allthecanadianpolitics:

The NDP has promised to develop a national strategy for postpartum mental health if they form government, party leader Jagmeet Singh told an advocacy group on Monday. It’s a sorely-lacking strategy that could improve the lives of new mothers across the country, according to the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative.

Eleven years ago, when co-founder Patricia Tomasi was pregnant for the first time, none of her doctors talked to her about mental health, she told HuffPost Canada. The Barrie, Ont. mom of two had struggled with anxiety and depression in her past, which she said she now realizes should have been a red flag. But the topic was never discussed.

After her first daughter was born, Tomasi started behaving irrationally, she recalled. After a long depressive period, her mood shifted suddenly. Her mind started racing, cycling through all kinds of bizarre ideas. She spoke quickly and made impulsive decisions. She had delusions and hallucinations. She quit her job because she thought angels were telling her she should. She ended up losing her house.

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