Moms with postpartum depression need more services and support. They need more options for service, and researchers need to which options you would like best. Do you want more information via mobile phone? Would you be interested in specialized postpartum depression therapy over the internet? What barriers prevent you from getting treatment – is it your insurance, childcare, transportation?
I’m honored to be able to share the following survey with you from researchers who are working to identify answers to the needs of women with postpartum depression, and I NEED you to fill it out. Seriously. They need data from you to know in which direction they should head to provide you with the best help, the kind of help that you would be interested in.
So please fill out this short, online survey if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant in the next year, or had a baby in the last 3 years! I need your participation this week. Also, please feel free to spread this link far and wide with others you know who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or had a baby in the last 3 years and have had postpartum depression so they can respond too. The more participants, the better.
Please note – this is only for people from the USA. You don't find that out until the very last page.
My biggest obstacle to overcome in seeking treatment was getting past the stigma attached to PPA/PPD/OCD. I think many, many people (doctors included, unfortunately) do not understand the difference between PPD with intrusive thoughts and Postpartum Psychosis.
I had PPA/PPD/OCD and the intrusive thoughts scared the hell out of me. I was afraid to seek help b/c I thought my babies would be taken away or that I would be committed to a mental hospital.
There needs to be more information available to new moms AND professionals regarding intrusive thoughts and what steps can be taken to overcome them.
I stumbled across an online community (Babycenter's PPD support board) that was invaluable to me. I did get a brochure from the hospital with general info about PPD but listing resources like online support and information would have been very helpful to me. Sometimes it's easier to reach out and ask for help when you're hiding behind a computer screen.
The other thing that I would have found very helpful would have been to have some in-home help from a nurse or doula. I really needed someone to reassure me and help keep me on track because I felt overwhelmed and tired ALL the time. People offered to help (ex. "Call me if you need a break.") but I was too embarassed to ask. I needed direction and didn't know where to turn so It would have been more helpful to me if someone had said "I'm going to come over on Tuesday and help you with the baby and laundry."
Thank you for doing this survey and for all your hard work in educating people about PPD. I love that there continue to be more and more resources available to moms today.