Understanding postpartum psychosis
Subtitle: a new view of the temporary madness
By: Teresa M. Twomey with Shoshana Bennett ; foreword by Katherine Wisner.
Publisher: Westport, Conn.; Praeger
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Praeger Publishers
Language: eng
Number of pages: 173
ISBN-13: 9780313353468
Subjects: Motherhood; Postpartum depression
Description: From the Publisher: Offering an understanding of postpartum psychosis, this riveting book explains what happens and why during this temporary and dangerous disorder that develops for some women rapidly after childbirth. Most of us are familiar with the baby blues, a passing sadness that strikes 50 to 75 percent of new mothers after delivery. And most of us understand postpartum depression, a sadness post-delivery that lingers for weeks or months for an estimated one in every 10 new mothers. But a more serious form of disorder that strikes up to one in every 500 is postpartum psychosis-triggering severe agitation, confusion, insomnia, hallucinations, delusions, mania, and possible thoughts of suicide or murder. Every year, women in the United States and around the world kill their babies, children, and themselves as a result of this mental illness. Here, author Twomey, an official with Postpartum Support International, gives us insight into the psychological, personal, medical, legal, and historical perspectives on this little-understood mental illness, which is both preventable and treatable. While most women who suffer postpartum psychosis eventually recover without harming anyone, they most often do so in silence. Paranoia is a common symptom, explains Twomey, and that moves women to hide their symptoms from everyone around them. The woman can hence appear normal, but be putting both herself and her baby at risk. We can prevent and treat this, but we need to recognize it by better screening of women postpartum, says Twomey.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: More than depression; title: Psychological views; title: Postpartum psychosis across history and in the media today; title: Legal views; title: Women like me, and you : Teresa's story; title: After the manic 'super mom' period : Laura's story; title: Two episodes of PPP : a story of recovery in five parts, Eva's story; title: Obsessions and delusions : Wanda's story; title: Suicidal thoughts, an 'evil dog,' and a call to police : Nicole's story; title: Visions of mother and child 'cut up' : Lisa's story; title: The maze of medication and recovery : Marti's story; title: Acting well but wanting to die : Sarah's story; title: Seeing a dagger, hearing voices : Tara's story; title: Suicide : a murderous illness, Melanie's story; title: 90 miles with a dead baby : Katherine's story.