I want to harm my child!

‘What a terrible mother!’, is our first thought upon hearing this. How is it possible for a mother to even think of hurting her own child?

She is cruel. We keep labelling and branding her.

I had this client who came to me after delivery of her second child, and she was feeling miserable.

She believed that no one could comprehend her. She sobbed during the entire session.

She had suicidal thoughts, wanted to harm her kids and run away from everything.

I enquired if she has discussed this with her husband, to which she responded that “he does not understand my pain”.

He thinks she is being irritable, enraged, and stirring up trouble because she does not want to do her work at home and being lazy all the time.

He believed that she had every comfort at home and that she was not the only woman to have given birth.

How can she act this way and whine with all this luxury at home?

The fact that we witness this on a daily basis is awful.

Mothers are going through a great deal of agony and suffering as a result of ignorance and lack of awareness on postpartum depression.

Mothers with perinatal (during pregnancy)/postpartum (after the baby is born) depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue that may make it difficult for them to carry out daily tasks, including caring for themselves or others.

#Depression during or after childbirth is real and can affect any mother—regardless of age, race, income, culture, or education.

Please don’t hesitate to ask for assistance if you sense any symptoms in yourself or your loved ones.

How can family or friends help?

Family members can encourage the mother to talk with a mental health professional, offer emotional

support, and assist with daily tasks such as caring for the baby or the home.

Support and assistance will help feel better and in recovery.

Do share your thoughts.

Ranjitha Raj