Misconceptions of Postpartum Psychosis–The Overlooked Reality of Motherhood
When the term “postpartum psychosis” is used, it often comes with a number of preloaded assumptions. Portrayals in the media, misinformation, and a general lack of maternal mental health knowledge all contribute to paint a dangerously inaccurate picture of postpartum psychosis–resulting in stigmatization that can harm mothers worse than most can imagine.
Oftentimes, postpartum psychosis brings about images of a dangerous, irresponsible mother, with the media often lumping in words like “crazy” or “insane” to describe a very painfully real experience for mothers all around the world.
So What is Postpartum Psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis describes a severe mental health condition occurring shortly after birth, where there is a distinct loss of touch with reality–accompanied by hallucinations, delusions, and disordered speech or behaviour. This condition affects every 1-2 in 1000 mothers, which totals to anywhere from 400 to 800 mothers in Canada, yearly. You’d think that with such a high prevalence rate, the public would be more well-informed about the condition, how to prevent it, and what kinds of support are available. And yet, the stigma surrounding this condition bars mothers from feeling like they can ever reach out, leaving them to suffer in silence.
What Misconceptions are Most Common?
Among the most commonly covered topics surrounding postpartum psychosis in the media, is infanticide: the killing of one’s own child. TV shows, films, the news, are all notorious for covering only the most severe, rare, and exceptional cases–sensationalizing them and drawing a disproportionate amount of attention. When, conversely, infanticide occurs in only 4% of postpartum psychosis cases. While this is certainly an important topic to discuss in the case of postpartum psychosis, the overwhelming media output only further stigmatizes mothers struggling with the condition, defining an incredibly complex condition by a rare outcome.
Support For The Condition
In reality, postpartum psychosis is a very real, harmful condition affecting millions of mothers worldwide. Unfortunately, the media’s tendency to fixate on rare outcomes, like infanticide, further contributes to a rampant stigma surrounding the condition–leaving mothers to feel like they can’t seek help. If you feel that you’re dealing with similar struggles–or any of the other common feelings previously written on our blog page–we encourage you to reach out, and take advantage of the support available for you.
Author: Ryan Elahi
Reviewed By: Dr. Sarah Haller, C. Psych, Clinical Psychologist