PSI Letter in response to NYT Article May 2015
Here is a letter we sent in response to Andrew Solomon’s article, “The Secret Sadness of Pregnancy and Depression,” in the New York Times Magazine May 31st. We feel is it always important to list resources for help so we wrote to the NYT to share — postpartum.net and 1-800-944-4PPD.
PSI provides resources for moms and families
June 1, 2015
Jake Silverstein
Editor-in-Chief
New York Times Magazine
Dear Mr. Silverstein,
Andrew Solomon’s beautifully written article, “The Secret Sadness of Pregnancy with Depression” in the May 31 Sunday New York Times Magazine is thought provoking and well researched. One thing that is especially gratifying about the article is its focus on ante-natal depression. Many people are familiar with postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, but unaware that these can occur during pregnancy. Thus we refer to maternal depression and anxiety before and after birth as “perinatal mood disorder” or PMD.
Solomon’s article has the power to help countless women come to terms with the fact that they do have a problem and that it is not shameful or a sign of weakness. He points out the controversies among health care professionals regarding treatment. However, he does not tell people where to go to get the help they need, when help is accessible to anyone with a phone or a computer.
There is somewhere to turn for every woman in this country and across the globe. Our organization, Postpartum Support International (PSI), exists to help women who suffer from perinatal mood disorders. PSI is the leading organization dedicated to helping women and families suffering from PMDs and training mental and women’s health professionals.
PSI resources for help:
- a website (postpartum.net) where a mother, family member, or friend can learn about all aspects of PMDs.
- a warm line (1-800-944-4PPD) in English and Spanish. The line is often answered live, but if not, a caller is guaranteed a call back from a knowledgeable, trained volunteer within 24 hours who will provide telephone support and help them find resources in their area.
- local coordinators, knowledgeable about local resources, available in each of the 50 states and many regions of the world, as well as the American armed forces. Local coordinators can be found on PSI’s website under Get Help, click on Find Local Resources, and then the name of the state or country.
- chat with an expert. An anonymous group phone chat with a PMD expert, every Wednesday for moms and partners, and the first Monday of every month for dads. Information about chat phone numbers and times is available on postpartum.net, under Chat with an Expert.
The first thing anyone sees on the PSI website is our motto: “You are not alone.” Mr. Solomon’s article is thorough, sensitive, and even-handed. A mother, suffering from a PMD, who reads the piece, will realize there are other women just like her. However, she may still feel rather alone. We’d like her to know that PSI can help her and her family feel less alone and find the help she needs.
Sincerely,
Ann Smith, MSN, CNM
President, Postpartum Support International
asmith@postpartum.net
Link to NYT Magazine article “The Secret Sadness of Pregnancy and Depression” by Andrew Solomon
