MARCH 2023 THE VOICE
|
5
Celebrating Our Sistahs
of their mental health HELP IS OUT THERE: Joanna Hipplewith, far left, spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy, says there are different types of help available (photo: TkeyahRenee Hipplewith); left, having a baby comes with a lot of pressure (photo: PNW Production); below, Sandra Igwe, founder of the Motherhood Group (photo: Angella)
Ms Adu had a strong support system but still struggled because she simply didn’t want to “burden” her husband with how she was feeling. Her baby was due in December 2017, but a month before her due date Ms Adu was rushed to hospital because “her feet were swollen and had doubled in size” and she could no longer wear her wedding ring. She had developed Preeclampsia – a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour – which if left untreated can be serious. “I was in hospital for a week where they tried to induce me. When my daughter was engaged to come out, she went right back up.” Ms Adu had to have a caesarean, but she wanted to wait until the baby was ready, which left her devastated. She said: “I had my caesarean, it didn’t go well, I was awake for it, it took quite a long time and the anaesthetic wore off.” Ms Adu suffered other complications during the procedure and said she wanted her husband present when she had surgery, but he was told to leave the room. Again, she said this made her feel even more anxious and scared. She added: “I didn’t feel very looked after in the hospital I was in.” After having her healthy baby girl, Ms Adu continued to
experience what she calls a lack of care from medical staff. She added: “I was always told I was doing something wrong.” Despite all the challenges she faced, Ms Adu said: “I bonded with her completely, the source of the postnatal depression was probably the trauma. “When I thought of postnatal depression I thought it would be like I didn’t love my baby, I didn’t want to be around her, and it was the total opposite, I clung on to her with every fibre of my being. She was the only thing that got me through each day.” The turning point for the new mother came after seeing her health visitor and mental health professionals. She said: “Seeing my health visitor was really useful. I think a lot of people are scared of health visitors, but I had a great one who directed me to some great local services like my local children’s centre — who had courses like Mindful Mums — which was part of their local Mind branch.” Ms Adu credits the group of mums – who she is still in touch with today – for helping her get her life back. She said: “I sat in that
group and every week I cried and cried, but eventually I became a volunteer because it helped so much. That group changed my life!” She also attended another group about understanding how the brain changes during motherhood. She says both groups encouraged her to go back on
medication when her daughter was four months old and says it has “made a huge difference.” Ms Adu quit her stressful job and said that has helped because she “couldn’t go back into an environment that was so unsupportive throughout my pregnancy”. She now runs her own business, a successful remote PA support agency and volunteers helping other new mums who are struggling. The entrepreneur is urging others to shake off the ‘strong black woman’ label and take the brave step and tell someone how they feel. She said: “Something may not be normal to you, but it is very common. “Lean on the people that you love and that love you, talk to them, don’t be afraid to tell someone how you are feeling.” diagMs Adu was diag agnosed with an ag gressive form of breast cancer in un2020 and un derwent treat treatment and now has no evidence of disease. After overcoming enjoyso much, she is enjoy raising every moment rais ing her daughter and helping other mums. When asked about her daughter, Tiana, who is now five years old, Ms Adu beamed
and described her as “amazing, loving, clever, cheeky, witty and such a joy to be around.” Joanne Hipplewith, a psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), said there will always be social, historical and environmental factors that contribute to the mental wellbeing of black women and the black community which need to be understood. She said: “Depression does lead to a lot of negative thoughts that you can have about yourself and your abilities.”
ASHAMED
She urged any woman who feels they need help to come forward and not be ashamed as having a baby comes with a lot of “pressure”. Ms Hipplewith has over 20 years’ experience working with mental health and says there are different types of help available including talking therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). “It’s really important for black communities to know that there are black organisations they can make contact with to help with mental health. “There is help and support, there is no fear, there is no shame in approaching mental health services. “We all have mental health, so it’s not just other communities, there is help available
and there are low-cost options available. “Therapy is tough and it is not just a listening thing, think about what is going to be right for you, contact different therapists and get recommendations and give it a go, because there is no harm in asking for help.” She said under the Mental Health Act, black people are subject to a formal detention at a disproportionate rate, in comparison to their white counterparts – who might go through more informal processes first. She said this disparity needs to be addressed and is directly linked to the political and social discourse that “black is dangerous.” Ms Hipplewith says the stigma associated with mental health issues will continue to act as a barrier to those seeking help, unless more awareness campaigns are targeted at Britain’s black community. As part of The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN), she said more members of the black community are seeking black therapists but has noticed a pattern in the ages of those coming forward with the younger generation “more open” to seek help. She added: “I think there is still a gap with the 30 plus generation and I don’t think it is very common within our community to seek therapy.”
