Notes From the Couch - The Truth About Postpartum Depression
On a gray and chilly afternoon over six years ago, I visited the office of Charleston OB/GYN to share information about my private practice and my special interest in working with women's issues.
Fate works in mysterious ways; what began as a routine marketing visit ended up changing the shape of my clinical practice for years to come.
The office manager of Charleston OB/GYN handed me the telephone number for a woman named Helena Bradford, president and founder of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Postpartum Depression Awareness.
I can still recall my very first telephone conversation with Helena.
I did not know this at the time, but I was about to begin a relationship with a very special woman who would become an integral part of my life and a dear personal friend.
Helena shared with me the story of her beloved daughter Ruth, who endured an agonizing struggle with Post Partum depression (PPD).
Ruth Rhoden Craven took her own life nearly ten years ago, at the age of 33, only two and a half months after the birth of her son.
Ruth was a healthy, vibrant woman with no prior history of depression and a bright promising future.
Following the birth of her son Ruth entered into the darkness of mental illness.
She struggled with a disorder that is often grossly misunderstood and overlooked in the medical community but more prevalent than most of us realize (1 out of 10 new mothers will experience symptoms of PPD).
Ruth left this world way too soon, with all her music and light still burning inside of her.
Had she been properly treated, Ruth might still be with us today- a harsh and brutal reality that inspired Helena to take massive action towards change.
In March of 2000 Helena created the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Post Partum Depression Awareness, together with friends Elaine Earl and Mary Anna Mullinax, to honor Ruth's memory and support other women who suffer from this very serious illness.
Helena has dedicated her entire life to this worthy cause, by channeling her intense grief, pain and outrage into a passion so deep it has spread like wildfire.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization and its mission is to impart information, offer emotional support and act as a gatekeeper for women seeking information, social connection and professional treatment.
For some, Helena has been a guardian angel or a protective mother hen, for others, a personal advocate and passionate agent of change.
Here is a prime example of selfless and noble altruism- a woman who turned her personal loss into a beacon of hope for people across the country.
The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Post Partum Depression Awareness sponsors an ongoing support group, rain or shine, on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7PM.
The groups are held on Daniel Island, at the Church of the Holy Cross.
There is no charge for the groups, and women are welcome to bring any guest(s) they desire.
Nothing can surpass the therapeutic power of shared stories in a group setting.
As the group facilitator it is one of my greatest pleasures to witness the healing process as it begins to unfold.
For many women, the decision to attend the support group is their first step towards healing and recovery.
There is nothing as rewarding as watching a person's face light up when they realize they are not a horrible parent, going crazy or alone with their pain.
When I entered my first PPD support group over six years ago as a volunteer psychological consultant, I could not help but ask myself, "why am I here?" I had no children of my own, so clearly I had never been pregnant, given birth or suffered from Post Partum Depression.
Further, I had no specialized training to work with PPD clients.
I felt like an imposter and I had to fight the urge to flee.
Even so, I returned the following month, and the month after that.
Something deep inside of me began to shift as I sat with the women and listened to their stories.
There was so much raw pain, fear and shame in the hearts and minds of these women.
I gradually came to understand that we are all in this boat together.
PPD can happen to any of us, regardless of our prior psychiatric history, profession, education level or socioeconomic status.
Many physicians remain uneducated about PPD prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment.
To make matter worse, many women are hesitant, afraid or even ashamed to seek help.
While some fear they might frighten their loved ones, others fear they will be viewed as an unfit parent or even worse, have their child taken away.
Women suffering with PPD desperately crave emotional support, reassurance, a sense of community and most of all, renewed faith and hope in a brighter future.
I have recently accepted a position as Executive Director of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation.
As Executive Director, it is my mission to provide high quality care, diagnosis and screening of PPD, continue to facilitate the PPD support groups, plan the annual PPD Awareness race, and educate the local community, media and medical professionals about the mission and philosophy of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation.
Through my work with Helena I have learned that Postpartum Depression is a breed all its own- worlds apart from other types of depressive disorders.
Becoming a parent is a complicated dynamic on so many levels; it is a monumental life transition filled with multiple layers of societal expectations, family traditions, marital challenges and personal awakenings.
There are gross misrepresentations of PPD relayed through the media, leaving people frightened and confused.
Further, the experience of pregnancy, labor, delivery and caring for a helpless new infant can be a shock to the system.
When we add to the mix drastic hormonal fluctuations, body changes, sleep deprivation, lifestyle shifts and the enormous levels of guilt and shame that often go hand in hand with PPD, we are left with a perfect breeding ground for emotional pain and suffering.
If you or someone you know is suffering from PPD, it is imperative to seek treatment as soon as possible.
As in the cast of most illnesses, symptoms can worsen and grow increasingly complicated over time.
PPD is an insidious disorder with no single identified cause.
On a brighter note, PPD is highly treatable and responsive to medication and psychotherapy.
Nobody should ever have to walk alone in the darkness, especially when the path towards healing is so brightly illuminated.
Fate works in mysterious ways; what began as a routine marketing visit ended up changing the shape of my clinical practice for years to come.
The office manager of Charleston OB/GYN handed me the telephone number for a woman named Helena Bradford, president and founder of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Postpartum Depression Awareness.
I can still recall my very first telephone conversation with Helena.
I did not know this at the time, but I was about to begin a relationship with a very special woman who would become an integral part of my life and a dear personal friend.
Helena shared with me the story of her beloved daughter Ruth, who endured an agonizing struggle with Post Partum depression (PPD).
Ruth Rhoden Craven took her own life nearly ten years ago, at the age of 33, only two and a half months after the birth of her son.
Ruth was a healthy, vibrant woman with no prior history of depression and a bright promising future.
Following the birth of her son Ruth entered into the darkness of mental illness.
She struggled with a disorder that is often grossly misunderstood and overlooked in the medical community but more prevalent than most of us realize (1 out of 10 new mothers will experience symptoms of PPD).
Ruth left this world way too soon, with all her music and light still burning inside of her.
Had she been properly treated, Ruth might still be with us today- a harsh and brutal reality that inspired Helena to take massive action towards change.
In March of 2000 Helena created the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Post Partum Depression Awareness, together with friends Elaine Earl and Mary Anna Mullinax, to honor Ruth's memory and support other women who suffer from this very serious illness.
Helena has dedicated her entire life to this worthy cause, by channeling her intense grief, pain and outrage into a passion so deep it has spread like wildfire.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization and its mission is to impart information, offer emotional support and act as a gatekeeper for women seeking information, social connection and professional treatment.
For some, Helena has been a guardian angel or a protective mother hen, for others, a personal advocate and passionate agent of change.
Here is a prime example of selfless and noble altruism- a woman who turned her personal loss into a beacon of hope for people across the country.
The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Post Partum Depression Awareness sponsors an ongoing support group, rain or shine, on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7PM.
The groups are held on Daniel Island, at the Church of the Holy Cross.
There is no charge for the groups, and women are welcome to bring any guest(s) they desire.
Nothing can surpass the therapeutic power of shared stories in a group setting.
As the group facilitator it is one of my greatest pleasures to witness the healing process as it begins to unfold.
For many women, the decision to attend the support group is their first step towards healing and recovery.
There is nothing as rewarding as watching a person's face light up when they realize they are not a horrible parent, going crazy or alone with their pain.
When I entered my first PPD support group over six years ago as a volunteer psychological consultant, I could not help but ask myself, "why am I here?" I had no children of my own, so clearly I had never been pregnant, given birth or suffered from Post Partum Depression.
Further, I had no specialized training to work with PPD clients.
I felt like an imposter and I had to fight the urge to flee.
Even so, I returned the following month, and the month after that.
Something deep inside of me began to shift as I sat with the women and listened to their stories.
There was so much raw pain, fear and shame in the hearts and minds of these women.
I gradually came to understand that we are all in this boat together.
PPD can happen to any of us, regardless of our prior psychiatric history, profession, education level or socioeconomic status.
Many physicians remain uneducated about PPD prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment.
To make matter worse, many women are hesitant, afraid or even ashamed to seek help.
While some fear they might frighten their loved ones, others fear they will be viewed as an unfit parent or even worse, have their child taken away.
Women suffering with PPD desperately crave emotional support, reassurance, a sense of community and most of all, renewed faith and hope in a brighter future.
I have recently accepted a position as Executive Director of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation.
As Executive Director, it is my mission to provide high quality care, diagnosis and screening of PPD, continue to facilitate the PPD support groups, plan the annual PPD Awareness race, and educate the local community, media and medical professionals about the mission and philosophy of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation.
Through my work with Helena I have learned that Postpartum Depression is a breed all its own- worlds apart from other types of depressive disorders.
Becoming a parent is a complicated dynamic on so many levels; it is a monumental life transition filled with multiple layers of societal expectations, family traditions, marital challenges and personal awakenings.
There are gross misrepresentations of PPD relayed through the media, leaving people frightened and confused.
Further, the experience of pregnancy, labor, delivery and caring for a helpless new infant can be a shock to the system.
When we add to the mix drastic hormonal fluctuations, body changes, sleep deprivation, lifestyle shifts and the enormous levels of guilt and shame that often go hand in hand with PPD, we are left with a perfect breeding ground for emotional pain and suffering.
If you or someone you know is suffering from PPD, it is imperative to seek treatment as soon as possible.
As in the cast of most illnesses, symptoms can worsen and grow increasingly complicated over time.
PPD is an insidious disorder with no single identified cause.
On a brighter note, PPD is highly treatable and responsive to medication and psychotherapy.
Nobody should ever have to walk alone in the darkness, especially when the path towards healing is so brightly illuminated.
