Postpartum Anxiety vs. Postpartum Depression: How to Know the Difference

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Postpartum Anxiety vs. Postpartum Depression: How to Know the Difference

I remember when I was taking birthing and parenting classes when I was pregnant with my first baby. We talked about Postpartum Depression (PPD) and maybe because I was already a therapist, I walked into my birth experience feeling like “yeah I will know if I’m feeling down”. But you know what no one talked about? Postpartum Anxiety.

It kind of blows my mind now thinking back on it. 1 in 5 mothers will experience PPA while 1 in 7 Moms will experience PPD. And I don’t know about your experience but I feel like PPD gets way more attention and PPA often gets dismissed. We get told explicitly or implicitly that anxiety in motherhood is “normal” or we are told that we just need to “calm down”. When we treat PPA like this, we miss the very real repercussions of anxiety in motherhood and the crushing impacts that it has on our lives and the lives of our family members.

But sometimes it’s hard to tell when you are in the middle of it all. So if you’ve wondered whether what you’re experiencing is postpartum anxiety or postpartum depression, you’re not alone. Understanding the differences (and where they overlap) can help you feel less confused and more empowered to get support. This post is for you.

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What Is Postpartum Depression (PPD)?

Postpartum Depression is one of the most common maternal mental health conditions. It can look different from “typical” depression outside of the postpartum period and is different from just experiencing the baby blues. PPD typically starts 2 to 12 weeks after delivery and if left untreated, can last for years.

PPD typically looks like…

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●    Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless

●    Finding little to no joy in anything

●    Marked weight loss or weight gain

●    Sleeping too much or sleeping too little (more so than the typical sleep loss that is expected in the newborn phase)

●    Feeling like you can’t concentrate

●    Feeling worthless or guilty

●    Feeling like you want to end your life

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Think of PPD as the “low and heavy” side of postpartum mental health—when life feels drained of joy and energy. PPD can also leave mothers feel unattached to their baby, even if this was a desired pregnancy.

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What Is Postpartum Anxiety (PPA)?

While PPD gets the most attention, many moms actually struggle more with anxiety than depression after giving birth. You can think of PPA as typically experiencing several of these experiences from different clusters.

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Common signs of PPA include:

• Cognitive
  
  • Fear of losing control
  • Frightening or unwanted thoughts or images (sometimes highly disturbing)
  • Thoughts that won’t go away or keep popping up
• Physiological
  
  • Increased heart rate
  • Shortness of breath
  • Shaking
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue
  • irritability
• Affective
  
  • Nervous
  • Tense
  • Wound up
  • Rageful
• Behavioral
  
  • Avoidance of triggers
  • Restlessness
  • Agitation

PPA often shows up as the “amped up and tense” side of postpartum mental health—when your body feels stuck in overdrive.

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Can You Have Both? (Yes!)

Many moms experience both depression and anxiety postpartum. For example: feeling exhausted, hopeless, and sad (PPD) while also lying awake at night with racing thoughts about the baby’s safety(PPA).

This overlap can make it confusing to name what’s happening—but both are common and treatable.

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When to Seek Support

If your symptoms:

• Last more than two weeks
• Interfere with your ability to function day-to-day
• Or simply feel overwhelming and scary

…it’s time to reach out. Talking with a therapist trained in perinatal mental health can make a world of difference.

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Gentle Next Steps

• Talk about it: Share with a trusted friend, partner, or healthcare provider.
• Ask yourself, “what is missing?”: It’s common to lose your sense of self in the process of adjusting to motherhood. The good news is she is still here. You just need to take a look at what is out of balance.
• Find a Therapist: You need a safe space to untangle what you’re experiencing and learn nervous system regulation tools.
• Medication (if needed): Sometimes combining medication with therapy can lead to the  best outcomes.

Whether you’re facing postpartum anxiety, depression, or a mix of both—you don’t have to go through it alone. With the right support, healing is possible.

✨If you’re a Mom in California or Florida looking for compassionate support, I’d love to help. Book a free consultation to see if therapy with me is right for you.

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