Last Thursday, 'Private Practice' on ABC aired an episode that showed a mother suffering from postpartum psychosis. However, on the show they mentioned postpartum depression as well, causing much confusion. This is such a misguided piece of information.
ABC also called PSI(Postpartum Support International) which is a support network for mothers in need of help. They said they were going to include a clip with a description of postpartum depression and contact information for women in need of help. Well instead of airing it after the show it is on their website. And again, if the episode was about PPP then they should not say if you are suffering from PPD. We need to educate correctly.
I truly feel that instead of lessening the stigma ABC may have created another misunderstanding for millions of people. All women who suffer from any type of mood disorder after pregnancy need help. All of them need compassion and understanding. We need these outlets to create that for us so we can pull out from the darkness and enjoy motherhood. Not make it worse.
I ask you and anyone you know to go to there website and make a complaint. I have attached a link below, please help and let them know the disservice they have created for millions of mothers. If they are willing to own up to it, just maybe, they can air a correction and even the information they originally said they were going to. This happen before when one actor's ignorance overshadowed Brooke Sheild's attempt to educate the world more on the true definition of postpartum depression. Let's not let it happen again...
Please SPEAk... Sincerely, Natalie Dombrowski
http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACT
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2 comments:
Hi Natalie,
I too was appauled at the episode of Private Practice/Grey's Anatomy. I am a Postpartum OCD survivor and I was misdiagnosed as having postpartum psychosis and hospitilized for one month. The reason that I was there in the first place was because of the sensationalism of shows like PP/GA. My heart goes out to women who suffer from postpartum psychosis, but unfortunately lack of education by healthcare providers and the public leave a hole for people like me. Most don't even know that there is such a thing as postpartum OCD, and therefore if you are having any "strange" thoughts you are atomatically labelled as dangerous and MUST be removed from your children. That was my worst fear when I reached out for help, and that was exactly what happened to me!
Moms need support, treatment, and help, but they also deserve the dignity of being treated as if they had any other illness. I missed out on bonding with both of my children because of lack of knowledge on postpartum mood disorders.
Shows like this help promote the stigma that surrounds postpartum mood disorders,alienates suffering moms, and will most likely deter women from getting help for fear of how they will be treated and what people will think.
Though sad, the episode was so predictable. This is the view most outsiders have, and to my disgust, this is the view that many will now continue to have.
Thank you for what you do to educate people on PPMD. Your work does not go unnoticed. This last week has just proved that we all have so much more work to do!
Thank you for sharing... I thank you for saying what you were diagnosed with, postpartum OCD. Many people do not know how there are many mood disorders a woman can aquire after giving birth to a child. Thank you for SPEAKing... Natalie
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