summerize this Postpartum Psychosis and Mental Illness in New Mothers (00:02 - 10:00)
Postpartum psychosis affects up to 1,500 women each year in Britain
Massive hormonal changes after childbirth are thought to play a significant role in postpartum psychosis
One in five hundred women who've just given birth will suffer from postpartum psychosis
Women who have just given birth are particularly susceptible to the most serious illness
Predicting and Preventing Postpartum Psychosis
Doctors and midwives often don't recognize the symptoms of postpartum psychosis
A person can move from being relatively amenable and understanding of her situation to Florida Lee unwell psychotic delusional and paranoid in the space of just two or three days
There is a proportion of women who can be predicted to have postpartum psychosis
Women who have bipolar disorder have a one in two chance of becoming severely ill in the first few weeks after having their baby
Personal Experiences with Postpartum Psychosis
Dacher Emson killed her baby and then herself while suffering from postpartum psychosis
Dave Empson's wife, Dacher, suffered severe depression and stabbed their daughter before setting both herself and the baby on fire
Shirley Blanchard is at high risk of postpartum psychosis because she has bipolar disorder and has a one in two chance of becoming severely ill in the first few weeks after having her baby
Expert Advice on Postpartum Psychosis
Dr. Nick Best is a psychiatrist who specializes in caring for pregnant women and new mothers with mental health problems
Medical staff need to be alert for the speed with which postpartum psychosis develops and the severity of the illness
New guidelines in the NHS have been created for the treatment of staff with mental illness after the inquiry into Dacher Emson's death
Women who have just given birth are more at risk of severe mental illness than at any other time in their lives
Importance of raising awareness (10:04 - 20:02)
There is little awareness among mothers and healthcare professionals about perinatal mental health problems.
Lack of awareness can prevent women from seeking help and can lead to misdiagnosis.
Personal experiences with perinatal mental health problems
Shelley experienced postpartum psychosis and stopped taking her antipsychotic medication. She was admitted to a special unit for mothers and babies.
Joe experienced bipolar disorder after the birth of her second child and spent more than six months in a secure psychiatric hospital.
Both women stress the importance of raising awareness and educating healthcare professionals.
Stigma surrounding perinatal mental health problems
There is still a stigma attached to mental health problems, particularly those related to childbirth and children.
Women may feel pressure to be happy and may worry about being separated from their children if they seek help.
Perinatal mental health services incorporate education for healthcare professionals to raise awareness and sensitivity.
Postpartum Psychosis is treatable (20:05 - 23:33)
Services exist to help people deal with it
A combination of psychological interventions, medication, and ECT can lead to a full recovery
Different treatments work better with different women
Stigma and Fear of Losing Children
The speaker hid her illness for months due to stigma and fear of losing her children
She believed that if she told anyone, her boys would be taken away and she would be put in prison
Differentiating Postpartum Depression from Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a different illness from postnatal depression and requires different treatments
Awareness and knowledge are needed to differentiate between baby blues, postnatal depression, and postpartum psychosis
