Beyond Baby Blues

Hope and healing in postpartum depression.

- By Raksha Devi

Riya was 33 years old when she delivered a lovely baby boy named Abir. She had been married to Akash for 3 years and Abir was their first baby. They were thrilled. Overjoyed. With all this excitement, they were also fully prepared to become parents. Riya, especially, was prepared to embrace the ups and downs of being a parent, to modify her daily schedule to fit the baby’s feeding and sleeping times, and to step away from work to guarantee her presence for her child. Riya was confident she had Akash’s support, her family, and a night nurse, and never stressed about managing this delightful new chapter of her life. Riya had indeed taken the initiative to create a 3-month plan for herself with her therapist, whom she had been regularly seeing for 2 years due to her chronic depression.

Riya had consistently been willing to seek assistance from mental health experts. Upon encountering mood swings, exhaustion, and sleeplessness in her early 20s, she turned to her friends and family, and also social media to find the best mental health experts, clinics, and self-help resources. In her search for a reliable therapist, Riya was both determined and receptive to the enduring nature of the journey. She went through 6 therapists before ultimately discovering one who suited her personality and grasped her communication style.

A blend of self-help strategies including meditation, frequent exercises, and nutritious eating, together with ongoing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, helped Riya to cope with her depression. Riya additionally consulted a psychiatrist at her therapist's suggestion to guarantee she had a support system of professionals available for assistance with her depression if necessary. She was not afraid of taking medication and was willing to consider it if needed.