Feeling the bliss of motherhood one minute, then a sudden frustration because you can’t sleep for two hours straight since your infant was born, is normal. But “baby blues” is different from postpartum (also postnatal) depression (PPD); just think of mild migraine versus cluster headache.
Not everyone, including expecting parents, will understand the real emotion of suffering from PPD until they experience it firsthand. It is as strong as perpetually not being able to fathom how and why Andrea Yates in 2001 drowned all her five children, aged six months to seven years — and the endless debate whether she is a villain or a victim.
In time for Women’s Month, The Philippine STAR encourages mothers who are silently tormented by the stigma of PPD to come out, because there indeed is help — from the immediate family, the medical community, the media.
Telling a story about a new mother with PPD, STAR and creative agency IXM developed Lullaby, the second of three video shorts created for the newspaper company’s 31st-year campaign, dubbed #Inspire31. It was launched on Facebook on March 1.
“The second installment of our Inspire video series gives focus on the real issue of PPD that, surprisingly, most moms experience. We want to create awareness that PPD should never be taken lightly. Mothers may be strong and enduring, but they also need a lot of support,” shares STAR trade and brand marketing head Crizza Dealino-Kaw.
Earlier this month, STAR published the first of the three videos, a 90-seconder titled Andeng (bit.ly/AndengInspire31), which tells the story of Andres Navarro, Sr., a young lad from Isabela, who, despite an ominous prophecy from a local fortune-teller, went on to pursue his studies at University of the Philippines and became a successful teacher, coach and family man.
View the video at https://web.facebook.com/PhilippineSTAR/videos/994023527417995/
***
If you or you know of someone experiencing PPD, here are some support groups you can reach out to:
a. Anxiety and Depression Support Philippines (ADSP)
Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ADSPpage/
b. Better Steps Psychology
Call them at (02) 216 1586 or visit their website at http://bettersteps.org/
c. Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM)
Call them at (02) 426-4285 or (02) 894-5932, or visit their website at http://www.cefam.ph/mainpage.aspx
d. Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF)
Call them at (02) 635 3410 or visit their website at http://www.ccf.org.ph/
e. Love Institute
Call them at (02) 436-4143 or visit their website at https://theloveinstitute.com/
