MASSACHUSETTS: DUXBURY Ivana Poku, a survivor of postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, has decided to share her personal story in light of recent news stories about Lindsay Clancy killing her children by strangling them as a result of postpartum depression. Poku acknowledged having postpartum depression, but thankfully “common sense” prevailed in her instance.
Poku brought up how Clancy had told a psychologist that she had heard a voice in her head telling her to kill her children just before they died. Poku discussed her personal experience, claiming that she had postpartum depression after giving birth to twins in 2016 and that she had heard voices in her head urging her to harm her kids. According to Mumsjourney, Poku said, “Fortunately, in my case, common sense won at the time, but this is not the case for everyone. Poku believes that Clancy, who is accused of two first-degree murders, three charges of suffocation and strangulation, and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, is more of a victim than a killer.
“New moms are presumed to be content by default.”
Although these statistics only cover cases that have been documented, Poku cited data that indicates one in seven women experience postpartum depression. The real numbers, she said, “are considerably more disturbing,” and she emphasized that there are many more cases of undetected mental illness. She wants to change that for mothers.
Poku declared, “The issue is that most antenatal courses include too little or no information about postpartum mental health and depression, despite the fact that this focus on birth is undoubtedly necessary. Even if they do, it is more on a theoretical level, so many new parents feel as though it does not matter to them. The issue is that people naturally assume that a new mother will be content. The truth is frequently different, though.”
On discussing her own experience, Poku said, “I spent a few weeks in the hospital after our twins were born, having weekly checkups with the midwife. They posed a series of inquiries to me while I held a questionnaire in front of them, one of which was, “How are you feeling emotionally?” Nonetheless, it appeared as though they could simply check the box and move on. There was no true concern, sympathy, or interest.”
Why does Lindsay Clancy seem like a victim to Ivana Poku?
Poku said she believes the way things are set up may trap many women in a cocoon of silent anguish and make them unaware of their condition. She made this claim based on her personal experience. The dread of being judged or having their children taken away, in her opinion, is a result of it. She also claims that mothers worry that expressing their emotions may harm their loved ones. Mothers who seek help “are frequently not taken seriously, have to wait months for treatment, or/and are prescribed antidepressants, and that is where it stops,” according to Poku. According to Clancy’s defense lawyer, the case exposes a failing mental health system, Poku said. “Our society fails badly in treating women with postnatal depression and postpartum psychosis,” Clancy’s attorney is reported as stating by the author. Poku declared, “Because Lindsay now risks spending the rest of his life in prison, the system needs to be changed immediately. Her act is an illness, not a crime. She is a victim, not a murderer.”
Ailments like postpartum depression can occur at any time.
Postpartum healthcare institutions must change right away, according to Poku. Postnatal depression, according to her, is a condition similar to any other in that it can strike suddenly, without any prior warning, and affect anyone, regardless of their mental health background.
Poku is of the opinion that society needs to comprehend postnatal depression’s causes, symptoms, and severity. She also thinks that by paying more attention to PND symptoms, clinicians should take every care to avert tragic occurrences.
Poku calls on the general public, the medical community, midwives, health visitors, and others to support an atmosphere in which new moms can express their feelings without being afraid of being misunderstood. “They need to stop failing to offer pertinent help and support and start treating it seriously like any other form of treatment. The incidence of postnatal depression and the number of fatalities would increase if this didn’t change, she announced.