This so-called disease

Recently(ish), someone told me that there was not really a need for further mental health awareness efforts, that all the information is out there, and it is the responsibility of everyone to do the research that leads them to this information and get the help they need. I disagreed quite vehemently, and still do, because awareness isn't just about putting information out there for those suffering from... say... Postpartum Depression, it's also about fighting the myths and stigmas that are out there, about trying to help people who perpetuate fallacies like "It's all in your head" or "you can pray it away" realize how wrong that line of thinking is and how much harm such attitudes can do.

The other day, while I was sitting on Facebook, I happened to look over at my ticker and see that a friend of mine had commented about Zoloft and breastfeeding. I went to look at the status and shared a little bit about my personal experiences. All was fine and dandy until someone posted this little gem.

Immediately, my mind flashed back to the conversation a few months ago in which I was told that there's enough awareness already, and thought "Yeah right!". I'm happy to report that this person was pretty swiftly told (very nicely) to stuff it. I, of course, promptly thought of my blog (as I always do when I see or hear someone say something incredibly ignorant, asinine, offensive, and generally just straight up wrong about mental health and especially Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders) and decided that this would be good material for a post.

The more I looked at this comment, though, the more frustrated I got, and the more thoughts I had running through my head. I finally decided that I might be better off using it as the foundation for a series and focus each post on one particular element. My first series, yay!

What I want to address in this post is the use of the phrase "this so-call disease". (typo is left because that's how it was typed in the original comment). Anytime someone uses this phrase (or one like it) it gives a tone of "It's not a REAL disease, it's all just in your head." which, of course, is not true. Diagnoses don't get put in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) just because someone decided to throw a bad thought process in there.

Mental health illnesses such as Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychosis, Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and so many others exist. They aren't made up. They are truly illnesses just as much as cancer and diabetes are. They aren't pretend illnesses that the pharmaceutical industry decided to invent so that they could sell even more drugs and make more money (yes, I have been told this before, and I rolled my eyes as hard as I hope you are now). Mental illnesses aren't something that can be prayed away. Changing how you think doesn't make it go away. Ignoring it doesn't make it disappear. Believe me, I tried. Many other people have tried. Usually, the only thing that ignoring it accomplishes (in my personal experience) is to exacerbate the symptoms.

Phrases such as "so-called disease" are born of ignorance and a lack of education. Unfortunately, not only does this type of nonsense spread the ignorance of the individual with verbal diarrhea, it adds to the harmful stigmas that make it harder for people to reach out for help. I can not tell you how much damage it does to hear things like "this so-called disease". Of course it's bad news if you're already struggling, but even if you're not it builds a flawed and cracked foundation that could crumble to pieces if the wrong burden is added.

If you think of a mental illness as a "so-called disease", do yourself and everyone out there (especially those struggling with a mental illness) a favor and drop it from your vocabulary. Don't even THINK the phrase again. Adjust your thinking and accept that just because you can't necessarily see outward physical symptoms doesn't mean someone isn't struggling from a legitimate illness. Would you call cancer, diabetes, influenza, polio, tetanus, HIV, etc. a "so-called disease"? Then don't insult and put down mental illnesses and those suffering from them (or those who have survived) by insinuating (or outright saying) that it's not a real illness. It's real. I've lived it. I came frighteningly close to not living through it. Don't sit there and try to tell me I imagined it.

Let's make Capitol Hill take notice that PPMD needs to be a priority.

Once again, I've been inspired by something I read on PostPartum Progress. Today, Katherine posted the following article:

Yesterday, the federal government heralded the Affordable Care Act and how it helps women.  They touted the fact that, “20.4 million women with private health insurance gained expanded preventive services with no cost-sharing in 2011, including mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, flu and pneumonia shots, and regular well-baby and well-child visits.” They trumpeted the fact that, “… 8.7 million American women currently purchasing individual insurance will gain coverage for maternity services.”

Better healthcare for women is a great thing, but here’s what I want to know: What about the mothers with postpartum depression? What about postpartum depression screening?

Section 2952 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,enacted two years ago, called for more research into PPD screening,  increased awareness for postpartum depression and better services for women who have it.  Where are those things? When might they be coming? Why has no money been appropriated?

I read the brief that was released this week, entitled The Affordable Care Act and Women. It lauds the legislation’s sections 1001, 1401, 1421, 2001, 2401, 2404, 3509, 4104, 4201. I didn’t see anything about section 2952. I care about those other sections, I truly do. But it’s my job to care most about section 2952. I really, really need to see action on 2952. I want to work with the federal government to get 2952 off the ground.

WE NEED 2952.

Are you with me? Do you care about 2952? Are you wondering why more isn’t done?

My initial reaction was "WTF?!?". Then I sighed. Then I thought "Wow, I wish there was something I could do. I'm no good at writing online petitions, just at signing them.". Then, I happened to see a tweet from one of my US Senators, John Cornyn. Senator Cornyn tweeted 

"Funny if it were'nt painfully true RT@Doctorfreefall:@JohnCornyn Obama has approved his "Pipeline to nowhere!". ". 

This was just the latest in a line of tweets taking aim at President Obama. I thought back on the Tweets I usually see from my elected officials. I follow (on Twitter) President Barack Obama, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Senator John Cornyn (Texas' Senators), and Congressman John Carter (Texas, District 31, U.S. House of Representatives). I tend to see a lot of tweets that are partisan politics, a politician taking aim at either another politician or the "other" party, etc. So I thought "If they have time to tweet about why we shouldn't like another politician/candidate or why one party is better than the other or what exactly the other party is doing wrong, they should CERTAINLY have time to read - and respond to - a tweet about an issue that affects constituents across party lines!"

I proceeded to tweet to all four something along the lines of  

 Pls make care/research for #PPMD a priority. Signed,1 of your voters http://p.ost.im/p/eXnhUU via@postpartumprogr 

It had to be tweaked and edited depending on who I was tweeting, to allow for the 140 character limit. However, that is the copy-and-pasted tweet I sent to Congressman Carter. 


After that, I thought "Why not tweet about this to Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney too? To them, I tweeted 

"What is your stance on bettering care&improving access to that care for women w/ #PPD? What about #PPMDresearch?"

I'm not holding my breath that any of them will respond to my one tweet. Really, my hope is that more people will see this and start tweeting the same types of questions and requests to THEIR elected officials and to the presidential candidates. My one little voice may not register on their radar but hopefully, if we can get a whole bunch of voices raised together, they'll start to listen (and maybe even respond?). 


Let's start a Twitter campaign to bring awareness of the need for PostPartum Mood Disorder research to be made a higher priority on a national level, to the need for our elected officials to work to improve the standards and quality of care for those who are suffering or will do so in the future, to improve the ease of access and affordability to this care so that no woman has to worry about whether her insurance will cover her care or whether she'll be able to find a medical professional who will help her how she needs it, when she needs it. Let's remind our elected officials that they are elected by us to work for us, to represent us and our interests. Will you join me in this endeavor?

If you don't know who your elected officials are, find out. Once you know, look up and see if they have Twitter accounts(I've been able to find this information on their .gov websites). I've provided the Twitter handles for the President, the two US Senators from Texas, and the Congressman who represents Texas District 31 in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Once you have the Twitter info you need, Tweet away. Feel free to use the tweets I sent out or compose your own. The main thing is to let them know that we will not be silent, that we are here, and that we are watching and listening, that we expect them to do their jobs in taking care of us, even if it means taking a break from party politics and (heaven forbid!) working together. And one of the beauties of this is that as we tweet about this, every time we @ one of those politicians, everyone who follows them can see that tweet. We have the potential to reach literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people.


If you don't have Twitter or don't use it or, for whatever reason, don't want to get involved on Twitter. You can still join in the effort. Link this post and others related on your Facebook. Send it to your friends and family. There are so many ways that you can help spread the word that it's time to make Capitol Hill take notice. Many of us suffered through a PPMD in silence, our families may have suffered in silence with us. We don't have to be silent any longer. Will you join me?



P.S. 
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