Postpartum Progress

The Symptoms of Postpartum Depression & Anxiety (In Plain Mama English)

2009-11-15T09:19:00-05:00

What does it feel like to have postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety? What are the symptoms? How do you know when you have it?

I thought we'd have a talk today about the signs of postpartum depression and anxiety, and we'd do it in "plain mama English". We won't use words like hypomania or dysthymia or suicidality or psychomotor agitation. We will use the words we hear in our heads when we think about what the hell is happening to us ...

When you read the lists below, keep in mind a few very important things:

You may not be experiencing all of the symptoms below or even most of them. Postpartum depression and anxiety are not "one-size-fits-all" illnesses. Your experience may be focused on just a few of the following symptoms and you may not have others at all. For instance, some women with postpartum depression are sad and crying all the time, whereas others don't experience the sadness but are instead very angry and irritable.
Many people have a feeling like the ones listed below every now and then. For a day, or maybe two. We all have bad days. Postpartum depression and anxiety are not bad days. Women with postpartum depression or anxiety have symptoms like these most or all of the time, for a period of at least 2 weeks, and these symptoms interfere with their ability to function on a daily basis.
Postpartum depression and anxiety are sometimes "comorbid". This means you can have a bit of both, or all of both. If you have symptoms on both lists, that's not out of the ordinary.

Okay. Here we go.

You may have postpartum depression if you have had a baby within the last 12 months and are experiencing some of these symptoms:

You feel overwhelmed. Not like "hey, this new mom thing is hard." More like "I can't do this and I'm never going to be able to do this." You feel like you just can't handle being a mother. In fact, you may be wondering whether you should have become a mother in the first place.
You feel guilty because you believe you should be handling new motherhood better than this. You feel like your baby deserves better. You worry whether your baby can tell that you feel so bad, or that you are crying so much, or that you don't feel the happiness or connection that you thought you would. You may wonder whether your baby would be better off without you.
You don't feel bonded to your baby. You're not having that mythical mommy bliss that you see on TV or read about in magazines.
You can't understand why this is happening. You are very confused and scared.
You feel irritated or angry. You have no patience. Everything annoys you. You feel resentment toward your baby, or your partner, or your friends who don't have babies. You feel out-of-control rage.
You feel nothing. Emptiness. You are just going through the motions.
You feel sadness to the depths of your soul. You can't stop crying, even when there's no real reason to be crying.
You feel hopeless, like this situation will never ever get better. You feel weak and defective. You feel like a failure.
You can't bring yourself to eat, or perhaps the only thing that makes you feel better is eating.
You can't sleep when the baby sleeps, nor can you sleep at any other time. Or maybe you can fall asleep, but you wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep no matter how tired you are. Or maybe all you can do is sleep and you can't seem to stay awake to get the most basic things done. Whichever it is, your sleeping is completely screwed up, and it's not just because you have a newborn.
You can't concentrate. You can't focus. You can't think of the words you want to say. You can't remember what you were supposed to do. You can't make a decision. You feel like you're in a fog.
You feel disconnected. You feel strangely apart from everyone for some reason, like there's an invisible wall between you and the rest of the world.
Maybe you're doing everything right. You are exercising. You are taking your vitamins. You have a healthy spirituality. You do yoga. You're thinking "Why can't I just get over this?" You feel like you should be able to snap out of it, but you can't.
You might be having thoughts of running away and leaving your family behind. Or you've thought of driving off the road, or taking too many pills, or finding some other way to end this misery. Or you may have thoughts of harming others.
You know something is wrong. You may not know you have a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, but you know the way you are feeling is NOT right. You think you've "gone crazy".
You are afraid that this is your new reality and that you've lost the "old you" forever.
You are afraid that if you reach out for help people will judge you. Or that your baby will be taken away.

You may have postpartum anxiety or OCD if you have had a baby within the last 12 months and are experiencing some of these symptoms:

Your thoughts are racing. You can't quiet your mind. You can't settle down. You can't relax.
You feel like you have to be doing something at all times. Cleaning bottles. Cleaning baby clothes. Cleaning the house. Doing work. Entertaining the baby. Checking on the baby.
You are worried. Really worried. All. The. Time. Am I doing this right? Will my husband come home from his trip? Will the baby wake up? Is the baby eating enough? Is there something wrong with the baby that I'm missing? No matter what anyone says to reassure you it doesn't help.
You may be having disturbing thoughts. Thoughts that you've never had before. Thoughts that make you wonder whether you aren't the person you thought you were. They fly into your head unwanted and you know they aren't right, that this isn't the real you, but they terrify you and they won't go away. These thoughts may start with the words "What if ..."
You are afraid to be alone with your baby because of the thoughts. You are also afraid of things in your house that could potentially cause harm, like kitchen knives or stairs, and you avoid them like the plague.
You have to check things constantly. Did I lock the door? Did I lock the car? Did I turn off the oven? Is the baby breathing?
You may be having physical symptoms like stomach cramps or headaches, shakiness or nausea. You might even have panic attacks.
You feel like a captive animal, pacing back and forth in a cage. Restless. On edge.
You can't eat. You have no appetite.
You can't sleep. You are so, so tired, but you can't sleep.
You feel a sense of dread all the time, like something terrible is going to happen.
You know something is wrong. You may not know you have a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, but you know the way you are feeling is NOT right. You think you've "gone crazy".
You are afraid that this is your new reality and that you've lost the "old you" forever.
You are afraid that if you reach out for help people will judge you. Or that your baby will be taken away.

Now that you've gone through these lists are you thinking "How the heck does this lady know me? Is there a hidden camera in here?" Nope. What this should tell you is that you are NOT alone and you are NOT a freak and you are NOT highly unusual. If you are having these feelings and symptoms then it is possible you are experiencing a common disorder that 15 to 20% of new mothers have, and it is completely treatable. Just reach out for help. There are people who've seen all of this before and know exactly what is happening and how to help you. They won't be shocked by what you have to say or what you are thinking. There are also women going through this who you can meet with and talk to.

If you are pregnant and are having symptoms similar to those listed above, you should know that you aren't unusual either. You may have antepartum depression or anxiety, which are just as common but occur during the nine months of pregnancy.

Oh, and it's a good idea to speak with your physician to get a physical so that you can rule out other illnesses that may be causing your depression or anxiety symptoms, such as an underlying thyroid problem.

One last thing: If you are having moments where it seems like you can see or hear things no one else does, if you are feeling paranoid as if others are out to get you, if you are feeling that you or your baby are somehow related to the devil or God in some way, or if you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others, it's important to reach out for help right now. These symptoms require immediate attention as they could be signs of postpartum psychosis or severe postpartum depression. If you have these symptoms, your illness has the potential to take over and lead you to do things that you wouldn't normally do. In order to avoid that it is important to reach out for help right away so that trained professionals can help you get stabilized and healthy.

Treating Treatment-Resistant Postpartum Depression

2009-11-14T10:37:00-05:00

This week at the Beyond Blue blog, Therese Borchard tackles the topic of treatment-resistant depression. According to the Mayo Clinic ...

"With treatment-resistant depression, symptoms — such as feeling sad, hopeless and disinterested in activities — persist despite treatment. Or, your symptoms improve only to keep coming back. Treatment-resistant depression can range from mild to severe, and generally requires trying a number of treatments to find out what works."

A minority of people with depression are treatment resistant, but there are other options to help you recover. Therese writes about the various alternatives for those people who have serious depression and receive no benefit from therapy, medication and other methods of treatment. These options include ECT, deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Also, Therese shares a summary from Johns Hopkins on the various methods of brain stimulation here.

NIMH Awards Grant to Study Ways To Get Depressed Mothers To Follow Treatment

2009-11-14T01:40:00-05:00

Yesterday the National Institute of Mental Health announced it awarded a challenge grant to Judy Garber, PhD, of Vanderbilt University to develop and test a method encouraging depressed mothers to follow treatment recommendations.

"All study participants will receive a referral for treatment and an information pamphlet describing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, possible effects of depression on children and different types of treatments. Randomly assigned participants will also receive a brief, one-session Enhanced Motivation Intervention (EMI). EMI uses special interviewing techniques to identify and resolve a person's concerns about and practical barriers to treatment.

The researchers anticipate that EMI will result in more participants getting treatment for mental disorders compared with the control group. If successful, such interventions would not only benefit the depressed individual, but may improve the well-being of her children as well."

Babble.com: What Causes Postpartum OCD and How to Get Help

2009-11-13T14:12:36-05:00

I was very pleased to be able to meet Heather Turgeon, MFT, at the Postpartum Support International annual conference this summer. Heather just wrote a piece on her Science of Kids column at Babble.com on postpartum OCD, an illness for which I have a special place in my heart. This is a very well-written piece that explores what postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder is like and how it's different from postpartum psychosis. Go check it out.

P.S. I'm especially excited that one of the people she interviewed for the piece is Dr. Merrill Sparago, awesome psychiatrist and all-around great guy!

"Go Back To Work, Put the Kid in Daycare & PPD Will Go Away"

2009-11-13T11:21:02-05:00

The columnists at the Wall Street Journal's working parents column, The Juggle, took on the topic of whether to take antidepressants during pregnancy with a column called "Medication During Pregnancy: A Vexing Dilemma".

The column covers the normal back and forth that all of us go through when trying to make the decision on medication during pregnancy. What I found most interesting, though, were the comments. You can see some of the stigma that exists and how uninformed some people are. The following comments stuck out to me the most:

"PPD is temporary depression. Anyone who is clinically depressed is different. You may be clinically depressed and don’t know it, get PPD which triggers your depression tendencies and it becomes long term due to the trigger. I think we need to be very very careful how we use the terminology due to confusion with the actual illnesss and the opposite of temporarily being down and out."

"Go back to work and put the kid in daycare and PPD will go away. It's a phase, its not clinical depression."

Aha! Postpartum depression isn't real depression. It's make-believe depression!

Real geniuses, those two.

Postpartum Progress' New Research Page Provides Better Access to Studies on Postpartum Depression

2009-11-13T01:40:00-05:00

Since it is so hard to keep track of the research coming in almost daily on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, I've decided to add a research page to Postpartum Progress. You can find it on the right-hand side of your screen underneath "Help Is Here", #5.

I won't be able to list every single piece of research that comes down the pike, but I will put links on that page to the most current, most interesting, most often cited research. I've created categories to try and organize it, such as Genetics & Postpartum Depression, Screening for Postpartum Depression, Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression, etc.

Hope this page is helpful to you should you need to find some specific data. If you know of a study that should be listed there and it isn't, please send me a link at postpartumprogress@gmail.com. And to my brainy, scientific-type, evidence-based medicine readers, if you see a study on there that you don't think is valid, tell me that too and I'll remove it.

Beyond Postpartum Blogger in New WebMD Video on PPD

2009-11-12T10:27:00-05:00

Amber Koter-Puline, author of the Beyond Postpartum blog, is featured in a new video on WebMD about postpartum depression. Check it out! Great job Amber!

One Mom On Rising Up Out of the Hell of Postpartum Depression

2009-11-12T09:26:45-05:00

This is a poignant post from Tamra at Surprisingly Sane, who is recognizing her one-year "anniversary" of suffering from postpartum depression. She starts out describing what last November was like ...

"I can’t remember last November. I have no recollection of celebrating the holidays or what I bought everyone for Christmas. Did I get anyone gifts? Did I even get my own kids something from St. Nicholas? Maybe someone pulled out a camera with proof that I was breathing through that time, but it sure wasn’t me."

And then she describes how she feels now ...

"The fact that I am sitting at my kitchen table next to an open window filled with blue skies and sunlight in the gorgeous city of Seattle, Washington a year later is proof to me that there simply MUST be a God, He/She MUST love me, and for whatever reason… my life MUST be worth living.

I believe that now.

A year ago, I couldn’t."

So glad you are well Tamra.

Stigma Sucks.

2009-11-12T08:19:00-05:00

A young man named Robert Enke, the goalkeeper for Germany's national soccer team, killed himself by jumping in front of a train this week. Just awful.

When writing about his suicide on Psych Central, Christine Stapleton wrote the following:

"Sit down, close your eyes and imagine – if you can – what it would feel like if you suffered from a reviled illness and believed that your child would be taken from you if word of your illness got out."

No need for guided imagery here, Christine. We don't need to close our eyes and imagine. The women who read this blog feel like that right now, or felt like that when they were sick with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It's our greatest fear to lose our children, though most often unfounded. She goes on ...

"People with cancer or heart disease or diabetes do not have these worries. They can focus on getting well. But not people with mental illnesses."

Stigma sucks. There's no excuse for it. God bless Robert Enke.

Postpartum Support International Part of First Lady's Launch of Service Nation

2009-11-11T11:02:04-05:00

Susan Stone, chair of the President's Advisory Council of Postpartum Support International and blogger at Perinatal Pro, reports that today at George Washington University in Washington DC, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will contribute opening remarks to the official introduction of Service Nation volunteer partnerships. Service Nation is an organization devoted to increasing volunteer efforts among civilians, non-profits and other entities in communities across the United States.

Among the organizations included in the presentation are two devoting specific attention to postpartum mood disorders: Postpartum Support International, the worlds largest organization devoted to the eradication of perinatal mood disorders, and Give an Hour, a non profit established by Dr. Barbara Van Dalen to encourage mental health practitioners to donate a weekly hour of professional service to military families. Both are volunteer organizations.

As Susan states, "PSI’s inclusion brings more consistent visibility to our issue along with a level of exposure and awareness that will help spread our mantra, 'You are not alone, you are not to blame and with help, you will be well'."

Very cool.

Update: Here's a photograph of Susan on the stage with First Lady Michelle Obama. She's on the right with the rose-colored jacket.

Can Women With Postpartum Depression Even Talk About Happiness?

2009-11-11T04:49:00-05:00

Let's face it: postpartum depression is a bummer of a subject. So are postpartum OCD, postpartum psychosis, intrusive thoughts, mental illness ... shall I go on? These things are real and they can't be ignored, but they're not gleeful things to discuss. Necessary but not exactly fun.

I don't get a chance to talk a lot about happiness here. I talk more about finding one's way back to it. Postpartum Progress is sort of a stop along the way to happinessland. You just left the twin cities of Darkness and Misery and now you're here in Postpartum Progress and on the way to full recovery with a final destination of Happy Momville. You can't see where you're going because Happy Momville is a little bit of a ride from Darkness and Misery and nobody gave you a precise map, but I've made the journey and I know for a fact that Happy Momville can be reached and in fact is a pretty cool place to be. You'll see.

Today I happened upon an interview that Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project just conducted with "momblogger" Liz Gumbiner who writes Mom-101. It's such a basic discussion, yet an important one in that Rubin asks questions that we rarely ask ourselves but should: What makes you happy? What detracts from your happiness? How do you give yourself a happiness boost?

Is it ridiculous to even bring up the subject of happiness on this blog? I'm not sure. Thinking back to when I suffered from postpartum OCD I can't say I felt much happiness whatsoever during that time. There were a few "decent moments." I can't think of a word to describe those times, fleeting moments where I glimpsed that maybe I could love my son and maybe he could love me. (What's a word to describe the wide open space between misery and bliss?) I probably would have wanted to PUNCH someone who tried to talk to me about happiness during that time.

Concerned person: Katherine, how could you give yourself a happiness boost right now?

Katherine: Are you kidding? F*&#k you. (Pow.)

if someone had wanted to talk to me about recovery, though, or being healthy, or getting back to the old me, I think I would have been open to it. Aren't those words -- recovery, health, being me, renewal, healing -- synonyms for happiness, or at least things that can lead to it?

Even if the word "happiness" is anathema to you right now, you can admit that it is truly where you want to be. You want to get back to your own specific brand of happiness, your own version of what being contented in life means. And even though you have no control over your genetics, your brain chemistry, unsupportive people who may be around you, and some of the other things that might have led you to this crappy place called Darkness and Misery, you are empowered to take steps to fix the situation.

In fact you've already taken steps to fix the situation, perhaps without knowing it. You've identified the problem that has stopped you in your tracks. That's why you are here, reading this blog. And now that you are finding out what is wrong you are also finding out what you can do to turn things around. You are finding out that what is happening to you is temporary. You are finding out who to talk to and where to get the help you need and who is dedicated to supporting you through this.

You're on the road to the h-word. We just won't call it that.

Do You Really Need a Specialist To Treat Your Postpartum Depression?

2009-11-10T21:01:33-05:00

I was very happy to see that Parents magazine and CNN.com have covered the specialized inpatient unit for women with severe perinatal mood and anxiety disorders at the University of North Carolina. Go Dr. Elizabeth Bullard, Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody and nurse Chris Raines!!!!

"Immediately, Meehan-Machos's obstetrician referred her to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). There, doctors had recently debuted a groundbreaking inpatient psychiatric unit, the first in the nation specifically tailored to women suffering perinatal (prenatal and postpartum) mood disorders. Unlike a general psychiatric unit, it offered:

A core group of doctors specializing in perinatal issues
Psychiatrists attuned to medications that wouldn't harm a pregnancy or a nursing newborn
An unusual policy of allowing children, even babies, on the ward during extended visiting hours
Mom-only counseling focused on anxiety and bonding"

There aren't near enough specialized programs for women with postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. These women have a distinct set of issues and deserve treatment from clinicians who have a lot of experience treating them. Whether its psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and social workers who specialize in reproductive psychiatry, special inpatient units like the one at UNC or special outpatient units like the one at Women and Infants Hospital in Rhode island, we need more hospital administrators and healthcare systems to recognize that perinatal mental illness is a public health problem and to create the kinds of services that help new moms and moms-to-be get better as quickly as possible.

I can tell you that when I had postpartum OCD I first went to a psychiatrist that I later came to realize had almost no experience with women with postpartum depression. After dealing with that for ONE YEAR (argh!) and making little headway, I switched to someone who had trained under specialists in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It was like night and day. Out came the sun!!

I realize that not everyone has access to specialists. It is my wish that one day every woman will, no matter in which corner of this country (or any other) she lives. It is my personal opinion, though, that seeing a specialist in the best case scenario for women trying to get well. If it's a friend of mine, a relative, a neighbor or my own daughter, I'm going to fight like hell to find a specialist to help her.

I'm just saying.

Update:

I received the following comment to this post and I'd like to share it so that it isn't missed.

"With reimbursement of mental healthcare as poor as it is, there are not (and may never be) even enough regular psychiatrists to go around, much less psychiatrists who treat only patients with perinatal issues. If we have special clout and extra connections we may be successful in getting our friend, relative or neighbor in to see a specialist (as long as she lives in a major metropolitan area and has good insurance, of course). But the vast majority of people aren't so well connected. We need to make sure not to alienate non-specialists. OBs, family physicians, midwives etc. can and should be trained well enough to treat straightforward perinatal mood disorders. And if general psychiatrists are unable to successfully treat the more complicated cases, I don't think the solution is just to hope and wait for more postpartum specialists. The solution is to insist that general Psychiatric training programs adequately address these common and important conditions."

Thank you for your comment. I understand what you are saying. It is true that we are sorely lacking in this country when it comes to having enough psychiatrists to go around, especially in rural areas. I do not think, though, that you need any particular clout when it comes to seeing a specialist. Insurance, perhaps, but not clout. When I was sick I had zero clout. When I finally got tired of being treated by someone who didn't know what they were doing the only thing I did have was empowerment. The courage to demand more for myself and my health and to ask around and ask around and not give up until I found someone with more training than the average doc on these illnesses (which doesn't take much actually, because as you rightly point out, the current med school training is inadequate). There are many healthcare providers from various disciplines who have taken the time to learn more, get CEUs, attend a conference or go to a PSI training. These are the people I think women should try and see.

Additionally, I know that many of the specialists in this field do consults and confer with women's personal physicians to discuss care for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. They are aware that, because this specialty is so unique, their expertise is needed both inside and outside of their "neighborhoods".

And finally, I would never suggest women who are suffering wait and hope until we have every specialist we need. I hope that's not how it came across in my post. Thankfully, with organizations like Postpartum Support International, women don't have to. They can connect with one of more than 100 trained volunteers spread out across our country in every state who can offer information on healthcare providers in the vicinity who can help.

Looking Back at 2009: Postpartum Progress Readers Made A Difference

2009-11-10T01:49:00-05:00

2009 has been a great year here at Postpartum Progress and I just wanted to take a look back at some of the cool things that have happened here and all that YOU have accomplished ...

We started Six Things, an ongoing series of easily digestible lists of six things to know about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders if one has time to read nothing else. The first Six Things articles included "Six Things Every New Mom Should Know About Postpartum Depression", "Six Things You Should Avoid if You Have Postpartum Depression or Anxiety" and "Six Things That Can Affect How Quickly You'll Recover from Postpartum Depression". There will be more to come in this series in 2010!

We held the first annual Mother's Day Rally for Moms' Mental Health. This event featured 24 hours straight of female authors and bloggers writing about the importance of the emotional health of mothers. Some of the participants included Vicki Glembocki of Oprah.com's Blunt Force Mama, Catherine Connors of Her Bad Mother, Lauren Hale of Sharing the Journey, Deb Arora of Missives from Suburbia, and Therese Borchard of Beliefnet.com's Beyond Blue. We'll be doing it again next year, so if you have an interest in being a featured author, let me know!

We spoke out assertively against unbalanced or misleading coverage of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the media, especially when it came to the Time magazine article on screening and the Mother's Act and ABC's "Private Practice" episode. Many of you wrote your own letters and articles in addition to speaking out on Postpartum Progress.

You signed DBSA's petition to support the Mothers' Act and added your name to Susan Stone's list of individuals and organizations who endorse its passage. (You can still add your name if you haven't already!)

You sent in your pictures so that the Surviving & Thriving Mothers Photo Album now features more than 60 photos of recovered, happy and healthy moms and their children. Your participation in this album helps fight stigma and serves as a symbol of hope to those who are currently suffering. If you haven't sent your picture in yet, please do! I hear from women who say your pictures are very inspirational to them.

I'm so proud of what happens here and the community you've helped create by becoming regular readers, sending in news tips, commenting on stories, sharing your opinions, updating the support groups list and adding your photos to the Surviving & Thriving Mothers Photo Album. Postpartum Progress wouldn't succeed without this great community of survivors, clinicians, advocates and current "patients". Thanks for your bravery in speaking out. Please keep up the good work, and keep your news, ideas and photos coming in 2010!!

Survey: Which postpartum depression treatments are NOT acceptable to you?

2009-11-09T13:42:23-05:00

A week or so ago I asked you to participate in a research survey over on MedEdPPD. You guys did a great job as they received quite a few responses. Now I've got another one for you. There are actually two versions of this survey, one for providers/clinicians and one for women with postpartum depression. The survey is completely confidential and no identification is required.

A psychiatry research team is planning a study to compare several treatments for women with postpartum depression. Before the study begins, they want to know which treatment options would NOT be acceptable to providers and patients. Once acceptable treatments are determined, the team will begin a study in which participants will be randomly assigned a treatment which will be administered for 8 weeks. Women whose PPD symptoms improve would be provided treatment for an additional 6 months.

Please help out this research team by taking the survey and forwarding it to relevant colleagues and fellow moms.

The survey literally takes just a minute or so. Five quick and easy questions.

If you're a mom or mom-to-be, take this survey.

If you're a provider, take this survey.

3. Women's Mental Health Treatment Programs & Specialists, US, Canada & Australia

2009-11-09T13:29:13-05:00

The following are links to some of the hospitals and clinics in the United States, as well as other countries included at the bottom of this page, that have specialized programs to treat women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

How do I decide which programs are listed here? These organizations are specifically geared toward women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. They are well-rounded, offering treatment, hosting support groups and conducting research into these illnesses. Their clinicians are focused squarely on treating women with these kinds of illnesses. If you think your hospital or university's program should be included in this list, email me at postpartumprogress@gmail.com.

(Note: This list is in alphabetical order by state. Specialized programs outside of the United States are listed at the bottom. This list does not serve to endorse any particular program.)

Arizona: Women's Mental Health Program at the University of Arizona, Tucson

California: UCLA Women's Life Center Los Angeles, Dr. Lori Altshuler and Dr. Vivien Burt at UCLA Women's Life Center; El Camino Hospital Maternal Outreach Mood Services, Mountain View, CA, Kristina Peterson, MFT

Colorado: Postpartum Depression Intervention Program at The Kempe Center, Denver, Dr. Brian Stafford

Connecticut: Yale Program for Women's Reproductive Behavioral Health, Dr. Cynthia Neill Epperson

Georgia: Emory Women's Mental Health Program, Atlanta, Dr. Zachary Stowe, Dr. Jeffrey Newport, Dr. Toby Goldsmith

Illinois: University of Illinois at Chicago Perinatal Mental Health Project, Chicago, Dr. Laura Miller; Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Perinatal Depression Support Services, Oak Brook, Dr. Diane Semprevivo

Iowa: Iowa Depression & Clinical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, Dr. Michael O'Hara and Dr. Scott Stuart

Kentucky: University of Louisville Women's Mental Health Program, Louisville, Dr. Joyce Spurgeon, Sheila Ward CNM

Massachusetts: Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Women's Mental Health, Boston, Dr. Lee Cohen, Dr. Ruta Nonacs, Dr. Marlene Freeman, Dr. Adele Viguera

Maryland: Johns Hopkins Women's Mood Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD, Dr. Jennifer Payne, Dr. Karen Swartz

Michigan: University of Michigan Perinatal Mood Disorders Team, Ann Arbor, MI, Dr. Sheila Marcus, Dr. Heather Flynn, Dr. Maria Muzik, Dr. Juan Lopez, Kate Bullard, LMSW

Minnesota: Hennepin Women's Mental Health Program, Minneapolis, Dr. Helen Kim

New York: Payne Whitney Women's Program at Weill Cornell, New York, Dr. Margaret Altemus; New York University Reproductive Psychiatry, New York, Dr. Shari Lusskin; the Women's Mental Health Consortium, New York, Dr. Catherine Birndorff; Columbia University Women's Program, New York, Dr. Eileen Kavanagh

North Carolina: University of North Carolina Center for Women's Mood Disorders, Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. David Rubinow, Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Dr. Elizabeth Bullard, Chris Raines RN

Pennsylvania: Women's Behavioral HealthCARE at the Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Dr. Katherine Wisner; Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Dr. Deborah Kim

Rhode Island: Women & Infants Hospital Day Program, Providence, RI, Dr. Margaret Howard

Texas: The Menninger Clinic/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Dr. Lucy Puryear; UT Southwestern Women's Mental Health Center, Dallas, Dr. Neysa Johnson, Dr. Anna Brandon, Dr. Geetha Shivakumar

CANADA

Reproductive Mental Health Program at St. Paul's Hospital and BC Women's, Vancouver, Dr. Shaila Misri

Perinatal Mental Health Program at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Dr. Ariel Dalfen

AUSTRALIA

Perth Clinic Mother Baby Program, Perth

Royal Women's Hospital Centre for Women's Mental Health, Victoria

This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

How to Make the Most of Your Mental Health Benefits

2009-11-09T00:17:00-05:00

Many women with postpartum depression who want to reach out for professional help aren't sure if therapy is even covered by their insurance, and many who do have coverage find it can be quite limited. The New York Times' Patient Money columnist Lesley Alderman has written a much-needed column on how to make the most of your mental health insurance benefits. She offers great tips, especially in light of the fact that the Mental Health Parity Law is about to take effect in January. You might find that the benefits your insurance company offers for mental health care have been improved. Check out her column to learn more.

Note: She says her next column will cover how to get mental health care if you don't have insurance. I will let you know about it when it's published.

Help March of Dimes Fight Premature Birth, Common Outcome for Depressed Pregnant Women

2009-11-08T11:12:00-05:00

The March of Dimes is hosting Fight For Preemies Day on November 17. Premature birth is a health crisis that jeopardizes the lives and health of nearly half-million babies each year. It is the #1 killer of newborns and can lead to lifelong disabilities. November 17 is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis of premature birth. The March of Dimes invites you to get involved. You can:

• Learn about premature birth at marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies
• Put a badge on your blog during November, Prematurity Awareness Month®
• On November 17, blog for a baby you love and to help others

Premature birth is a concern for women with antepartum depression (depression during pregnancy). Research shows that preterm birth is twice as likely to occur for women who suffer from depression during pregnancy. Studies have also found that antidepressants may cause premature birth. We need more research funding so that we can get a better idea of how to prevent premature birth among pregnant women who suffer from depression, whether they are taking meds or not taking them.

You can join in this event at Bloggers Unite and at the March of Dimes site.

Mother in Postpartum Psychosis Case Returns to Jail After Plea Deal

2009-11-06T09:47:28-05:00

The Des Moines Register reports that Heidi Anfinson, who drowned her 2-week-old child in 1998 while allegedly suffering from postpartum psychosis, is now headed back to jail.

Anfinson had been granted a new trial after being imprisoned for nine years of her original sentence of 50 years for second-degree murder. She had been out for jail for about a year.

"The [Iowa] Supreme Court threw out her conviction at a second trial, held in 2000, because her attorney at the time, Bill Kutmus, failed to raise compelling evidence of severe postpartum depression, or psychosis.

Anfinson, and some legal experts nationally, had hoped a new trial would put a spotlight on postpartum psychosis, which has become a more recognized legal defense since her son died."

Her new lawyer had planned to present evidence that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the infanticide. Anfinson waived her right to that new trial, however, reportedly out of fear that a jury would again find her guilty. She plead guilty to child endangerment in a plea deal with the prosecutors.

It is still unclear how long her new prison sentence will be. While the judge sentenced her again to 50 years, the Iowa Parole Board could allow her to be released for time served, according to the Register.

"Judge Rosenberg, who presided over Anfinson's post-conviction case, noted that he had no choice under the plea agreement but to sentence Anfinson to prison.

'Although this is a tragic incident beyond description ... the court believes (Anfinson) is no further threat to public safety,' he said. 'We often like to think of things in black and white. But often, it is the gray that is the truth.'

Many of Anfinson's supporters cried as she was ushered out in handcuffs.

Mike Anfinson said he has never stopped loving his wife, or admiring her strength, or thinking she was not to blame for the death of their only child."

Do You Read One of the Top 100 Health Blogs?

2009-11-05T12:38:00-05:00

Thanks to those of you who visited Organized Wisdom and nominated Postpartum Progress as a top resource for information on postpartum depression. We now have 14 nominations and are leading the pack. You can still nominate Postpartum Progress or any other site you feel is a great resource on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders! I nominated PSI and the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health.

Also, remember last week when I said this?

Just found out Postpartum Progress is listed at #55 of the top 100 Family Blogs on Technorati. Technorati tracks millions of blogs all around the world, so that's pretty awesome. Now we just need to get on the top 100 Health list ...

I spoke too soon. We're on the top 100 Health Blogs list at Technorati now too! As of today we are #14, though that will fluctuate. Weehoo! World of Psychology is on there as well -- go DocJohnG!

Postpartum Progress Blogroll for Moms with Postpartum Depression

2009-11-05T10:37:00-05:00

I've been busy redoing the Postpartum Progress Blogroll this week. I've taken off blogs that no longer exist or that haven't been updated in quite a while, and tried to add a few more. Since I've added some that weren't on the blogroll before, you should definitely check it out. You'll mainly see blogs written by mommas who are currently going through (or are survivors of) postpartum depression or related illnesses. They include (but are not limited to):

Unexpected Blessing

Dooce: this is linked to her posts on depression and postpartum depression

Ivy's PPD Blog

Atlanta PPD Mom

Pretty Swell Mama

Laughing Through The Chaos

Mood-Disordered Mama

Life with PPD

Sophie in the Moonlight

Postpartum Dads Project: for dads whose wives/partners are suffering

Oh, and since my mind is crammed with too much data, I know there are people I've inadvertently left off the list. If you think you are one of those people, let me know at postpartumprogress@gmail.com. Please note that I generally only list writers who've written at least a couple of times about PPD and related topics, as they can serve as a great resource to those who suffer. (Oh, and make sure you check the list first before you fire off an email about how you're not on it!)

Oh, and I hope you'll add Postpartum Progress to your blogroll too! Pweez?! as my daughter would say ...

Psych Central's Top 10 Bipolar Blogs of 2009

2009-11-05T09:32:00-05:00

Psych Central has released its list of the top 10 bipolar blogs for 2009, as written by Sandra Kiume. Go check them out!

Depression Hurts: Overcoming Depression With Dooce, Finslippy, the Mommyblog & DadGoneMad

2009-11-04T12:21:21-05:00

I finally had a chance to mosey on over to Momversation to see their new video and discussion on overcoming depression. The 6-minute video features bloggers Heather Armstrong of Dooce, Alice Bradley of Finslippy, Mindy Roberts of TheMommyBlog.net and Danny Evans of DadGoneMad. They share their feelings on what it's like to suffer from depression.

The video is fantastic. I love it. Wish there was more of it. I was moved by all of the speakers, particularly by Mindy Roberts, who has been through postpartum depression 4 times.

FOUR TIMES!!!!!! Great Caesar's Ghost! as grandma would say.

Regardless of their specific mental illness I know you will definitely connect with their observations. Those of you currently suffering will benefit most of all. As I stated in my comment on Momversation:

"Despite the progress we've made on public communication to erase stigma and ensure people feel safe reaching out for help, I still hear from women each and every day with a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder who are:

given erroneous information about postpartum depression and related illnesses (its causes, its symptoms, what to watch for, its treatments, etc.)
deeply hurt by the reactions of those around them who don't understand what serious illnesses these are (friends, spouses/partners, clergy, employers, doctors)
made to feel afraid to take medication or seek counseling
convinced they are alone and there is nowhere to turn

It's just awful and it makes we want to pull my hair out on a daily basis. As the little people in the town of Whoville shout from the tuft in Horton Hears A Who!: We are here! We are here! We are here!"

Okay fine. It wasn't a tuft. It was a small speck of dust. But still ... We are here!!

Postpartum Nurse: "Don't Worry Unless You Have Thoughts of Harming Your Baby"

2009-11-04T09:40:00-05:00

Over at the Confessions of a First Time Mom blog, the writer shares her very compelling experience with postpartum anxiety. You should read the whole thing, but I wanted to highlight one particular part:

"I honestly didn't realize I was suffering from PPD. I thought I was just nuts. When I was discharged from the hospital after having Josiah, the nurse told me that being emotional was normal. She said most women get the "Baby Blues" and not to worry unless I had thoughts of harming my baby. I never had thoughts of harming Josiah so I figured I was just a terrible mother. Not wanting to admit how I was feeling I kept my mouth shut."

AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH! Can you hear me screaming all the way from Georgia?

Don't worry unless you want to harm your child! If you don't feel the need to pick up some sort of weapon, you're good to go! I'd say you've got 100% mental health! Yay for you! Go get 'em girl!

Newsflash: Not every woman with a postpartum mood or anxiety disorder has thoughts of harming her children.

That's one uninformed nurse. Yikes.

To Have or Have Not: Should You Stop Having Children If You've Had Postpartum Depression?

2009-11-03T12:02:00-05:00

After my bout with postpartum OCD, I decided I would never have another baby. NEVER. NOT. ONE. MORE. EVER.

I am reminded of the choice I made, a choice that would later be reversed out of necessity, by a story on ParentsConnect called "Postpartum Depression: Why I Won't Have Another Baby." This mom writes about how she had always planned to have more than one child, primarily because she so disliked being an only child herself, but has now decided not to after having PPD:

"I am still plagued by anxiety. I am still on medication and in therapy. And one of the most painful things of all is that I am left with no desire to do this again. I fear starting over. Not just fear of possible PPD, but of having another newborn. Worrying about milestones and growth charts. Almost two years later with my son now, I'm still worrying about growth charts. So I can't bear to start over with another child. I fear the fear. I truly feel that if I have another child, I will have two kids with only half of a mother. That seems ludicrous to me. I'd rather focus all my love and attention on the one I have than risk his happiness just so I can say I have two children. Would I be doing it for him or trying to fill my own void?

So this leaves my child an only child. The thing I said I'd never do. The thing that makes other mothers look at me and say, "Oh, you have to have another one! You can't have just one!" (Is he a potato chip or something? I digress.) I'm treated like just wanting one child gives me two heads, and I find this extremely unfair.

So tread lightly on women you come across who feel ill-equipped to have more children. You don't know the pain and guilt that may be underneath."

I do. I know it well.

After taking a year to really get over my postpartum OCD and anxiety, I was not willing to go through that horror for even a second more. I was as done as done could be with having children. No more intrusive thoughts for me. No sobbing. No lack of appetite. No inability to sleep. No overwhelming sadness and guilt. No thank you.

Then I got pregnant. I wasn't trying to, I just did. And given the circumstances, which I will be kind enough not to go into, I really shouldn't have gotten pregnant. At all. It was nearly a miraculous conception. My husband and I were forced to rethink our choice, and in the end we chose to keep the baby (who I would be remiss in not sharing turned out to be our amazing blessing of a daughter Madden). The choice was not without trepidation. You can imagine our fear.

As an empowered patient, I knew this time I would, at the very minimum, put a team of people around me who were specialists and knew what they were doing. I was watched like a hawk throughout my pregnancy. I received counseling. In the interest of full disclosure, I also took medication, a risk I chose to take based on my personal medical history and after very comprehensive consultations with both my psychiatrist and my OB/GYN.

Being a mom to a newborn the second time around was pretty awesome, as I wrote in this piece at the time called "On What It Should Be Like To Be A New Mom". I can't say whether it was the meds, or the therapy, or a good sleep management plan, or the fact that I had more knowledge about postpartum OCD the second time around that prevented me from getting it again. I have no idea. What I do know now that I didn't know before I got pregnant with my second child was that we all have choices. We don't necessarily have to end the growth of our family after having experienced a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. Not if we don't want to.

Am I saying I think you should have another child? By heavens, no! I'm not advocating that you should continue to have children, and I'm not advocating that you should cease having children after having had PPD or a related illness. I have no opinion on what the size of anyone's family should be (except, I must admit, when it comes to those Duggars. Would they just stop it already?) I'm simply saying that those of us who have had postpartum depression or a related illness have more than one option.

I respect the choice of the mom who wrote the ParentsConnect story. I truly do. I made that same choice. I also respect the choice of moms who choose to press on, despite having a history of perinatal mood or anxiety disorders.

As Karen Kleiman writes in her book "What Am I Thinking? Having A Baby After Postpartum Depression", "The good news is that with proper preparation and planning and a healthcare team that is mobilized on your behalf, we can intervene in ways that will minimize the likelihood that you will experience a depression to the same degree that you did previously. "

You do have a choice.

Is Your 1q21.3-q32.1 Acting Up? If So, You Might Have Postpartum Depression

2009-11-03T09:30:09-05:00

While it is currently believed that postpartum depression isn't purely a genetic or chemical disease, and that external factors play a part, researchers have been looking more closely at the biological side of things. A new study reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry has found that genetic variations on chromosomes 1q21.3-q32.1 and 9p24.3-p22.3 may increase susceptibility to postpartum mood symptoms.

Damn you, 9p24.3-p22.3. How many times have I told you to BEHAVE?!!??!

For more on this, click here.

3 Ways to Support Women Who've Experienced Pregnancy Loss

2009-11-02T10:48:04-05:00

Several weeks ago I wrote a post about depression and grief after a miscarriage or loss. To be honest, I was actually surprised by how much reaction it got. Having not had that experience myself, it hadn't really hit me how many women go through it, how deeply affected they are, how it easy it is to say the wrong thing when trying to support them, and how confused they are about where to find the help they need. My eyes were opened.

I just read a piece written by a mom who has already been through postpartum depression and has just recently had a miscarriage. My heart aches for her. Here is a bit of what she wrote:

"I feel like I have this black pit in my insides and it’s slowly consuming more and more of my being. I just want to come out on the other side of this without losing too much of myself. I feel like I’d finally come out of my postpartum issues and I lost a little piece of myself with it, but I also gained. I have Colin. But now I feel like I’m losing all over again and this time I have no reward for survival."

Ugh. I always feel like I don't know exactly what to say. How to show support. How to avoid blowing it by saying the wrong thing. I came across this really helpful post from the Share blog entitled "What Do You Say?", which describes exactly what NOT to say:

"After each of my miscarriages, I was truly shocked and amazed by the words that came from my friends' and loved one’s mouths…things like: 'You’re young, you’ll have more babies!' 'At least it happened early.' 'There was probably something wrong with ‘it,’ you should think of it as a blessing.' (Oh, really? A miscarriage is a blessing? How exactly, I wanted to ask.). My favorite, 'It’s been a MONTH already! You need to get over this!' ...

I am routinely stunned and horrified by what parents who have had later losses tell me…like the mom who was told after her daughter was born still at 20 weeks, 'At least you hadn’t done a nursery yet.' Or the mom who shared with me that her grandmother told her after the full term stillbirth of her third child, 'Oh well…you didn’t need another baby anyway.' Or the many parents who are told 'Count your blessings! You have other children!' as if that makes the death of one okay. Or, 'It wasn’t meant to be.' The 'ors' could go on and on.

Oh gosh. Have I said something like this to someone? Somewhere along the way? To be perfectly honest, I bet I have, or some milder version of it, while fumbling for the right words and trying to put a good spin on a horrible situation. Why do we feel that we have to put a spin on it at all? Why can't we just say "I'm sorry. I'm here for you. I love you."? It's as if we want to make it go away for the person who is hurting, to brush it aside, to lighten the load. As if by saying the magic words she will be set on the speedy superhighway to recovery.

The Silent Grief website offers an article on how to help a friend who has gone through a pregnancy loss. They suggest doing a lot of the same things I'd suggest when trying to help a friend who has postpartum depression.

1. Offer to do errands or bring a fresh and nutritious meal. I've often heard it said that in this situation you shouldn't take no for an answer, since many feel so uncomfortable accepting help and are likely to say they don't need any. Say "I've made this for you and I'm going to bring it. When would be the best time to drop it by?" rather than "Would you like me to bring some food?"

2. Be a good listener, allowing her to share her story and feelings. Don't judge. Don't decide for her when she should get over this or how she should be reacting to it. It's her loss, not yours.

3. Make sure your support is ongoing, not just during the first few weeks. Fight the urge to move away from her because it's so hard to see her suffer and it's so hard to be around such pain. Keep reaching out.

For those of you going through this right now, please check out my piece on the difference between grief and depression after a loss. It includes a list of specific resources that support women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths. Please consider visiting them so that you might be able to interact with those who truly understand what you are going through. You are not alone.

Postpartum Progress Among Technorati's Top 100 Family Blogs

2009-10-29T13:56:00-04:00

Hey cool! Just found out Postpartum Progress is listed at #55 of the top 100 Family Blogs on Technorati. Technorati tracks millions of blogs all around the world, so that's pretty awesome. Now we just need to get on the top 100 Health list ...

OH, and if you think Postpartum Progress should be among the top 10 resources listed at Organized Wisdom, nominate it here. Pretty please. Just scroll down to the nomination box and enter: http://postpartumprogress.typepad.com. You can also vote for other sites as well, including PSI and the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health, to round out the top 10.

Suggestions for PBS' Major Upcoming Project "This Emotional Life" & Its Resources for Postpartum Depression

2009-10-28T11:15:21-04:00

Wish a major TV network would fill a need and create a series that delves into the importance of emotional health, including postpartum mental health? Don't lie. I know the last time you cracked a wishbone or stepped on a crack or blew out some candles this is EXACTLY what you wished for.

Well, your wish is coming true. Wahoo! PBS' "This Emotional Life" will premiere January 4, 2010:

"The Emmy Award-winning team of Vulcan Productions and the producers of NOVA have created a three-part series that explores improving our social relationships, learning to cope with depression and anxiety, and becoming more positive, resilient individuals.The series was produced by Kunhardt McGee Productions.

Harvard psychologist and best-selling author of Stumbling on Happiness, Professor Daniel Gilbert, talks with experts about the latest science on what makes us “tick” and how we can find support for the emotional issues we all face.

Each episode weaves together the compelling personal stories of ordinary people and the latest scientific research along with revealing comments from celebrities like Chevy Chase, Larry David, Alanis Morissette, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Richard Gere."

Plan on watching it. In addition to covering such topics as attachment, intimacy, autism, forgiveness and meditation, they have included postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. HOORAY!

The TV series is accompanied by a cool website that lists resources, offers blog posts and shares stories from celebrities, experts and everyday people.

I have already checked out the This Emotional Life website. I get the sense they are still working on it, adding more and more resources. In that vein, forthwith I'd like to offer them a little advice:

I was concerned to find that, in the Resource Finder section in the list of topics, postpartum depression isn't listed. Postpartum depression is the most common search term used by women suffering from any type of postpartum mood or anxiety disorder. What is listed is the term "PPMD", which is not commonly used at all. It's an abbreviation for postpartum mood disorders. In fact, I believe most women will scroll down the Resource Finder topic list looking to see if the website has resources for postpartum depression and have no idea what PPMD stands for, or that it is referring to postpartum depression and other related disorders. (And, I could point out that if we were being technically correct it should actually be PMAD or postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, since postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD are not mood disorders.) I emailed the contact for the This Emotional Life website, but received no response. I have no idea whether they'll change it or not which is very frustrating, because I want women to be able to find the resources they are looking for. If you can hear me PBS, please honk your horn, or blink twice, or nod your head.

If you happen to be in the know and do click on PPMD, the resources listed include NAMI, Mental Health America, DBSA, the Mayo Clinic, Psych Central, the Nurse Family Partnership and then waaaaaay down at the bottom are listed PSI and Postpartum Progress. I think PSI should be the FIRST resource listed. These other organizations, while they are fantastic and should be listed, do not specialize on and focus on women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

In the People & Blogs - Experts section, in addition to Jessica Zucker, I hope they reach out to and add a couple more experts on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. I would love to see blog postings on the site from Dr. Ruta Nonacs, or Karen Kleiman, or Susan Stone, or Dr. Vivien Burt, or Dr. Lucy Puryear, or Dr. Shari Lusskin, or Birdie Meyer or Diana Lynn Barnes, or Ann Dunnewold, or any of the people who are well-known experts in this field. People who have spent decades treating women with these disorders. I'm giving you some free hints, PBS!!

I'm also hoping they'll add some personal stories from women who have suffered, as currently I don't see any. There are so many great stories out there that would help others.

Oh, and why on earth does the site categorize Postpartum Progress as being about PPMD and eating disorders. Eating disorders? Nope. Not ever. I would hate for women with eating disorders to come to my site and find absolutely no help whatsoever. I only cover perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Am I being hard on PBS? GOODNESS NO! I'm EXTREMELY EXCITED about this series (and yes, I am shouting with excitement). I think it has such an ENORMOUS potential to do good, as emotional health is NEVER given enough attention. This series is going to absolutely rock. It's appointment TV as far as I'm concerned. I just want to make sure that, in addition to grief and loss, and addiction and eating disorders and bullying, there are GREAT resources available to women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Do you have any other suggestions for PBS?

Oh, and also:

Last week, Therese Borchard at Beyond Blue conducted an interview with psychologist Jessica Zucker, PhD. Zucker is among those featured on "This Emotional Life". In the interview, they discuss attachment and bonding. Check it out.

Updated List of Specialized Treatment Programs for Postpartum Depression

2009-10-28T01:44:00-04:00

This week I have updated the list of specialized treatment programs at hospitals and universities around the country for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, which can be found here.

The University of Louisville Women's Mental Health Program, the University of Michigan Perinatal Mood Disorders Program, the Women's Health Consortium program in NYC, the Columbia University Women's Program, the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness and UT Southwestern's Women's Mental Health Center have all been added.

A big thank you to the hospitals and universities who have recognized women's reproductive psychiatry as a mental health issue important enough to deserve a specialized program with trained individuals who can provide some of the best support and treatment around to the women who need it.

If you know of another program that should be on the list, email me at postpartumprogress@gmail.com and I'll take a look.

Postpartum Depression Sufferers Join the E-Patient Movement

2009-10-27T10:18:00-04:00

There's something new in the world of Medicine 2.0 and it's called the e-patient. I'm still not sure exactly what an e-patient is, but I know that it has to do with regular everyday people like you and me informing ourselves as much as we can about our illnesses and communicating with each other and our healthcare providers as openly as possible about what we are going through. The website e-patients.net describes us as equipped, enabled, empowered and engaged. In that sense, I'd like to think of Postpartum Progress as the ultimate perinatal mood and anxiety disorder e-patient blog, and you the reader, as an ultimate e-patient. You are here because you don't want to sit alone in the darkness hoping someone will come to your rescue.

I just love the idea of e-patients and participatory medicine, because I think collaboration between scientists, healthcare providers, current patients and survivors is key. The more data we share back and forth, the better. We will find out more about the causes, symptoms and treatments of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The diverse collaboration will help weed out any undue influence by the pharmaceutical industry or others with an agenda. And the simple practice of sharing itself will help eliminate stigma and create a sense of mutual support.

Several websites have arisen out of the e-patient movement that allow people with similar illnesses or diseases to share thoughts and ideas with each other. I thought you might like to know about them.

Inspire: There are more than 130,000 people on this site, all sharing info about their different illnesses. Inspire is described as a safe place to discuss health and help each other. You can join for free, create a profile, join groups with similar interests, write about your illness in a journal that others can read and more.

Cure Together: If you click the link, it will take you directly to the Cure Together page on depression. You can join for free. Cure Together did not have postpartum depression listed as a specific condition, so I (of course) took the liberty of getting it started. You can add to the list of symptoms, treatments or causes of postpartum depression yourself and the site will track how many people experienced each.

PatientsLikeMe: As they describe it, "PatientsLikeMe is committed to providing a better, more effective way to capture valuable results and share them with patients, healthcare professionals, and industry organizations that are trying to treat diseases." You can join for free, create a profile and add as much or as little information about yourself as you'd like. You can create mood maps, get info on research and read symptom and treatment reports. Here is the Patients Like Me forum on postpartum depression -- there's not a whole lot on this site yet about PPD and related illnesses. I joined the "Mood Community", which has more than 12,000 people in it with whom you can commune.

Wellsphere: This site has millions of readers. You can join free, start your own community or join one, find out about resources near you, watch videos, add your own blog posts and more. Here's the Wellsphere page on postpartum depression.

I'm sure there are others as well. Let me know if you are using these services. And for more on e-patients, visit:

E-Patients.net
the Society for Participatory Medicine

Remember, the motto of Postpartum Progress is: Together. Stronger.