DENVER – The Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment today launched a pregnancy-related depression and
anxiety educational campaign for Spanish-speaking pregnant women and new moms.
The campaign raises awareness of the symptoms and commonality of
pregnancy-related depression and anxiety, and the support available for
Latinas.
"Mental health is a heavily
stigmatized subject in the Hispanic culture and is easily denied and
overlooked,” said Dr. Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, a licensed clinical psychologist at Salud Family Health
Centers and member of the state’s Spanish-Language Pregnancy-Related
Depression Task Force. “It's vital for moms to know they are not alone and that
Colorado resources do exist for our community and culture."
Women of color experience
pregnancy-related depression and anxiety at rates double the average for all
women. The experience often reflects a number of complex stress factors,
including lower education, lower wages and less social support, as well as
community-level gaps in services for referral and treatment.
Pregnancy-related depression and anxiety
can occur any time during pregnancy through the baby’s first birthday. It may
also happen after a miscarriage, pregnancy loss or after adopting a baby.
Symptoms differ for everyone and might include the following:
●
Feelings of isolation and worry
●
Crying and sadness
●
Loss of appetite and trouble sleeping
●
Feelings of guilt, shame or hopelessness
●
Loss of interest, joy or pleasure in
things you used to enjoy
●
Feelings of anger or irritability
Pregnancy-related
depression and anxiety are treatable and may include improved self-care, social
and familial support, and/or counseling. The new health department campaign
uses Spanish-language television, radio, digital and social media, online
resources, health care providers and community partners to reach Latina
pregnant women and new moms with concerns. New moms can get the support they
need through resources available at www.postpartum.net/ayuda
and by calling a Spanish-language free and confidential phone line at 1-800-944-4773.
“It’s okay to ask for help and put our needs
first as moms because we best care for our babies and families when we care for ourselves,
too,“ said
Betsaida Jarama, a Colorado mom who experienced pregnancy-related depression
and anxiety after the birth of her son. “Finding therapy and other women to talk to helped me get
my anxiety and stress in control and understand it was common to experience
what I was going through."
The campaign builds on the state’s
English-language pregnancy-related depression and anxiety campaign,
launched in October 2016, but is based on market research with Colorado
Latinas.
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