Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act

I remember the low point I hit when my second child was just a few weeks old.  It was so low, in fact, that I am not ready to serve up all the details.  I never did seek professional help, because I was so filled with managing to get through all the challenging moments that made up my days. 

Depression landed square on my head at a time when my then-husband was dealing with the most emotionally painful experience of his life, which I can't go into here.  Suffice it to say, he is completely and totally excused from any responsibility for urging me to see a counselor.  The thing is, I *knew* I was depressed and I knew that I was possibly in danger.  I remember driving down the highway and thinking that maybe I should drive straight into the sound wall instead of following the curve of the road along it. 

One thing depression does so effectively is dissuade people from asking for help.  Because, seriously, why bother?  We can't expect women with postpartum depression to check in with themselves and decide to seek therapy -- of course, many do, but I would bet that more don't.  So, please, put a phone call in to your Senator's office and let her (or him) know you are demanding their support on this critical issue. Here's a link to a searchable list of phone numbers for you.

 

Shamelessly copied and pasted from BlogHer.com:

On Wednesday October 24th, BlogHer, Postpartum Support International and Postpartum Progress are joining together to host Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act. We're asking bloggers from around the country to write about the MOTHERS Act for postpartum depression on the 24th and to encourage their readers to pick up the phone that day, call their Senators and urge them to endorse this critical legislation. I hope you will join us in this effort, which is part of the overall BlogHers Act 2007-2008 initiative to improve maternal health.

What is the MOTHERS Act? The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, or MOTHERS Act (S. 1375), will ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services. In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression. The bill is sponsored by Senators Menendez and Durbin.

Comments

[Katherine Stone]

Thank you so much for posting today and supporting Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act. Let's hope people keep writing and calling into tomorrow, because I hear the phone lines were pretty busy today. Women have so much power and we sometimes forget to use it. You have helped so many women with PPD, and I am forever grateful!

[amanda]

Well, here's to not giving in and to so many speaking out.