I want to talk about a topic that is often stigmatized and shrouded in silence: deteriorating maternal mental health and medicated motherhood. As a society, we have come a long way in destigmatizing mental health issues, but there is still much work to be done, especially when it comes to supporting mothers who may need medication to manage their mental health challenges.

Motherhood is a journey that is both beautiful and demanding, filled with joyous moments and overwhelming responsibilities. It is a time when a woman’s emotions can soar to unimaginable heights, but it can also bring on the weight of anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. Yet, the expectation for mothers to be selfless superheroes can make it challenging for them to acknowledge their own vulnerabilities and seek the help they may desperately need.

And when mothers finally dosay they need help, they’re often met with guilt and shame. 

How do I know? Because that was me. I was a mother suffering through detrimental PPA and PPD who didn’t seek help for far too long due to sheer fear of how others would view me as an inadequate mother. 

read the rest of this piece on knoxvillemoms.com.