I asked this question last night during #PPDChat. The responses were so moving that I wanted to open it up for input here as well.
All too often, Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorders are sensationalized by TV and movies. Terminology is confused. Mothers with “baby blues” end up in Psychotic rages and often there is no other way for a mother with a PMD to behave than to be Psychotic.
It’s not hard to do your homework, Hollywood. I understand that drama and thrill sells. I understand that you want to get your audience on the edge of their seat. But it’s also important to remember that a good portion of Americans GET THEIR HEALTH INFO from the programming for which YOU are responsible. Please. Be responsible. Be realistic for once. Show a mom who is in need of help and has support – show a mom who has not gone straight from the blues to psychosis. Psychosis is so very rare – why is the rate SO much higher in Hollywood films??
If I could tell Hollywood one thing about PMD’s it would be that not every Mom with a PMD wants to hurt her baby.
What would YOU tell Hollywood about PMD’s?
I was just talking to my husband about this last night. When you see the shows like bringing home baby, they dont show the PPD side of things. They only show the happy endings. Sure they show the sleepless night or two but what about months or weeks of not sleeping, what about the anxiety, what about the fear, what about the OCD. What about the hopelessness?
For me, I would love to see a movie made about PPDOCD. I never new anything like this existed until it happened to me. But I think woman need to KNOW this can happen. It is reality and it isnt pretty at all.