Postpartum Psychosis – the illness you’ve probably never heard of

Firstly, what is postpartum psychosis?

These days, there is certainly more awareness of postnatal depression (PND), but not as many people have heard of postpartum psychosis – an illness that can occur within days or even hours of giving birth.

You may have seen some on-screen portrayals of the illness if you’re a soap fan. EastEnders fans, for example, will remember the scenes of Stacey’s struggles with postpartum psychosis following the birth of her little boy. And, more recently, Hollyoaks has worked on a postpartum psychosis storyline featuring the character Liberty. Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) worked closely with the programme teams to ensure an accurate portrayal, using TV as an impactful medium to raise awareness.

But to give you a clearer picture, APP has provided a snapshot of PP symptoms to help you understand what to look out for.

Dr Jess Heron

Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: ‘PP can often be confused with postnatal depression (PND). There are similarities, and PND can often follow episodes of PP. However, it’s essential to know the difference because the necessary treatment and support aren’t the same.

‘For example, whereas some episodes of PND may be treated with antidepressants, PP often needs antipsychotics and mood stabilisers to help women begin to recover. For some women with PP, antidepressants may trigger the worsening of the illness or rapid cycling between mood states. Additionally, PP almost always requires appropriate inpatient treatment in a Mother and Baby Unit. Here, health professionals are specially trained in treating perinatal mental health problems, supporting breastfeeding, bonding, and developing parenting skills. It’s traumatic for new mums if they have to be separated from their baby at this critical time and impacts greatly on a woman’s experience of care and their confidence in parenting.’

My story: Hannah Bissett

Another woman who experienced PP with no prior mental health conditions is Hannah Bissett, who works for APP as a National Coordinator. Hannah said: ‘My experience of postpartum psychosis was completely out of the blue. I’d had a really normal pregnancy and no prior mental health problems. Because of that, when things started to go wrong, I had no idea what was happening to me.

‘I had a traumatic birth and emergency c-section, and then, just days after giving birth, I noticed I wasn’t sleeping properly. I was really anxious and became quite obsessive and paranoid. At first, the doctor suggested I had postnatal depression and sent me home with antidepressants – but things just got worse. And, of course, PP doesn’t respond to antidepressants as PND might. Eventually, after my behaviour became really erratic and my husband found me pacing the house at night talking to myself, I was eventually sectioned.

‘However, on a general psychiatric ward, things just got worse and worse, and I kind of burned out and became almost catatonic. Finally, I was given a place on a Mother and Baby Unit and, with my little boy by my side, I began to recover – slowly but surely. I’ve since had another child, and I was lucky not to experience another episode of PP. I think it’s important to know how to quickly recognise the signs, where to turn for help, and know that there is always hope. But you need to get the right treatment as quickly as possible.’