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I'm Listening Why this website? I'm a mom and grandmother who understands how you may be feeling. I want to offer you support because no one was there for me when I went through this, and I want you to have a better experience. Since 1977 I have spoken with and listened to moms, dads, friends and family members seeking pregnancy and new parent emotional support. My goal is now to reach even more people seeking non-medical, emotional support through this website. You have complex questions and you may want quick answers. I hope to guide you through the maze of confusion that you may be feeling. You may be experiencing a wide range of emotional reactions to your pregnancy and parenting experience. My suggestions are simple and direct; my intention is to reassure, inform, and validate, while not frigtening you. I can't diagnose and illness or predict an outcome, but I can direct and encourage you. For the moment, while you are visiting this site, I represent your hope for a better tomorrow. Spectrum of Postpartum Emotional Reactions "Baby blues": Crying, irritability, anger, insomnia, exhaustion, tension, anxiety, restlessness Normal adjustment: Crying / tearfulness, irritability, anger, sleep disturbance, fatigue, dysphoria (sadness), appetite changes, loss of interest in formerly favorite things/activities, anxiety, emotional lability (moodiness), feelings of doubt, postpartum exhaustion (denial of depression/anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, unable to sleep/rest, head or stomach aches) Postpartum emotional disorders: Postpartum depression (worsening of baby blues or normal adjustment symptoms); postpartum panic (new onset of panic attacks, extreme anxiety, dizziness, shaking, difficulty breathing); postpartum mania (feeling sped up, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, pressured speech, irritability, excitability); postpartum obsessive?compulsive (repetitive/intrusive thoughts, unwelcome and repulsive/shocking thoughts "out of the blue," avoidance common, ritual rare); postpartum stress (panic attacks related to trauma, past or current) Postpartum psychosis: Any symptoms listed above, plus confusion, hallucinations, delusions Adapted from The Postpartum Survival Guide: It Wasn't Supposed to Be Like This, Anne Dunnewold and Diane Sanford, New Harbinger Publications, 1994. My Universal Message sets YOU on the road to regaining control and becoming well and happy again. Write down three simple sentences.
All Alone in a Crowd Some women have a supportive partner or others who care about them, but they still feel alone emotionally. If this is you, depression is causing that desperate sense of isolation and that there's help for this problem. I want to reassure you that having reached out for assistance by reading this page, you will soon begin noticing improvements in your life. But psychological distress, let alone mental illness -which still carries a stigma in our society -seems to be especially forbidden for mothers. There's little sympathy for the emotionally distraught mother. Surrounded by the pervasive myth of the perfect mother, it's easy to understand why women blame themselves. In the collision between stigma and myth, mothers (and thus their families) are the victims. I want to reassure you that because you are reading this website you have taken an important step in knowing you're not alone. Those at Special Risk for PPD Women with a family history of depression or anxiety and/or a personal history of emotional difficulties are most at risk for PPD. It's also important to note that women who experienced PPD with one child are more likely to suffer it with subsequent births. The ideal community offers a support group or network for this special population. We may not be able to prevent another episode, but preparation and awareness can make a difference. Current scientific literature indicates that mental illness is linked to a possible genetic vulnerability. Ask yourself if your family has any history of mental illness or alcoholism. Remember you're not alone and you're not to blame and there is help available. Help is available through the Postpartum Support International website. |
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Home / Dedication / Foreword / I'm Listening / Steps to Wellness / Spirituality & PPD / Universal Needs of Mothers
Helping Others / FAQ / Jane's Story / Buy the Book / Contact Jane / ©2007 Jane Honikman. All rights reserved.