Maybe one conclusion could be that women dealing with PPD at the time are less likely to go to the Internet and actually google their symptoms? Maybe they feel afraid of what they would find? I know when I was struggling with PPD googling my symptoms was not even a thought in my head. I hardly could get out of bed let alone think about using the computer.
The biggest thrust behind trying to reengage this H.R:20 Act is the idea we need more education, support & research out there. I agree but what I don't agree is the use of federally funded monies and programs. Let's just talk for a minute...what does education really do? It's important, I agree, but it just provides us with information. Great, now I know I have PPD but what do I do? Now lets look at support programs, would a new mother struggling with PPD really go to a support group for PPD? In my own personal opinion I don't think they would. I know personally I would never have agreed to go to a group with women I don't know dealing with something so personal.
Doctors are also not a help. When I finally hit my wall with my third child I remember driving myself into the doctors office with all three of my children. I had no one to help me at the time. I had a 2 month old, 2 year old and 3 year old sitting with me in the office. The doctor came in asked me what's wrong and then proceed to tell me "I hope your husband is getting fixed right now. The only way you are going to get better is stop having all these kids. You just can't have kids and you and your husband should know better." After that she prescribed me Zoloft and sent me home. I was only 25 at the time. Not only did I have the devastating reality of being diagnosed with PPD but also the humiliation from the doctor who was supposed to be helping me. So what type of support really works?
I see this as the opportune time for the Body of Christ to rise up and become Christ's hands and feet, to be Him with flesh on. PPD studies show that women who have had depression in their past will typically have PPD. I know that my PPD was caused by underlying issues in my life that had gone untouched for years. Yes the medication helped to stabilize my emotional state at the time but it was not really taking care of the problem. With each pregnancy my PPD got worse. The medication never helped it go away it just masked the pain for me.
I finally went to our Church for counseling and they introduced me to Inner Healing or Presence Driven Ministry. Basically someone prays for you and asks the Lord to heal you of your emotional wounds. I can say Jesus touched my life and brought such healing to me. I continue to recommend those struggling with PPD to seek out Inner Healing Ministry but I believe we as the Body can also help on a more interpersonal level. What if we just offer to pray for those new moms? Send them meals, make phone calls, stop them in the church hallways and really ask if they are OK. People who are going to make the biggest impact with new moms dealing with PPD are those who they are familiar with, those people and other women they have relationship with. I believe the Church and mom groups should talk and educate each other about PPD but don't stop there. Be the Body we are called to be. I can't tell you how many times I was struggling and my husband just offered to pray for me. It wasn't eloquent or memorized it was just him asking the Lord to meet me and carry me at that time. Those times of prayer brought refreshing and hope to me. Can we not offer the same to the new moms we know?
Education, programs, research are great tools to have but that's exactly what they are tools. We as the Body of Christ have the one thing no one else can offer and that's Jesus the Hope of Glory. Jesus can heal, set free, break the bonds of depression and set us unto a road of hope. Ladies if you know someone who is dealing with PPD don't shirk away from them but see how you can help. Be willing to listen and then offer to pray. Make sure they have meals being delivered to them for 2 weeks or more. Make sure they have ways to get to church or functions outside of their homes. Make sure they have people contacting them and checking in on them daily. That is how we will win the battle over PPD. I believe strongly that government will not help but it is the community and the Body who will overcome. We need to reach out. If each of us reaches out to those in our spheres of influence and community then the jobs won't be so overwhelming.
So what about you? Do you have some good ideas how to reach women with PPD? Have you had a person reach out to you in your time of need that really changed your battle for you? Does your church have any programs for new moms? What worked for you? Any thoughts getting stirred up about PPD as you read?
3 comments:
I could probably write a book on this topic, but I'll try to reign myself in.
Probably one of the biggest fears that keeps new moms from asking for help is that if you really tell someone how you feel, they will take your child away from you.
Another issue that I dealt with is that if I would talk to a friend about how I was feeling, their support would make me feel better for a little while and so I wouldn't call the doctor. Then the next down moment would be even worse.
I honestly didn't know how bad off I was until much later looking back, but my goal every day for the first few months was that no one would get hurt before my husband came home each day.
I remember many afternoons holding my son and rocking him - literally for hours - while he slept because I simply couldn't face trying to lay him down and having him wake up one more time. I didn't have any close friends at the time, but I didn't know how to express how desperately I needed help at the time.
I can also say that one of the reasons we only have one child is my fear of going through another pregnancy and postpartum time, especially if I had to go off my medication.
I have received some inner healing but somehow keep getting interrupted each time I start going back to sessions. I would love to be completely free of all this but feel sort of guilty that I am not better after all the times I have gone in for healing prayer.
Well, this may be a little too raw and honest for some people, but suffice it to say I can totally relate to what you went through.
I love Trish's honesty! She is amazing, isn't she???
Also, I really can see the value in instituting support groups again. It seems everywhere I look, that people need people to talk to, to sound off to. We need each other.
Well said moms! Only someone who has walked through this can truly understand the depth of despair. I am glad that we ARE talking about it, I know this generation of woman who love God with all their hearts will make a difference for their sons and daughters and break down dividing walls.
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