Writer and advocate Aaisha Alvi, a postpartum psychosis survivor based in Canada, shares her two experiences with PPP — first completely missed after the birth of her daughter, and later only diagnosed after seeing six different providers following a miscarriage.

Her memoir, A Mom Like That: A Memoir of Postpartum Psychosis, offers a raw look into her delusions and the barriers that often delay diagnosis and treatment, especially for women of color. She volunteers and speaks widely about why PPP must be treated as the medical emergency it is - and never be referred to as ‘rare.’

Trigger warning: We discuss intrusive thoughts of harm to herself and her baby.

Resources:

• A Mom Like That: A Memoir on Postpartum Psychosis
  • Google Books Preview
• Instagram - @aaishaalviwrites

Citations:

1. Accortt, E. et al (2023, March 19). Association between diagnosed perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and adverse perinatal outcomes. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine
2. Bonham, V. L. (2021, January 1). Race, ethnicity, and pain treatment: Striving to understand the causes and solutions to the disparities in pain treatment: Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. Cambridge Core.
3. Farr, S. L et al (2020, September 3). Postpartum anxiety and comorbid depression in a population-based sample of women. Journal of women’s health.
4. Fekih-Romdhane, F. et al (2024, August 29). Relationship between childhood trauma and postpartum psychotic experiences: The role of postnatal anxiety and depression as mediators. BMC psychiatry.
5. McGuire, D. et al (2019, June 14). Prevalence of cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, hearing loss, and Blindness 2009-2016. Disability and health journal.
6. Yilanli, M. (2018, September 1). Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi and the first psychiatric ward | American Journal of Psychiatry. Psychiatry Online.