Is It Normal To Feel Like Crying During Pregnancy?
At the time of pregnancy, many women show an increase in their sensitivity, states of anxiety and depression. Undoubtedly, what should be a period of joy can turn into constant martyrdom when the mother cannot help but wonder if it is normal to feel like crying during pregnancy.
It should be clear that hormonal imbalances do lead to mood disturbances. However, special attention should also be paid if symptoms change from raw sensitivity to chronic depressive state. Join us to unveil the different edges on this topic.
Is it normal to feel like crying during pregnancy?
The answer to this very common question is yes. Eventually during pregnancy, and due to physical and hormonal changes, the mother may experience changes in her behavior that can include sadness, anxiety, the urge to cry or even tantrums.
Now, these sensations do not have to occur throughout the pregnancy, not even for a consecutive month. It will be in that case when we should talk about perinatal depression and, of course, take the appropriate measures.
Perinatal depression
Perinatal depression is defined as a state of sadness, confusion and loneliness in the mother that can occur before delivery or after the baby is born. It differs from a simple temporary hormonal alteration because, once it appears, this depressive picture can remain for several days or months.
These attacks of sadness are also accompanied by symptoms such as insomnia or, on the contrary, the desire to sleep all day. There is also often apathy, lack of interest – even with the arrival of the baby – problems with concentration, loss of appetite, nervousness or feelings of hopelessness.
Why is this condition present?
It is estimated that these states of crying and sadness may occasionally appear in pregnant women, but that only 10% or 15% will affect them more markedly.
This is not to say that feeling like crying as a result of hormonal imbalance will trigger perinatal depression. This will depend on numerous factors, such as your own or family psychiatric history and sociodemographic and medical conditions.
On the other hand, the current situation in which the pregnant woman is living must be taken into account and that may affect her mood. For example, if you have financial problems, difficulties in marriage, if you are a single mother and do not have support from the father figure or if you have problems at work, among many other scenarios.
What is going to happen is that, although one is not exempt from suffering the impasses of life, hormonal alterations will affect the chemical neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate moods. This alteration leads to feelings of sensitivity, including crying or the urge to cry.
How can you combat that feeling?
First of all, you should know that crying is not necessarily a bad thing. If analyzed carefully, crying acts as a natural painkiller that can bring us to a state of serenity once we experience it.
Therefore, if you feel like crying, you should not hold your body or demonize the feeling. On the contrary, you can let yourself go and vent your sorrows and then feel calm.
What you must always keep in mind is that you should avoid falling into prolonged states of sadness and try to maintain the best attitude towards adversity. It must even be understood at all times that hormonal alterations will be transitory.
To combat the urge to cry during pregnancy, you can also follow these tips:
- Perform physical exercise, which can be even short walks during the day. This will help lower levels of cortisol, which is the hormone linked to stress, and will raise serotonin, the hormone linked to pleasure and well-being.
- Try to sleep at least 8 hours a day so that the body has the necessary rest to be calm the next day.
- Avoid reading distressing news, movies, or television shows that can create sensitivity or nervousness.
- Eat a balanced diet so that the hormones and the body work correctly.
In any case, to combat depressive states it is essential that you surround yourself with supportive family and friends. You can also consider the guidance of a health professional who can study your case more carefully.
