Resources for Patients and Families
Experiencing postpartum psychosis can be scary and isolating.
Especially after an episode or diagnosis, you may be feeling alone and overwhelmed with uncertainty. Browse the resources below to feel more grounded and connected to the postpartum psychosis community.
Online Resources and Guides
Postpartum Support International
Resources include information, a HelpLine, 1-800-944-4773 and access to various support services. Click here for their page on postpartum psychosis. They also have resources to connect you with support in your state.
@Postpartum Help – Twitter handle of PSI.
Action on Postpartum Psychosis (UK)
A British network, comprised of women who have experienced psychosis or bipolar disorder in relation to childbirth. This site has many helpful resources, including guides on Recovery, Helping as a Partner, and Planning for Pregnancy.
Crisis Help lines
PSI has a hotline but it is not a crisis hotline. If you are currently experiencing a crisis:
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Call your physician or your local emergency number (911);
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Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA; or
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Call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988).
Inpatient Perinatal Psychiatry Programs
Postpartum Support International has an excellent list of inpatient perinatal psychiatry programs.
Even if there are no specific perinatal psychiatry treatment programs near you, if you or your family believes you are experiencing postpartum psychosis, you should go to your nearest emergency room.
Groups and Communities
Facebook Groups
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Postpartum Psychosis Forum – Un-moderated but “closed” page (must request to be added). For PP survivors and those who love them to share insights, ask questions, to “meet” peers and know they are not alone. Maintained by Teresa Twomey.
Other Community Groups
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HealthUnlocked. U.K network contains a forum for PPP.
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Melanie’s Battle – website dedicated to postpartum depression and psychosis.
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Cherished Mom - Project providing educational videos about postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and delivering free self-care boxes to new moms
Community Leaders and Advocates
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Michele Davidson. PhD, CNM, CFN, RN, PSI Postpartum Psychosis Coordinator.
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Sharon Gerdes. Author, Motivational Speaker, former PSI Vice-President and PR/Media Chair.
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Jennifer Moyer. Author, Trainer, WRAP® Facilitator, and Mental Health Advocate.
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Teresa Twomey. Speaker, Author, Former State and Legal Resources Coordinator for PSI.
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Angela Burling, R.N., MSN. PSI Board Member, Speaker, Mental Health Advocate, Author.
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Melissa Bangs. Storyteller, Comedian, Maternal Mental Health Consultant/Facilitator.
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Kristina Dulaney, R.N. Regional PSI board member, CherishedMom founder, community activist and advocate.
Books and Creative Efforts
Books
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New! Setting the Wire by Sarah Townsend. 2019.
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Understanding Postpartum Psychosis: A Temporary Madness, by Teresa Twomey, JD. Praeger Publishers, 2009.
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Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder by Dyane Harwood, 2017
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Moms Gone Mad: Motherhood and Madness, Oppression and Resistance, by Gina Wong, 2012.
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Women's Moods: What Every Woman Must Know About Hormones, the Brain, and Emotional Health, by Deborah Sichel and Jeanne Watson Driscoll, William Morrow, 1999.
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A Mother’s Climb Out of Darkness, by Jennifer Hentz Moyer, Praeclarus Press, LLC. 2014.
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Back In Six Weeks – A Novel, by Sharon Gerdes. SKG Press, 2014.
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Chapter in “Motherhood Mental Illness and Recovery. Stories of Hope," by Angela Burling, 2014.
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Upcoming Memoir: The Weight I’ve Borne, Finding Healing in the Wake of Postpartum Psychosis, by Angela Burling,
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Mother of Rain, by Karen Spears Zacharias, (Historical fiction), 2013.
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Beth: A Story of Postpartum Psychosis, by Shirley Halvorson, 2004.
Creative Efforts
(Content warning) A documentary (2019) about a women being charged with infanticide while experiencing postpartum psychosis.
When the Bough Breaks
A documentary about postpartum depression, narrated by Brooke Shields, 2015.
Playing Monopoly With God Melissa Bangs, a nonfiction storytelling performance.
My Postpartum Psychosis Personal Story (produced by Action on PP).
TedX Talk “What is Postpartum Psychosis” by Teresa Twomey.
Blog "Postpartum Psychosisterhood" by Stephanie
We sincerely thank Sharon Gerdes for her help in compiling these resources for women in need.