A Viral Photo Exposes The Disease That Mothers Don’t Talk About
This photo went viral quickly and the reason for this is that, without knowing or wanting to, the photo makes reference to postpartum depression, a disease that is not talked about.
While many mothers often do not speak out loud, choosing silence, official statistics speak for themselves. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, postpartum depression affects one in nine mothers.
Postpartum depression is a syndrome that can strike any woman who has given birth. The only difference is the intensity, which can range from mild to more severe cases.
It usually occurs within the first three months of a baby’s life, although it can also occur anytime within the first year after delivery.
A viral photo: the X-ray of a silenced disease
This impactful photo traveled the world and attracted so much attention that it managed to bring up a very important subject. Postpartum depression is as recurrent as it is silenced and, therefore, it is still a disease misunderstood by many people.
In this uncomfortable image, Kathy can be seen with her two children. The environment has not been prepared, it is natural. Not only does your devastated face get the message across. The three find themselves on the floor of a completely messed up room full of discarded toys.
Another interesting element is the role each child plays. The oldest daughter tries to get her mother’s attention to play. Meanwhile, the baby is lying on the floor, wearing a “loaded” diaper. The big picture is completed by Kathy’s appearance, which reinforces the situation.
The disheveled and lackluster mother appears disheveled, without a blouse, just wearing a bra. One of the straps on this bra is down, indicating that she is breastfeeding. On her face rest the dark circles of fatigue, which illustrate how exhausted she is right now.
the other side of the same coin
The publication was not limited to just this photo. The American mom also published another photo showing the other side of the same coin. In this other photo, the room she and her children are in is all tidied up.
In addition, the daughter looks at her mother smiling while playing alone with two dolls. Meanwhile, the baby is dressed and lying on a soft, comfortable quilt.
The biggest difference, and therefore the biggest contrast, is Kathy herself: she is coiffed, well dressed, and smiling. She looks more rested and looks radiant, happy and full.
In this way, Kathy DiVicenzo managed to “end the stigma and break the silence” that is related to this issue. She goes further and suggests that mothers who find themselves in this condition share their experience so that “everyone knows they are not alone” .
The American National Institute of Mental Health understands postpartum depression as a “mood disorder that can affect women after giving birth” .
According to experts on the subject, the causes of this disease are the result of a mixture of physical and especially emotional factors.
Symptoms of postpartum depression
Many symptoms indicate that a mother is suffering from this disease. This is, without a doubt, important to seek and receive the necessary support, in addition to preventing this condition from leading to an even more serious problem.
So be aware of the symptoms and risk factors to be considered at this stage:
- Deep feeling of sadness and emptiness, loss of hope.
- I cry frequently for no apparent reason.
- Excess anxiety and anxiety.
- Bad mood and constant irritability.
- Tendency to oversleep or inability to fall asleep.
- feel angry for no real reason
- Loss of interest and memory, in addition to difficulty maintaining attention and concentration.
- Lack of appetite.
- Physical pain, stomach problems and muscle pain.
- Difficulty relating to friends and family, in addition to the problem of emotional attachment to the baby.
