heartOh, ladies. My dear friends. I hate to see any of you struggling through postpartum depression or anxiety. I’m so sorry you’re suffering right now.

In the last two weeks I have seen four of you get hospitalized for postpartum depression or a related illness. Four! And that’s only those of you with whom I’ve had direct contact. I’m sure there are more. So many of you are struggling.

Please know that you are not alone.

I know that postpartum depression and anxiety are scary, whether you get hospitalized or not.

I know it seems like it’s the end of your life as you knew it.

I know it can creep up on you and wham you over the head with no warning.

I know postpartum depression is infinitely unfair.

I know it doesn’t make any logical sense.

I know it feels like you’ll never get better.

I know it feels like you’re being punished for something you may have done wrong at another time.

I know it feels like you’re not a good mom.

I know it can feel like people would be better off without you around, “dragging them down”.

I understand. So many of us do. We know how postpartum depression feels. We know this feels like it’s way too much to ever be able to overcome. But you will. Even if you can’t see it, and I know most of you can’t right now, you will. If you can’t believe in yourself in this moment, we’ll do it for you.

You are a good mom. Whatever path you have to take to get better – therapy, medication, hospitalization — we’re proud of you for taking these steps. We’re proud of you for recognizing you deserve better. That this is not the way it’s supposed to be and you don’t have to live like this. If it took a few weeks for you to recognize it or several months or more than a year, that’s okay. We’re still proud of you.

We hold your heart in our hands.

 

Photo credit: © Dwight Davis – Fotolia.com