Words have so much power. It blows my mind, really.

Say something negative or minimizing to a pregnant or new mother struggling with depression or anxiety and you can plunge her so much deeper into despair. Tell her that you understand and that you know she can get through it, on the other hand, and you raise her up and help her see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Just look at the transformation of Iman, who blogs at Glamour Girl and is suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety:

I'm TOTALLY going to talk now. Because there are some amazing women out there TALKING about it, naming the illness and walking their talk. They give me the strength to find my voice again. In the past few days I had two wonderful women tell me that I'm not alone. They've shared a bit of what they've gone through. Since speaking with them the war in my mind against myself has quieted. I feel less damaged, more whole. I can't believe how much power their words have had. With lots of thought and consideration of the many silent mothers out there, I've decided to share how I'm feeling in the thick of it, the highs of hearing my boy laugh for the first time, and the lows of overwhelming sadness.

Wow. Thank you Iman, for your bravery in speaking out about what you are going through. You are paying it forward, and there is no doubt that your own words will help transform someone else's life.