Long wait times. Low rates (7%) of specialist referrals. Lack of medication consensus. Immovable stigma. These are all things that women experience while struggling with perinatal mental health problems, a sector of the care niche that’s often overlooked. So, it’s no wonder that only a small portion of mothers actually seek professional help.
But through open communication, participation in awareness-spreading campaigns, and prioritized perinatal mental illness support lines, Jonathan Portney, a health services specialist, explains that both professional and personal populations can break the stigma and put society on the much-needed path to eliminating suicide as the leading cause of direct maternal death.
Raising Awareness and Eradicating the Stigma
Perinatal mental health problems are issues experienced at any point during the pregnancy process and up to one year after giving birth.
Having a baby is a huge deal, so it’s normal to experience a sometimes-unexplainable list of emotions. However, if difficult feelings begin impacting daily life, there may be an underlying maternal mental health concern.
Regardless of whether it’s a new problem or an episode of an issue experienced in the past, mothers should be encouraged to open up, talk honestly, and assured there won’t be any judgment.
While easier said than done, experts shed light on how to start relevant conversations and the lengths organizations go to abolish the damaging stigma.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
This yearly, seven-day campaign is dedicated to talking about mental health concerns before, during, and following pregnancy with the purpose of:
- Raising public and professional awareness.
- Advocating for women impacted by perinatal mental health problems.
- Changing perceptions.
- Ensuring people can access the information and support they need to recover.
Ultimately, the goal of such campaigns is to tackle the stigma from all angles — social (i.e., negative perceptions and harmful misconceptions), self (i.e., mothers thinking they’re bad parents), and disclosure (i.e., believing it’s taboo to seek professional help and worrying professional disclosure would lead them to believe they’re abusive).
Open Up About Perinatal Mental Illness
Starting the mental illness conversation during maternity is typically the hardest part. After all, many mothers feel they need to “tough it out” or sacrifice their own well-being for their family, and others mistrust the safety of medications or psychotherapy.
However, a well-meaning, expertly placed question can be enough to kickstart the conversation about perinatal mental illness.
Pediatricians from Los Angeles, North Carolina, and Michigan say the following questions help mothers start talking:
- Who’s helping at home?
- What are you doing to take care of yourself?
- Are there any hard things about being a mom to your baby?
- Do you get personal time these days?
- What’s the hardest thing about your day?
- Has anybody mentioned that you haven’t been yourself?
Prioritizing Well-Being for Improved Maternal Mental Health
Overall, maternal well-being should be prioritized in both a professional and personal setting. But it all starts from within; mothers can take small steps to get themselves on the road to recovery by advocating for their needs and asking for help from lactation consultants, pediatric sleep therapists, doctors, and other practitioners who can guide them through confusing waters.