It’s hard to admit. Not just because of the stigma, but I don’t wany anyone to think I loved my baby less than those who didn’t have postpartum depression (PPD). It wasn’t a question or whether or not I loved my child: I absolutely did and do. It’s about how my body reacted to giving birth.
It’s not 100% known what causes PPD, but the medical community has hypothesized a change in hormones or a drop, specifically, in thyroid hormones may contribute to it (“Postpartum Depression”). The pivotal thing to remember, whether you’ve experienced PPD or not, is it isn’t the uterus owner’s fault. They didn’t do anything to cause it, and, there is help.
Therapy and medication are often prescribed, and together, they can form an effective treatment plan. Some uterus owners may only need one versus the other, and some may only need them for a short period of time while others may need long-term care. All of this is how PPD regularly presents. Again, it’s not a choice. It’s nothing that has been caused by actions of the uterus owner, and it’s very real and serious.
In horror, any mental health can be represented accurately or with frivolous disregard for the truth (as we’ve been discussing this month on my Instagram account). Here are two works of horror that, in my opinion, are powerfully accurate and provide hope to those suffering.
First up …
I connected with Gemma’s beautifully haunting story of a mother trying to grasp her depression. It’s a winner worth checking out.
Next up is a movie that, arguably, is a bit split with audiences:
This movie tackles grief and depression, and while some feel it leans more heavily into those, I deeply connected with the mom’s PPD, even if it wasn’t necessarily labeled as such. I saw symptoms and actions very much associated with PPD, and the best part is the ending. I won’t spoil it, but I feel it was brilliant in terms of presenting a realistic portal of the mental health condition.
What are some books or movies that either accurately or inaccurately portray postpartum depression?