A woman in the village of Minya al-Nasr in the Dakahlia Governorate, northeast of the Delta of Egypt, slaughtered her three children, then attempted suicide. What does this painful incident tell us about mental illness?
The woman left a message for her husband, in which she informed him that she had "transferred his children to Heaven".
The mother was placed in the hospital, and later told the Public Prosecution Office - according to the local press - that she had admitted to committing the murder of her three children, explaining that she had become severely depressed after the birth of her last child, which prompted her to think about taking her and their lives.
We will not go into the details of the painful story, but we will proceed from it to the topic of mental illness, specifically postpartum depression, which many mothers may suffer from.
what is Post delivery depression?
Postpartum depression is a condition that affects the mother after childbirth and feels depressed.
Sometimes, there may be a clear reason for this, and often there are no reasons, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom.
Is postpartum depression common?
One in 10 women develops postpartum depression after the birth of the baby.
How long does postpartum depression last?
If not treated, postpartum depression can last for several months, or sometimes longer.
Postpartum depression symptoms
Women feel depressed, miserable and miserable most of the time.
The feeling may be worse at certain times of the day, such as the morning or evening hours.
Sometimes the mother may feel that life is not worth living.
Irritability and nervousness, with the family and the husband.
Fatigue and tiredness.
Insomnia.
Not feeling hungry.
The mother may eat out of tension, and may feel guilty and uncomfortable for fear of gaining weight.
Loss of ability to enjoy anything.
Inability to deal with the new situation, ie the child and take care of him.
Self blame.
Looking at things negatively.
Feelings of guilt and that the woman is responsible for her illness, or that she is unable to help her family.
anxiety.
There are also other psychological conditions that a woman may suffer after childbirth, including:
"Transient Psychiatric Disorder" (Baby Blues)
On the third or fourth day after giving birth, half of all new moms feel a bit like crying, listless and lacking in self-confidence.
This is known as "baby blues" and this feeling goes away after a few days.
Puerperal Psychosis
This is an acute condition that requires urgent treatment, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Puerperal psychosis affects one in 500 women.
This usually occurs within days or weeks of birth.
A woman may experience rapid mood swings, hold strange or abnormal beliefs, or hear voices and act in a strange and unpredictable manner.
If the woman suffers from any of these phenomena, she will need immediate medical assistance and care.
This may require her to be in the hospital.
A mother is more likely to develop puerperal psychosis if she has:
A family history of puerperal psychosis.
A family history of bipolar disorder (alternating mania and depression).
A previous case of puerperal psychosis or bipolar illness.
It is important for a woman to inform her doctor or midwife of any of these factors during pregnancy because treating them can reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Although it is a serious condition, proper treatment will mean that it will be completely cured.
Depression during pregnancy
Women can become depressed during pregnancy, too.
This is more common than some might think, and can be treated in the same ways as postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression causes
It's not entirely known why women develop postpartum depression, and there likely isn't a single cause for it, but a number of different factors can increase its likelihood.
A woman is more likely to develop postpartum depression if she:
Have had depression (especially postpartum depression) before.
She does not have family support that can support her.
She gave birth to her baby prematurely or put him sick.
She lost her mother as a child.
I have been under a lot of pressure in a short period of time.
Do women with postpartum depression harm their babies?
According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists these are very rare cases, although women with depression worry that this might happen.
Talk to your doctor about your concerns.
However, many cases of abuse were recorded, some of which amounted to killing the child, according to several press sources.
Postpartum depression treatment
If you feel miserable, irritable or inexperienced, or if you are afraid and not very excited about your child, then tell someone.
If you feel unable to talk to your family or friends, talk to your doctor.
Most women will get better without any treatment after a few weeks, months, or sometimes longer.
However, this can mean a lot of suffering.
Postpartum depression can spoil the experience of new motherhood, and it can strain your relationship with your baby and your partner.
So, the shorter the depression, the better.
It is important to get help as soon as possible for depression so that you can develop a relationship with your child.
This will help your child's long-term development
Just talking to someone who is empathetic, understanding, and listening who isn't critical can be a relief. But if there is no improvement, there are other options, such as:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which can help you understand and dispel depression by examining how you think about yourself, the world, and others.
Antidepressants, which need two weeks to show their effect, and must be taken for a period of 4 to 6 months, after which you begin to feel better.
"I never taught anyone to be more careful about his children than her children." .. A prayer and a touching message from the father of the three children who were victims of the mother during their funeral in Dakahlia pic.twitter.com/xDEx88ifpW
- Al Jazeera Egypt (@AJA_Egypt) May 31, 2022
Specialists and doctors write about the motives
The opinions of doctors and psychiatrists varied after the incident, according to what was monitored by the Sanad Agency for Monitoring and Verification in Al Jazeera Media Network.
The psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry, Muhammad Taha, pointed out that there are a number of different psychological disorders that may affect newborn mothers and explain the incident, only one of which is postpartum depression, which includes thinking about or committing death.
He also pointed out the existence of other disorders, including postpartum psychosis, which includes delusions and hallucinations, visual or auditory, which may be in the form of orders to kill or commit suicide.
In addition to postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, its symptoms include persistent thoughts of harming or getting rid of the newborn.
While the specialist in psychiatry and addiction treatment, Omar Adel, said on his page that it is likely that the mother suffered from severe depression, which led her to the so-called “altruistic filicide”, in which parents feel that the world is a cruel place for their children that they will not be able to live in, so that they commit suicide after Their willingness to get rid of their children to rid them of the torment of the world, according to their perspective.