Understanding Postpartum Psychosis: Symptoms, Causes & Affirming Support
- Kaitlyn Boudreault
- Feb 13
- 8 min read
Updated: Feb 15
Giving birth can be one of the most joyful and life-changing experiences in your life, filled with love, connection, and a deep sense of meaning.
But for some individuals, the postpartum period can also come with unexpected and overwhelming mental health challenges.
Have you been feeling disconnected from reality after giving birth or experiencing beliefs, even though there is evidence to the contrary?
Do you see, hear, feel, taste, or smell things that others don’t notice?
Perhaps your thoughts feel jumbled, your mood is shifting rapidly, or your behaviour feels unlike yourself.
If this resonates with you, you may be experiencing postpartum psychosis.
You’re not alone. In fact, approximately 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 births involve postpartum psychosis.
Postpartum psychosis can be a scary experience for those experiencing it and their families.
Fortunately, the good news is that it is treatable, especially when support is accessed early.
At Blue Sky Learning, there are therapists for postpartum psychosis in Ontario, Canada, that can help support those navigating postpartum mental health challenges to live a fulfilling life with the condition.
In this section of our neurodivergent blog, we’ll delve into what postpartum psychosis is, the signs behind this condition, and strategies to support yourself.
Psychosis vs. Postpartum Psychosis: Understanding the Difference
Psychosis refers to a state where a person experiences a break from reality due to a disruption in the way the brain processes information.
Anyone can experience psychosis, and it may occur most often with several mental health conditions.
Postpartum psychosis is a specific form of psychosis that occurs after giving birth, usually within the first few days to weeks after delivery.
What Is Postpartum Psychosis?
After childbirth, individuals can experience several mental health conditions, including postpartum psychosis.
Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health condition that is considered a psychiatric emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
It is characterized by disruptions in the way an individual thinks, feels, behaves, perceives information, and interacts with others after childbirth.
The symptoms tend to appear suddenly and can escalate quickly.
You may start to lose touch with reality, see or hear things that are not there, rapidly change your mood, or experience changes in your energy, sleep, or behaviour.
These experiences can be distressing for you and your family, as they can impact your work performance and ability to perform daily responsibilities, including the ability to care for yourself or your baby without support.
What are the Symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis?
Everyone experiences postpartum psychosis differently. Symptoms can vary in frequency, intensity, and type.
Symptoms must result in significant impact on functioning to meet diagnostic criteria.
Psychotic Symptoms
Delusions
Delusions involve the belief that certain things exist, but in reality they are not real or true. For example, you may believe that there are spies out to get you or your baby. These delusions may also involve fears about the baby’s safety, identity, or spiritual or persecutory themes. These beliefs are difficult to disprove to someone experiencing delusions, even if there is evidence to the contrary.
Hallucinations
If you are experiencing hallucinations after childbirth, you may experience sensory experiences that aren’t real. Typically, this involves seeing or hearing things that other people aren’t seeing or hearing. But hallucinations can happen with any of the senses. These sensory experiences may feel real if you are experiencing postpartum psychosis, even though they aren’t.
Disorganized thinking and speech
Individuals with postpartum psychosis may experience disorganized thoughts, which are characterized by an inability to organize thoughts.
These disorganized thoughts may cause an individual to experience disorganized speech, which can cause the speech to sound jumbled, irrational, or illogical. Speech may also shift rapidly from one topic to the next, and it may be difficult to have a conversation with other people.
Confusion and disorientation
For those who experience postpartum psychosis, there may be a feeling of being detached from your body or disconnected from what is happening in the world. During this time, you may lose track of time, feel disoriented, or be unsure of what is real. Some people describe it as feeling like they are outside of their body and watching things happen rather than being fully present in the moment.
Mood and behaviour changes
The mood and behavioural changes involved in postpartum psychosis often involve sudden, intense, and unpredictable shifts in mood and behaviour that aren’t like the individual's typical mood patterns. These changes can occur rapidly and may include
Mania: unusually heightened energy, such as needing little sleep, restlessness, racing thoughts, or feeling like you can complete any task
Severe anxiety or agitation, including restlessness, panic, or an inability to relax
Depressive symptoms, such as sadness, hopelessness, or emotional numbness
Irritability or anger that feels difficult to control
Noticeable personality changes, where the person may seem unlike themselves to loved ones
These mood and behavioural shifts can feel overwhelming and confusing, especially when they appear suddenly after childbirth.
Cognitive changes
Postpartum psychosis can also affect thinking and mental processing. Individuals may experience:
Difficulty concentrating or staying focused
Memory challenges
Reduced decision-making ability
Slowed thinking
What Causes Postpartum Psychosis?
There isn’t one specific cause for postpartum psychosis that experts have determined. But researchers believe that postpartum psychosis may be caused by an interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
The risk factors are different for different people, but they may include:
Hormonal changes following childbirth
Sleep deprivation
Having a family history of bipolar disorder, psychosis, or postpartum psychosis
Being the first childbirth, versus second or beyond
Despite the fact that we don’t know the exact cause, we do know that postpartum psychosis is not caused by personal failure or a lack of love for your baby.
How Does Someone Get Diagnosed With Postpartum Psychosis?
If someone in Canada is experiencing the symptoms of postpartum psychosis, usually the first step is to seek urgent assessment by a medical professional.
In Canada, a medical doctor or psychologist will assess your symptoms and medical history to determine if you have postpartum psychosis.
They will also perform physical exams, such as blood or imaging tests, to rule out a physical or another mental cause for your symptoms.
Postpartum psychosis does not have a single, separate diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). But clinicians usually diagnose a psychotic or mood disorder with postpartum onset based on symptoms, timing, and severity.
A clinical diagnosis may look for
Onset of symptoms shortly after childbirth, often within days to the first few weeks postpartum
Presence of psychotic symptoms, which may include:
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized thinking or speech
Confusion or disorientation
Significant mood disturbance, such as mania, severe depression, or rapidly shifting mood states
Noticeable changes in behaviour, functioning, or ability to care for oneself or the baby
Symptoms causing significant distress, impairment, or safety concerns
Symptoms not better explained by substance use, a medical condition, or another primary diagnosis without postpartum onset
Because postpartum psychosis can escalate quickly and may involve safety risks, diagnosis often occurs in urgent care or hospital settings and includes medical, psychiatric, and psychosocial assessment.
Co-occurrences & Neurodivergence
Postpartum psychosis does not usually occur in isolation. For many people, it occurs alongside other neurodevelopmental, psychological, and trauma-based conditions. These conditions and their respective symptoms tend to shape how the symptoms of postpartum psychosis appear and how support should be provided.
Let’s explore the common co-occurrences with postpartum psychosis below.
ADHD already involves challenges with emotional dysregulation and sleep challenges.
For those with postpartum psychosis, ADHD can make postpartum stress, sleep deprivation, and emotional dysregulation worse.
ADHD and postpartum psychosis can share overlapping traits, particularly in executive functioning and emotional regulation.
Individuals may experience:
Difficulty organizing routines
Emotional reactivity
Executive functioning challenges
Sensory overwhelm
When ADHD and postpartum psychosis co-occur, it may be harder to distinguish between the attentional and emotional regulation differences involved in ADHD and the cognitive and mood-related symptoms involved in postpartum psychosis. ADHD traits may also shape how psychosis develops, is recognized, or is supported.
Autism can influence how psychosis is experienced and expressed.
Overlapping areas may include:
Sensory processing differences
Social communication variations
Pattern-based thinking
Emotional regulation differences
Autistic individuals may describe hallucinations, social fear, or distress after childbirth differently than non-autistic individuals. Misinterpretation of autistic traits as psychosis or psychosis being mistaken for autistic traits can occur, which is why neurodiversity-informed assessment is essential.
Anxiety can intensify postpartum psychotic experiences.
Heightened fear, hypervigilance, and catastrophic thinking may:
Increasing fear and hypervigilance
Amplify distress during hallucinations
Make social engagement feel unsafe
Increase the risk of avoidance and isolation
Intensify intrusive thoughts
Contribute to sleep disruption
Understanding anxiety as a co-occurring condition allows support plans to include grounding, regulation, and safety-building strategies.
Trauma exposure is strongly linked to increased vulnerability to psychosis.
Trauma can shape:
Dissociation
Sensory and memory processing
For some individuals, psychotic experiences may reflect survival responses, unresolved trauma, or nervous system dysregulation. Trauma-informed care prioritizes safety, pacing, and consent.
Postpartum experiences may activate unresolved trauma responses, particularly during major life transitions like childbirth. Understanding these intersections supports more personalized, compassionate, and effective care.
When Should I see a Doctor?
Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency.
If you or a loved one is experiencing the following symptoms, it is important to see a doctor.
Hallucinations
Delusions
Extreme confusion
Sudden personality changes
Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby
Severe mood swings
If you or someone you love are experiencing these signs, this doesn’t mean you have postpartum psychosis. But you should see a doctor to determine if that may be the case. Early support can significantly improve recovery outcomes.
Treatment of Postpartum Psychosis
While there is no cure for postpartum psychosis at this time, it tends to be a temporary condition that responds to various treatment approaches.
Treatment for postpartum psychosis tends to be multimodal, which includes medication, psychotherapy and counselling, and lifestyle changes or support systems.
Medication
One of the treatments for postpartum psychosis includes medications. Everyone is different, and it may take trying multiple medications before you find the best fit. There are a variety of antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and other psychiatric medications that can reduce the psychotic and other symptoms postpartum. Speak to your doctor to determine what medication may work best for you. Treatment plans should be individualized and carefully monitored.
Psychotherapy and Counselling
Alongside medication, several psychological treatments can help with postpartum psychosis, including cognitive behavioural therapy or dialectical behavioural therapy.
Therapy can play an important role in recovery from postpartum psychosis by supporting emotional stabilization and day-to-day functioning. It may also help individuals process their experiences, rebuild a sense of safety, and navigate the transition into parenthood.
Hospital-Based Care
In some cases, short-term hospitalization is necessary to ensure safety and stabilization.
Lifestyle Changes and Support Systems
Alongside medications and therapy, treatment for postpartum psychosis may also include peer support groups, exercise, or dietary changes.
Connection plays a crucial role in recovery and can involve building a support network that may include:
Family and chosen family
Friends and trusted peers
Therapists and psychiatrists
Peer support groups
Community mental health programs
Neurodiversity-Affirming Tips for Managing Postpartum Psychosis
These strategies are supportive tools, not replacements for clinical care, and can help build stability and self-understanding.
Create predictable routines to support nervous system regulation and reduce uncertainty.
Reduce sensory overload by adjusting lighting, sound, and environmental stimuli.
Use grounding tools during distress, such as breathing exercises, tactile objects, or sensory anchors.
Track early warning signs to identify patterns before symptoms escalate.
Use the spoon theory to manage your energy levels.
Build structured daily supports like checklists, planners, and reminders.
Prioritize sleep hygiene, as sleep disruption can intensify symptoms.
Use reminders and visual systems to support memory and organization.
Practice self-compassion, recognizing that healing is nonlinear and individual.
Book a Free Consultation With Blue Sky Learning
Are you or a loved one experiencing the symptoms of postpartum psychosis?
Blue Sky Learning’s neurodiversity-affirming therapists can:
Provide psychoeducation
Support emotional regulation
Help build coping systems
Collaborate on treatment plans
Advocate for accommodations and resources
Book a free consultation by email at hello@blueskylearning.ca or by booking through the website link below.
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