“Together we became each other’s lifelines.”
I was suicidal after my first child’s birth — until an unexpected friendship saved me – The Washington Post
Speaking the Unspeakable
Speaking the Unspeakable
“Together we became each other’s lifelines.”
We are lucky this is now recognized and treatment is available. The history of ignoring it in the past by family and physicians made it even worse.Treatment helps, it is not a punishment.
Congratulations to you, your friend and your families.
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Thanks Karen! I feel very lucky to be having a child in 2016 where we are working hard to make PPD less of a stigma.
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Just finished reading your article in the Post. As a childbirth educator and former high risk OB nurse I want to thank you for sharing your story. New parenthood is hard in the best of circumstances. It helps women to know they are alone and there is help out there.
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Thanks so much! The best I can hope for is that hopefully other women will be able to get treatment earlier than I did so that they don’t spiral out of control.
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Read your article and was very moved. I suffered from postpartum depression 16 years ago and I didn’t admit it to myself. Fortunately, I was able to “dig myself” out and function without medication – or so I thought. I did all the right things – exercised, ate well, found a therapist…but only recently did I realize and admit to myself that I have had depression on and off since my teens – accentuated by periods when I was in transition (going to college, graduating from college, moving and living on my own, getting married, having kids, changing jobs, and most recently – anticipating an empty nest). I have now been on meds for a couple of months and am beyond words. Why didn’t I take meds sooner?! I was resistant to the stigma, the dependence, the recognition (or defeat?) that I had a mental illness. I applaud you for taking the steps to care for yourself, acknowledge your illness, salute your support systems and share your story to those who may be experiencing these horrible feelings and not admitting to themselves that they should seek help and not be afraid to take medication. You have helped many. THANK YOU!!!
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Thanks for your kind words, Nellie. Depression is so hard because it creates a new baseline so you don’t even realize how much better things can be until you get treated. I had no clue that my prenatal depression was as bad as it was until I got help.
I’m so glad to hear that you are thriving on the meds! Thanks for sharing your story!
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