Casey AnthonyIn an interview with Dr. Phil that aired this week, the mother of Casey Anthony explained away her daughter’s behavior by blaming everything from a possible tumor to seizures to “postpartum schizophrenia.”

First, to answer what I know is your immediate question, no, in my seven years as a national advocate for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders I have not heard of postpartum schizophrenia.  I have heard of postpartum psychosis, which can arise due to underlying bipolar disorder, previous psychotic episodes, or a family history of such.  Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way …

As reported by ABC News, Cindy pondered, “I’m almost wondering if she didn’t develop postpartum schizophrenia or some issue after her pregnancy, a hormonal type of illness.”

Did Casey see and hear things that weren’t there?  Did she believe she was suddenly unique and special in some way, have some greater purpose, mission, powers or that she had or her baby had been possessed?  Was she highly paranoid?  Did her behavior change drastically, or become odd compared to the Casey you knew, Cindy?  Did she see any type of physician who indicated that Casey had symptoms of psychosis or schizophrenia?

I just have to wonder why this has never been brought up until now.  Or did I just miss it?  I imagine any indications that Casey may have been psychotic in the year after Caylee’s birth could have been prime ammunition for her lawyer Jose Baez to have brought up at trial.

Instead, Baez said all indications were that Casey was a healthy and happy mother.

Instead, Cindy Anthony has just furthered the idea that women with any type of postpartum “hormonal” illness lie, steal, and even worse, harm their children.  It’s Just. Not. True.