It’s a simple concept — a Facebook page, providing an online community for mothers suffering from Postpartum Anxiety and OCD — making a BIG difference to many individuals who really, more than anything else, need to feel “not so alone.”
Erica Marlowe started Postpartum Anxiety/OCD Mama in 2011 with hopes of creating a space devoted to things OTHER than postpartum depression. Though understanding that postpartum depression is a real issue plaguing many mothers, Erica felt that, comparatively, the support groups and message boards were somewhat saturated with depression warning signs, risk factors and suggestions for treatment. As a sufferer of anxiety and OCD herself, she craved information more pertinent to her experience.
One thing leads to another…
The initial Facebook page eventually gave birth to a private spin off: “Mamas with Anxiety, Panic and OCD.” There was a demand for this from members and Marlowe herself had moved out of the postpartum spectrum. The new group welcomed ALL mothers from postpartum to empty nest. Additionally, a small group from the Twin Cities broke off and began meeting in person once a month. Said Marlowe, “It’s amazing to meet with these women, to share our triumphs and tribulations.”
More common than depression?
Anxiety is on the rise as a Postpartum Mood Disorder and has been for some time. We see it at the Postpartum Counseling Center, in the Twin Cities community at large, and in these online support groups. But why? Offered Marlowe, “Women are pushed to the max these days. In and out of hospitals and back to the grid iron as soon as they get home. I honestly believe that for me, it had a lot to do with hormones. It was horrible. You feel so alone and confused. It’s hard to reach out for help when you feel like a failure and the thoughts you are thinking are scary.”
Perhaps anxiety is becoming more common because of the necessary, but perhaps overly exclusive, focus on postpartum depression. These mamas aren’t automatically showing up at a therapist who is trained to differentiate between and treat the different postpartum mood disorders. They are automatically seeing their OB, who has been trained to lightly screen for depression.
Said Marlowe, “I was asked, ‘Have you been sleeping? Have you been crying a lot?’ But Postpartum Anxiety and OCD are nothing like that. It’s not like depression. I was fully functioning, but an absolute wreck inside.”
Marlowe also expressed that she would love to see more post birth care centers for moms. She said, “Postpartum moms do not belong in a psychiatric hospital with the general population, in my opinion. They need to be with their babies, learning how to cope with being a new mom and the accompanying anxieties and fears.”
Into the shameless spotlight…
As with all things postpartum, really, the common experience of anxiety and OCD needs to be brought to light, with unflinching honesty. There is too much associated shame, isolation and misconception. Marlowe explains, “There’s this idea that it will get better, that you’ll just get over it. I thought it would get better for me, but it didn’t. It got worse!” As for her message to moms in the thick of a struggle with anxiety RIGHT NOW: “You are not alone. The thoughts and feelings you are experiencing are not YOU. Get help and reach out.”
If you would like to support Erica Marlowe and Postpartum Anxiety/OCD Mama in this year’s NAMI Walk to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness, click here. And if you’re someone who’s looking for community support, The Postpartum Counseling Center has online groups that meet weekly and are free to join. Find the details here.