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postpartum depression

Motherhood

Mom gives uncomfortably honest, yet refreshing review of what doctors call the 'baby blues'

Your brain is going to turn against you.

Photo credit: Canva

Mom gives uncomfortably honest review of 'baby blues'

Most depictions of the early days of motherhood oscillate between blissful joy and utter exhaustion. There doesn't seem to be an in-between shown in the media often, and it's also not something generally talked about openly. Sure there may be people that openly share their struggles with postpartum depression but that's on the other end of the spectrum of typical "baby blues." When the hormonal phenomenon is mentioned, there's usually not enough detail given for new moms to know what to expect.

A writer, musician and brand new first-time mom, Sam, who goes by Sam Doll on social media, is ripping the lid completely off of "baby blues" with her unfiltered review of postpartum. Sam's son is just barely a few weeks old so not enough time has passed for the hormones to settle for the early days of motherhood to be overwritten by time gaps and dump truck loads of oxytocin. Babies have a way of making you forget the less pleasant parts of early parenting days. It's likely nature's way of making sure we will continue to procreate after the first child.

postpartum depression; baby blues; new parents; motherhood; new mom; parentinglove and hip hop baby GIF by VH1Giphy

Thankfully for new moms looking to the Internet to find out what to expect or what others have experienced, Sam is telling it all. Her deadpan delivery makes the raw review all the more impactful. She starts the video with a warning to those thinking about having children–don't. Unless it's too late or you really, really want to.

"If you're thinking about giving birth, first of all, don't. Unless you really want to, it's too late and you're already doing it. I just want to tell you this so that you don't freak out. Well you're going to freak out...but so you don't freak out too much if this happens. Okay, so birth," Sam says speaking rapidly. As someone else on TikTok put it, birth is a near-death experience. But it's worse than that.It's actually borderline a thousand times worse because after you get home from your near death experience, you go insane. Doctors call it 'baby blues' which is a cute way of saying whether you like it or not your brain is going to turn against you and think the most psychotic thoughts you could possibly think."

postpartum depression; baby blues; new parents; motherhood; new mom; parentingwoman kissing baby Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

The new mom goes on to explain different thoughts that might pop into a postpartum mom's head like, "Can I give this thing up for adoption?", "What are my outs here?", "What do I do? Also, who is this kid?" Sam says that she was expecting this magical made-for-television moment where she sees her baby for the first time and feels an instant connection. She thought her child would feel like something that was once missing and now completed her but instead her reality was much different. Sam would not have her Hallmark movie moment immediately after birth and it's a common experience.

According to the March of Dimes, 80% of postpartum people experience baby blues starting shortly after the birth of their child. Baby blues is a short-lived condition often caused by the rapid decrease in the hormones once used to maintain pregnancy. One of the main differences between baby blues and postpartum depression is the intensity and duration of symptoms. Postpartum depression can start at any point between one week to 12 months after giving birth while baby blues starts pretty immediately 2-3 days after birth and only last for a couple of weeks. Baby blues also doesn't involve scary thoughts or feelings of hopelessness.

@sam_d0ll the baby blues had me in a chokehold #storytime #fyp ♬ original sound - Felix bharbie

But some moms, like Sam, may feel a bit disconnected at first. "First of all, the first time I saw my baby I was on ketamine, so there was that but even after the come down, I was looking at him like 'who is this random baby? Who's this random baby?' Then I started panicking. I'm like uh-oh, I feel like this is a random baby. I don't feel like I think how I'm supposed to feel about it," she says before sharing that she compared her love for her dog to her baby making herself feel worse.

Sam explains that she cried for days believing that she loved her dog more than she loved her baby. Fearing she might be broken, the new mom reached out to other mothers who assured her that they too did not feel an instant connection with their first child. The normalcy was reiterated by people in her comments with one person writing, "Took me two weeks to (how I phrased it) 'decide to keep her.'"

postpartum depression; baby blues; new parents; motherhood; new mom; parentingSleepy New Baby GIF by Zoey's Extraordinary PlaylistGiphy

"Wait THAT was “baby blues”?!? It took like 2ish months for me to love my baby. I felt like I was babysitting. I would cry wondering when her real mom was gunna come get her because surely that wasn’t me," someone else says.

"4 weeks postpartum with my second and sometimes I’m still like 'girl, when are your parents coming?'" another reveals.

"My brain was yelling 'RUN' for days. Baby was VERY much wanted and planned for. Hormones be crazy," one person chimes in.

"i am so glad i live in an age where mothers can be honest about motherhood. i don’t mean this lightheartedly: thank you for being so transparent," shares one more.

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Health

Woman 'triggered' by an attractive friend in a swimsuit asked her to cover up. Was she right?

The woman has body dysmorphia and got upset.

via Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

A woman in a white bikini relaxing in a pool.

A post on Reddit’s AITA subforum brought up a compelling debate about how people approach the mental health of others. As friends, coworkers and family members of people with mental health issues, how far is too far when it comes to accommodating their unique needs and requests?

It all started when a person with the username GlumDemand, 30, went with his girlfriend Alex, 27, to a friend’s pool party and barbecue. Also attending that party was their friend, Christine, 37, who had recently had a child and was struggling with postpartum depression. She hoped that attending the party would help to “lighten her mood.”

Postpartum depression happens to some women after giving birth and can cause mood swings, a loss of appetite, low energy and feelings of inadequacy. In severe cases, it can lead to major depression or postpartum psychosis.

In Christine’s situation, the depression led to a bad case of body dysmorphia. People with body dysmorphia become obsessed with the perceived flaws in their bodies and it can cause unbearable feelings of insecurity. This can happen to women after they give birth because of the tremendous changes in their bodies.

All this came to a head at the party when Christina became triggered after seeing Alex’s body in a swimsuit.

woman swimming, pool party, reddit

Woman swimming underwater

via PixaBay

“My girlfriend Alex … is a model/influencer, and as you can imagine she’s very beautiful, this is important,” GlumDemand wrote. “Everyone at the party is wearing some form of swimming gear, all of the guys are wearing trunks and tank tops or Hawaiian shirts, and the women are wearing bikinis or swimsuits. Alex stole the show. However, she didn’t wear anything too revealing or inappropriate, but it did turn heads.”

A mutual friend told GlumDemand that Christine was getting “upset” by Alex’s appearance and wanted to know if he could ask her to cover up a bit because it triggered her body dysmorphia.

“I was confused but I said okay, I talked to Alex and she said that while she understood she didn’t understand why she had to cover up for the sake of someone else’s feelings,” GlumDemand wrote. “Needless to say she didn’t do it.”

Two hours later, Christine left the party.

GlumDemand reached out to the Reddit AITA community to ask if he and Alex were in the wrong because she didn’t want to cover up. The responders overwhelmingly took their side in the situation.

“Having had PPD and BD, I sympathize. But I just avoided situations like this prior to therapy, and now have had enough therapy to deal. My mental health issues aren't my fault, but they're my responsibility,” Relevant-Ad6288 wrote.

“I love that line ‘my mental health issues aren't my fault, but they're my responsibility’ amazing, I hope it's ok to use it?” QuietlyFierce wrote in agreement.

body image, pool party, reddit

Three men having a good time at a pool party

via Ramiroa Pianarosa/Unsplash

A Reddit user by the name of a Colo-rectal surgeon posed a hypothetical. “If this were an issue where someone was uncomfortable because they found the appearance of someone else's body very unappealing, then asking them to cover up would be out of the question,” they wrote. “Someone shouldn't have to cover up because they look ‘too good.’”

Some thought that Christine was downright rude to put Alex in that position.

“It's already not ok for Christine to ask someone to change their clothes for her comfort; it's doubly wrong to make Alex feel like her body is the problem,” wrote lefrench75.

Few people thought the original poster and Alex were in the wrong. But those who did questioned whether they were good friends. “Would it have been that hard to cover up to help someone out?” Lord_Buff74 asked. “You don't have to, and you can choose to be vain and selfish.”

“I would never try to do anything that would upset someone I consider a friend. If you said ‘a stranger at a party,’ I would be like yeah, it's a little different, but a ‘close friend’? You might think it's okay, but you probably lost a friend over this,” Kyouji added.

It seems most people agree that even though body dysmorphia isn’t Christine’s fault, it’s her responsibility to manage her issues. It’s also unreasonable for her to ask others to change their appearance. Even though some questioned whether Alex was being considerate of Christine’s feelings, it’s also fair to say that Christine put her in a very uncomfortable position.

Situations surrounding mental illness can be uncomfortable. The problem probably could have been resolved more compassionately if Christine and Alex had the space to discuss their issues so that everyone's feelings were considered.

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Mental Health

Lindsay Clancy's case is shining a light on the condition of postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a mental health emergency.

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Lindsay Clancy's case is shining a light on postpartum psychosis

Ever since Lindsay Clancy was arrested for taking the lives of her three children before attempting to take her own, Jan. 2023, the reality of postpartum psychosis has been thrust into mainstream media. Before Clancy's lawyers cited the postpartum condition as the main contributing factor into her unthinkable act, psychosis didn't seem to be on many people's radar as a response to giving birth.

Psychosis isn't something that only involves seeing or hearing things that aren't there, it's a collective list of symptoms. Some of the symptoms outside of visual and auditory hallucinations is, delusional thinking, paranoia, belief of your thoughts being broadcasted, aggression, disorganized speech, and many more.

But just because someone is experiencing psychosis doesn't mean they're experiencing all of the symptoms and most people that are in a psychotic episode are too disorganized to carry out any meaningful thought out plan. As a therapist that specializes in psychotic disorders, it's tragic to see that the disorder may have contributed to the deaths of Clancy's children and I also recognize this particular case is acting as a springboard for an important dialogue.


Since this case has hit the news cycle, moms on TikTok are sharing their own experiences with postpartum psychosis and the hashtag #postpartumpsychosis has over 66 million views. Video after video show moms talking about how psychosis presented for them while others are explaining their experience with postpartum depression or anxiety.

Kelsi Ullom is one of the moms that shared her experience in hopes to help other parents recognize the symptoms for themselves or their partners. In her video that has nearly 900K views, Ullom explains that even though she had been experiencing hallucinations, delusions and other psychotic symptoms, she didn't tell anyone because due to fear of someone taking her baby away.

@kelsipartyof7

Lindsay Clancy story / postpartum anxiety #lindsayclancy #postpartumdepresssion #postpartumanxiety #ppdawareness #greenscreen

Ullom's fear is not unique. Many people that experience the extreme end of postpartum mental health issues are afraid to tell their health care providers due to fear of their child being removed from their care. I was a trained mental health professional when I had my last child and vividly remember tearfully telling my midwife that I was afraid to inform her of how bad my postpartum anxiety had gotten for that very reason.

The stigma around mental health issues and one's ability to care for themselves, let alone care for their children isn't new. We've seen the conversation play out publicly when a celebrity parent has a mental health crisis. But when it comes to postpartum mental health disorders, seeking professional help is imperative in many instances, especially with psychosis.

With how extreme postpartum psychosis can be, waiting for a far off appointment isn't the best plan because it is considered a crisis that requires immediate attention. Yet, due to the nature of psychosis, most people experiencing it have no idea they're in the midst of psychosis because their thought processes are distorted by delusions. This is why it's important for partners to be able to recognize the signs.

@youcancallmekait

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Psychosis is rare after giving birth and isn't currently recognized as an official postpartum condition, though it does happen. Psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Hatters-Friedman told Insider that symptoms of postpartum psychosis start suddenly within the first days or weeks after someone gives birth. She goes on to tell the outlet that the longer psychosis is left untreated that the likelihood is higher for the person to die by suicide or take the life of their children.What makes postpartum conditions so unique and separate them from other mental health conditions, is that the focus is generally around the child or yourself. So instead of a delusion about the FBI bugging your home, your brain may tell you that your husband plotting to kill your baby.But with a delusion, your brain doesn't hop to the logical likelihood. Instead it could make you think that in order to not know the pain of living without your baby that you should walk into traffic with your baby so neither of you live without each other.

Brains are powerful and psychosis isn't so cut and dry. You don't think in a way that would make sense if you spoke it out loud and delusions are so strong that you can't be convinced that they're incorrect no matter what evidence you have to the contrary.

When trying to explain what psychosis was like to my husband after returning home from having to hospitalize a client, I told him to imagine that his mom just walked in the room and asked him who he was talking to. He looked confused and said, "but she would see you," so I followed up with, "would she? If she told you she didn't see anyone and she began to look concerned, how would you feel?" Ultimately, just that quick exchange gave him a small glimpse into the fear, confusion and frustration psychosis could cause.

@kristinadulaney

My postpartum psychosis story #postpartumpsychosis #lindsayclancy #ppp #pppawareness #newmom #maternalhealth #postpartum #postpartumdepresssion

It's not an easy condition and when you throw in hormones readjusting and caring for a newborn on top of it all, it seems quite cruel that there isn't more education around the possibility. Hopefully, with the increased conversation around postpartum psychosis due to the sad tragedy of the Clancy children, new parents and medical providers alike will be more aware of the signs.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis is a mental health emergency and needs immediate intervention from professionals.

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Health

The first pill to treat postpartum depression may be ready this year and it could be a game changer

It's in final approvals with the FDA.

via Freepik

A new mother struggling with postpartum depression.

We may be just months away from having the first-ever pill to help treat postpartum depression (PPD). The drug, called Zuranolone, was developed by Sage Therapeutics and Biogen, two companies out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The FDA has given the drug’s application priority review and the period ends on August 5, 2023.

Currently, there is only one FDA-approved medication for PPD, Zulresso, which is only available through a 60-hour, one-time infusion and can cost up to $35,000 per treatment.

If the medication is approved, it can also be used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD).

What’s unique about the drug is that it is fast-acting. "We feel a tremendous responsibility to patients with MDD and PPD to deliver a potential new treatment option, which is so desperately needed. Most current approved therapies may take weeks or months to work. We are committed to advancing treatments that could help physicians and patients by addressing depression symptoms quickly," Dr. Laura Gault, chief medical officer at Sage Therapeutics Inc., said in a statement.

Zuranolone causes full remission of clinical depression within 45 days in 53% of women versus 30% who received the placebo, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry.

The new drug could be a godsend to the 500,000 women who suffer from PPD every year. In these women, what starts as a typical case of the “baby blues” can linger and become more intense and lead to an overwhelming loss of energy, irritability, inability to concentrate or make decisions and thoughts of harming themselves or their babies. It also severely inhibits their ability to care for their newborn child.

Symptoms of PPD can begin as early as during pregnancy and as late as a year after giving birth. In rare cases, it can develop into postpartum psychosis, an extreme mood disorder.

PPD is caused by the intense hormonal changes that happen within a woman’s body before and after giving birth. It can also result from numerous anxieties women feel after giving birth, such as the stress of being a “perfect mother,” the effect that pregnancy has on their bodies, being overtired and a lack of free time.

happy mom, happy baby, postpartum depression

A happy, healthy mother and child.

via Pexels.

Zuranolone could also provide faster relief for people dealing with MDD. In 2020, over 14 million Americans were diagnosed with MDD, which creates a persistent feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in things they used to enjoy. It can also affect their ability to have happy, healthy relationships.

In rare situations, MDD can lead to suicidal ideation. Studies show that MDD accounts for up to 89% of all suicides.

If Zuranolone is approved, it will give doctors another vital tool in improving people’s mental health that can relieve debilitating depression in less time. It will also help countless babies that need extra care in their early days from a loving and healthy mother.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential support.

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