Understanding The Cycle Of Depression

In order to understand the cycle of depression, a good place to start is to find out what your client already knows about low mood and post-natal depression. Sometimes it can be difficult for a mother to know if she has PND, as her idea of depression may be similar to some of the normative experiences of motherhood (discussed before in the course).

• What does PND mean for them, for how they are as a mum?

• How does PND differ from regular depression?

Below are examples of how a woman may feel about motherhood; no specific symptoms but a mix of emotions, cognitions, a feeling of discontent.

• Inability to experience the ups, i.e. the moments of bonding and only being able to feel and experience the downs
• General feeling of unhappiness 

• Inability to relax, being too busy 

• Sense of going through the motions – no sense of accomplishment 

• Doing all the right things, but they feel like they’re doing the worst things
• Sense that all the tasks are endless – a perpetual cycle of menial jobs
• Feelings of being desperately alone and solely responsible, with no-one to understand or help them


Perinatal mothers are often functioning at a high level in order to care for their baby and so may not appreciate that their health and wellbeing has been compromised.