Although awareness and campaigns have been heightened to de-stigmatize the situation of postpartum depression, many new mothers in the United States still suffer from barriers in receiving the much-needed mental health care because of lack of funding and expensive expenditure, which leaves many untreated and unattended at a period that actually needs more attention.
Being a mother for the second time presented Katherine Schiefer with unforeseen emotional difficulties. The 35-year-old lawyer was struggling with postpartum depression five months after the birth of her son, Owen. When she admitted to having suicide thoughts, her husband, John, urged her to get help.
Schiefer described the overwhelming sense of hopelessness, saying, “I had the thought in the middle of the night, like, I don’t want to be here.” “Those thoughts were concerning, but I know my children need me.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight new mothers in the United States suffers from postpartum depression. However, a startling 75% of these women do not receive a diagnosis or treatment. Reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Sarah Oreck highlighted the range of emotions that new mothers experience. “Being a parent can bring both happiness and sadness for the life you had before,” she said.
Unfortunately, because insurance coverage frequently falls short, many people still struggle to get mental health care. Services like those offered at Detroit’s Fourth Tri Sanctuary can be too expensive for women like Dalindra Buys, who was diagnosed with postpartum depression.
They hope to end the stigma and taboo surrounding postpartum depression as more mothers, like Schiefer and Buys, speak up.
