So, at the moment, there’s a storyline on Eastenders where Stacey Slater, who has bipolar disorder, develops postnatal psychosis after the birth of her child.
You might have found this blog searching for bipolar disorder and pregnancy. Or you may be watching Eastenders and feeling quietly terrified. Or relieved. Or confused. Or even disgusted.
From finding out I was pregnant, to having my babe, I’ve been blogging about what my experiences of having bipolar disorder and being pregnant and under psychiatric care have been like, including the good stuff, the shit stuff, the triumphant stuff and the angry-making stuff. And on how my having a mental illness has also not defined my pregnancy, or my parenting, as much as I feared it would. I’ve collected those posts as a series, which you can read here.
The Beginning: Pregnant, Mental and Fat
My Big Fat Bipolar Pregnancy: featuring the perinatal team, the birth plan and the Fear
My Birth Story, Why Birth Plans are Bullshit and the Stigma of Mentalist Mums
Musings on Mumhood: Feminism, Love and Grief
Therapy Tales Part 1– when I started therapy for death and postnatal anxiety
My Body Has a Trigger Warning: Self harm and stigma
Stopping psychiatric medication after 16 years: My Drink and Drugs Heck
And if you don’t have time to read, here’s my video which talks about how my diagnosis shaped my care:
But if you’re already in the trenches of depression or more and want some support and real life stories, then you can check out PNDandMe on Twitter.
Hope this helps someone.
Filed under: bipolar, Eastenders, Mental health, pregnancy, Stacey Slater | Tagged: eastenders, pnd, pnp, stacey slater |
The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive 
I found your excellent post while checking out “bipolar” tags on WordPress today, and I’m glad that I did.
I have bipolar, peripartum onset, also known as postpartum bipolar disorder/PPBD. This means I became pregnant totally clueless that childbirth would trigger my bipolar disorder. My father had bipolar one, but no one thought I did. I was 37 when my bipolar one disorder burst forth as postpartum mania & hypergraphia (compulsive writing) within just a day of childbirth.
Like you, I didn’t develop postnatal psychosis. I’m ***extremely*** grateful for that; however, I’ve suffered through 7 psych hospitalizations, 30 + meds and 2 rounds of ECT. I have two beautiful little girls & a husband of 17 years who have helped me stay alive.
I have a blog post that explains in even more detail what postpartum bipolar is and what it isn’t – PPBD often gets mixed up with postpartum psychosis, although the two mood disorders often manifest together, which is confusing, I know! :0
If anyone is interested to learn a bit more and for great resources, you can read more here – I hope you don’t mind my sharing it:
https://proudlybipolar.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/my-pmad-perinatal-mood-anxiety-disorder-gets-no-respect-part-one/
take care and all my best – I’ll definitely refer anyone I know who might be interested to your blog series!
Dyane
You are so expressive. I am 64 years old and have s grandson who feels me with wonder and love. He was born 14 February 2016
As a teenager and in my 20s I self harmed by taking overdoses. I then self harmed whilst starving my body and became anorexic. When I reached a good weight, during a bad marriage, I became bulimic.
Due to post natal depression after both my children, there are many memories from their early months that I have no recollection of. This makes my grandson so precious. Thank you for your blogs.
vc vai vencer toda esta angustia
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so much of expression! loved it
Guapa