A bit of the old Monday morning news roundup for you:
1) I watched some of this segment on the new ABC show “The Revolution” this morning, but I honestly had to quit watching halfway through it because … well, ugh. Once Dr. Jennifer Ashton (who I generally like) said that the symptom of postpartum depression is crying all the time I just had to turn it off. No mention of anger and irritability. No mention of numbness and disconnection. For the record, not everyone with PPD or a related illness cries all the time. Gah!!
2) We’ve already covered the new craze (okay, well maybe it’s not a craze but it’s sure getting a lot of media coverage) of placenta eating for the prevention of postpartum depression. Here’s a different take in the New York Times Motherlode blog from a mom who did it and regretted it.
3) Results from a new study on post-adoption depression which finds unrealistic expectations of parenthood may lead adoptive parents to suffer from it.
4) A piece from Yahoo on the effective use of ECT, also known as shock therapy, to treat depression. Scientists may have finally figured out how and why it works so well.
5) A story from the Wall Street Journal about blogging as therapy. I doubt many of you will be surprised by this. 😉
6) A new show on PBS called “Healthbeat” will feature an in-depth segment on postpartum depression as part of its debut. The award-winning journalist Sara Lee Kessler traveled the country speaking with some of the top experts on PPD, including Susan Stone, LCSW, Dr. David Rubinow, Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody and Dr. Katherine Wisner. Click here to find out more and when it airs in your area.
7) NPR in Michigan did a nice little story on Sara Binkley-Tow and her husband, who will be swimming across Lake Michigan to benefit PSI, Postpartum Progress and other PPD support organizations.
My blog has been one of the best therapeutic outlets I could ever have hoped for. Whether it was blogging about what was happening when it was happening, or blogging now about my fears while dealing with an unexpected pregnancy in conjunction with a toddler and an infant, or blogging my responses to stuff that other people say, it's empowering in a way I never would have imagined. It makes me feel like I'm taking the power away from PPMD and the stigma associated with it by talking about and exposing it, and hopefully letting other women know that they are not alone in their struggles. My blogging comes in spits and spurts but I love it and the study result doesn't surprise me at all, although I am happy that it's getting this press.
I completely agree with you Esther!
#1, she does go a little bit more into the symptoms of PPD such as disconnection and numbness as the segment continues..You should go back and watch the rest of it to relieve yourself of that frustration!! Haha!!
#2, about consuming the placenta…I’m so glad you posted this because this is something I have recently discovered, and have been considering doing this for my next baby. I have been going back and forth about it, but since there is so much controversy over whether or not it actually works or is even a good idea at all to do, I think I’m NOT going to do it. Thanks for this insight.
And #5, I think that discovering postpartumprogress.com several months ago has been the best thing that ever happened to me!!! So I totally agree that blogging is definetly a good thing!!
Thanks for highlighting the WSJ article especially, Katherine. I tell everyone who'll listen that the key nail in the coffin of my PPD/PPA was starting my blog, James & Jax. Talking about what I was going through (and receiving support from friends/family/total strangers there) really helped me heal.
I just started my blog and find it to be that missing piece of the puzzle of my journey to recovery. What is said about Blogging therapy is not suprising at all…