baby Blues - J. Lo was previously reported having post-partum depression after the birth of her twins Max and Emme in 2008. But she calmed those rumors saying it was actually “the baby blues” during an interview onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2012. "I had what they called the 'baby blues,' which is when your hormones drop and you get very emotional," she said. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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Resources to Call - Postpartum depression isn't a character flaw or a weakness. If a woman needs help, she can find local support at Postpartum Support International. If she needs immediate assistance, she may call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911.(Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)