Last night I got a phone call from an old school friend. Among other things, she was calling to tell me that a mutual friend of ours had been suffering from post partum depression (sounds like it was largely untreated) and had killed herself several months after the birth of her daughter. This was an intelligent, hard working woman who had been trying to get pregnant for a long time. It sounds like she changed profoundly after the birth and was so depressed that she couldn't see an end in site.
I can not emphasize enough how important it is for family and friends of new moms to be looking for signs of a post partum mood disorder during the first year. When I've had a chance to wrap my brain around this a bit more I will be publishing information on post partum and where to get help. Look for it in the next few days.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I'm so sorry to hear this happened to your friend. I also had a friend who went thought Post Partum Depressing as well. She wouldn't talk to us (her friends) for three months. Thank god she came around. At the time PPD was so new to me, I didn't know what it was. Thanks for sharing this with us. It helps to get the word out and make people aware that is a real and serious issue!
how awful about your friend, beth. how sad for her family & her child........... cheryl
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend... post partum is such an aweful illness. It's so invisible to so many, but very painful to those that suffer.
I am so sorry to hear about your friend. It is difficult to really comprehend. How very, very sad for her husband and child and family.
I came to your blog to say welcome to indipublic - but this seems so unimportant at this moment.
But, I will say welcome.
Post a Comment