What types of issues are treated?

Menstruation

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) causes depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, and mood swings in the week or two before your menstrual period starts. These symptoms can be severe. You may develop PMDD due to your brain’s sensitivity to the hormone changes related to your period. Hormonal treatments, psychiatric medications, or various supplements and lifestyle changes might be recommended for your symptoms, depending on

Fertility treatments and surrogacy

Many women experience anxiety or depression in the context of struggling with fertility. Undergoing fertility treatments such as IVF can be difficult for a woman’s body and require taking hormones which can cause mood fluctuations and psychiatric symptoms in certain women. For patients who choose surrogacy, there are complex feelings associated with the process. Your psychiatrist will address these symptoms and support you through this process.

Preconception and pregnancy

Our psychiatrists frequently consult with prospective parents who take psychiatric medications and who plan to conceive or are already pregnant. Your psychiatrist will evaluate your psychiatric medications, talk with you about their safety during pregnancy, and help you decide whether to stay on your meds or make changes.

During pregnancy, you go through hormonal changes that can cause a mental health disorder or make the symptoms of an existing condition worse. Your psychiatrist will monitor you during pregnancy and make adjustments to your treatment plan as needed.

Postpartum period

Your body and brain go through dramatic changes after delivering a baby. Additionally, most parents deal with lack of sleep and stress when caring for a new baby. In context of these stressors, you may develop and need treatment for postpartum mental illness.

Postpartum depression affects approximately 20% of women in the postpartum and is characterized by moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety that impair ability to function on a day-to-day basis. Women might experience difficulty caring for themselves or their babies, and experience significant mood swings and insomnia. Your psychiatrist at Regeneration Psychiatry will be able to evaluate you and recommend a treatment plan that fits your needs as a new parent.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can present a host of challenges for new moms. Some women will experience sleep deprivation, anxiety, or guilt related to breastfeeding which can contribute to depression or anxiety. Additionally the safety of psychiatric medications are a concern for parents who are breastfeeding. Your psychiatrist will be able to counsel you on how to balance your goals for breastfeeding with your mental health needs. They will also explain the potential risks of medications that can pass to your infant during breastfeeding and make recommendations based on your unique values and goals.

Pregnancy loss and grief

When pregnancy loss happens, it is common to feel guilt, shame, social isolation, anger, and self-blame. Women often feel alone during this time. Sometimes these symptoms are so severe it is difficult to function. This can lead to prolonged or complicated grief and sometimes anxiety or depressive disorders. Your psychiatrist can evaluate you for these conditions and offer treatment if needed.

Menopause

Hormonal fluctuations begin in the years before menopause and can extend to years after menopause. These changes in reproductive hormones can cause perimenopausal depression and anxiety in addition to physical symptoms of menopause. Some women also experience anger, irritability, sleep issues, or brain fog. Many women are diagnosed with mental health disorders for the first time in their life and those who have a history of mental health disorders may find that their symptoms relapse or get worse at menopause.