The mental effects of motherhood are stigmatized and often ignored, even though Perinatal mood disorders are the most common complication associated with childbirth, with 15 to 20 percent of new mothers in the U.S. experiencing postpartum depression.
The stigma associated with mental health poses a huge problem to new mothers and their families. Women struggle to come to terms with feelings that are dissociated from the cultural image of maternity; they feel that they cannot measure up to the image of a glowing, happy mother, and struggle to process feelings of depression, ambivalence, anger and anxiety. Often society does not address these feelings, and depression goes untreated.
Brookhaven Retreat joins global motherhood efforts by dedicating itself to helping mothers with postpartum depression overcome their feelings of anxiety, sadness and inadequacy. Helping mothers find wellness benefits the health of their children, families, and ultimately, the community.
If women can learn to be as kind to themselves they are to others, they not only create a wonderful role model for their children, but help bolster a culture of caring in which it is normal to reach out for help when it is needed.
