Benchmark Mind & Health

09/17/2026

09/15/2026

Postpartum Psychosis: When The Postpartum Period Becomes A Psychiatric Emergency

Having a baby brings enormous physical, hormonal, emotional and sleep-related changes. Some mood changes after delivery are common. Postpartum psychosis is not.

Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious psychiatric condition that typically develops rapidly after childbirth, often within the first two weeks. Symptoms may include severe insomnia, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, rapidly changing moods, unusual behavior or symptoms of mania. A mother may appear dramatically different from her usual self and may have difficulty distinguishing what is real.

Postpartum psychosis is considered a psychiatric emergency because it can place both the mother and infant at risk. It is strongly associated with bipolar-spectrum illness, although it can occur in someone without a previously diagnosed psychiatric disorder. (PubMed⁠)

The important message is that postpartum psychosis is treatable. Rapid psychiatric evaluation, medication, stabilization of sleep, family involvement and frequently hospitalization can lead to significant recovery.

If a new mother suddenly becomes confused, paranoid, severely agitated, unusually energized or begins seeing or hearing things others do not — do not wait for it to pass. Seek emergency psychiatric care immediately.

Reference:
Bergink V, Rasgon N, Wisner KL. Postpartum Psychosis: Madness, Mania, and Melancholia in Motherhood. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2016;173(12):1179–1188. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16040454. (PubMed⁠)

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09/11/2026

I Feel Stressed All The Time, Even On Vacation

You finally get the vacation.

No meetings. No deadlines. No patients. No emails you have to answer.

So why are you still stressed?

Because changing your location does not automatically change your nervous system.

When you spend months or years operating under constant pressure, your brain can become accustomed to being on alert. You anticipate the next problem, check your phone, think about work, worry about what is waiting when you return, and sometimes even feel guilty for doing absolutely nothing.

You are physically on vacation, but mentally you are still at work.

Chronic stress is not simply “being busy.” Prolonged exposure to stress can affect the brain and body, contributing to changes in mood, sleep, concentration, immune function, and overall health.

Sometimes the inability to relax is the warning sign.

If it takes three days of vacation just to stop thinking about work, the problem might not be that you need a better vacation.

You might need to change what you are returning to.

Reference:
McEwen BS. Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. New England Journal of Medicine. 1998;338(3):171–179. doi:10.1056/NEJM199801153380307

NEW ILLINOIS ADDRESS:
1938 E. Lincoln Highway
Suite 207B
New Lenox, IL 60451

Make An Appointment:
800.461.9533
[email protected]

✅Psychiatry: Medication Evaluation &
Management
✅Genetic Testing For Ideal Medication
Management
✅Individual Psychotherapy
✅EsKetamine Nasal Spray & Tabs For Treatment Resistant Depression
✅Mental Skills Training For Athletes
✅GLP-1s & Other Peptides For Health &
Wellness
✅PMHNP Preceptorships For Exceptional
Candidates
✅The Highest Quality Nutritional
Supplements For Brain Health —>
https://www.thorne.com/u/BenchmarkPsych

benchmarkpsychservices.com

Outpatient Offices For In-Person Appointments:
Orland Park, Illinois
Boca Raton, Florida
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Telehealth:
📍ILLINOIS•FLORIDA
📍SOUTH DAKOTA•WASHINGTON
📍IDAHO•ARIZONA