There have been several nice editorial pieces that have run since the news broke a couple of weeks ago now about the horrific infanticide in San Antonio. These pieces, most of which have appeared in major Texas newspapers, show that the community in Texas has a better awareness of postpartum psychosis and more empathy for those who suffer than most. Rather than lining up to give Otty Sanchez the death penalty, it seems Texans are having reasoned discussions about mental incapacity and lack of services.In my mind, this can primarily be attributed to Andrea Yates. The people in Texas receivedan in-deptheducation on the reality of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders through that case, and as a result have a deeper understanding of what can happen when women fall through the cracks. Out of tragedy, good can come.
San Antonio Express-News: Mental Health System is Underfunded, Flawed
San Antonio Express-News: Columnist Cary Clack's New Voices We Should Listen To
Houston Chronicle: We Can Prevent Tragedies From Postpartum Illness
San Antonio Express-News: More Than the Baby Blues
(Note of serious warning: Anyone currently suffering or just getting over perinatal mental illness should NOT read the links to the following articles as they are TOO graphic.)
Outside of Texas, I have seen other writers and websites display a better understanding of postpartum psychosis and the challenges women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders face, while others are still getting it wrong. There is Salon.com, where writer Karen Houppert, whileportraying some levelunderstanding throughout the article, still confusingly interchanges the terms "baby blues", "postpartum depression" and "postpartum psychosis" as if they are all one in the same.She equates Otty Sanchez and Andrea Yates to Susan Smith, who was not suffering from a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder.But then there is a GREAT piece on Feministing called "Otty Sanchez and Watching Women Fall". A highlight:
One question is, “Were Otty Sanchez a man, would his media coverage be the same?”… And how common is front-page coverage of a man killing his child ? It would possibly make it into the B section, titled “Metro”- just for local news.
Anyway, a little food for thought before the inevitable feeding frenzy that will occur once Otty Sanchez goes to trial.
