A film exploring the reality of living with post natal depression and featuring sufferers' stories will be launched by social enterprise PSS in Liverpool this week. The film highlights the problems experienced by people who have struggled with PND, including celebrity Denise Welch, who has spoken publicly about her struggles with the debilitating condition.
In the film, Denise, who suffered PND after the birth of her son, urges women to seek help and not be put off by any perceived stigmas around mental health issues in what has been described as an "invisible illness".It also features PND sufferer Kate Smith who now works with expectant and new mums for PSS and Myself, founder of Fathers Reaching Out, which has just gone national thanks to Pandas UK.
It comes after findings published in a study commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance found the long-term effects of poor mental health for new mothers costs the UK more than £8 billion a year.The film aims to raise awareness of PND and what parents think helped them to recover. Health professionals, including GPs, health visitors, midwives and children's centre staff will see the impact of this illness from the film.
The screening will be followed by a question and answer session and the film will then be made available to health professionals across the country in an effort to ensure women and their families are getting the help and support they need.
We Hoping the video and the report out this week will make the government list that organisation like PSS and Pandas UK with Denise works with to promote Perinatal depression awareness is heard and have not got to worry about doing bucket collection and tackle what they are good at helping thousands of families each year.
The organisations need funding now the report has come out in Parliament that by using services like the ones below will in fact save the country money in the long run. The government now needs to sit down and put the funding in place not only for NHS services, but for the organisations in the Third sector as they are the ones which will help families use less of NHS resources.
PANDAS is the leading UK charity in supporting families suffering from Pre Natal and Postnatal Depression. PANDAS vision is to support every individual, family and carer suffering with perinatal mental health illnesses. We campaign to raise awareness and remove the stigma. We provide our Pandas Helpline, Support Groups, and online advice to all and much more.
PSS Post Natal Depression Service provide help and support for the whole family, Mum, Dad, adoptive parents and foster parents too, as all can be affected by Post Natal Depression (PND). Specialist Practitioners offer advice, listening support (emotional and practical) by visiting the homes of anyone who is struggling with the symptoms of PND, and signpost to other services that could be of help. On average you will receive 6-8 sessions over a period of time which will be discussed and agreed between yourself and the Practitioner.
Fathers Reaching Out is joined to Pandas UK and was set up in 2011 after going through the experience in 2004. After joining Pandas UK in August 2014 aims to help families even more families and make awareness of Perinatal Mental Health.