Post Partum Mental Health: Rage, Therapy, and Normalizing Antidepressants with Megan Champion

In this episode, host Lina Forrestal of New Mamas Podcast and host Megan Champion of On The Hard Days Podcast collaborate one an unscripted discussion surrounding postpartum mental health. Both Lina and Megan offer a unique perspective as Lina is a first-time mom still in the infant stage and navigating motherhood for the first time and Megan has 3 children, one of them being an out-of-the-box child with extra needs. 

Lina opens up the discussion with this stat from a study: "4,451 women who had recently given birth, 18 percent self-reported symptoms related to anxiety. Of those, 35 percent also had symptoms of postpartum depression."

The biggest takeaway from this stat is the word "self-reported". In Lina's experience, she experienced severe post partum anxiety but she did not report it because she didn't know that her symptoms were attributed to anxiety, she thought it was all part of being a worried first-time mom. Megan's experience was unique in that she experience the symptoms of post partum depression and anxiety nearly a year after giving birth. Megan experienced post partum rage and both podcast hosts had a shared experience in feeling the symptoms of post partum rage when it came to their dogs. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

  • The concept of "taking sticks out of the fire" to reduce the feeling of overwhelm

  • Why moms shouldn't feel shame or guilt when it comes to paying for help

  • Lina's struggle with post partum anxiety (PPA) and why she wants to see a therapist

  • Megan's experience with therapy and anti-depression medication

  • Identifying intrusive thoughts and anxiety

  • Why society needs to stop calling moms "super mom" or "super women"

  • The pressures of motherhood

Resources mentioned:

Megan Champion is the host of a Clubhouse Group called "Mother's Together".  For years, she struggled guilt and shame and fear of judgement as a mother of an out-of-the-box child. She raised her son in isolation until one day she decided that she needed a community of support. She shares her journey and interviews mothers on her podcast, On the Hard Days, and on her website www.ontheharddays.com. 

Connect with Lina:

Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media

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