Confronting the Stigma of Maternal Depression: Amy Koppelman on “A Mouthful of Air”

As a young mom, Amy Koppelman struggled with severe postpartum depression, haunted by dark thoughts of what she might do to herself or her child. One unusual part of her recovery was writing a novel about a struggling mom who lived out Amy’s worst fears.   Now, 20 years later, that critically-acclaimed novel, A Mouthful of Air, has been re-published and Amy also is screenwriter and director of a new feature-length film by the same name, starring Academy Award-winning actress Amanda Seyfried. Both the book and the Sony film are just part of Amy’s passionate effort to reduce the stigma of mental illness and increase understanding of maternal depression and how friends and family can support mothers in their recovery. Don’t miss this unique and important conversation about an issue so many individuals and families confront!   HAVE YOU OR SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU EXPERIENCED MATERNAL DEPRESSION? How did friends and family respond? And, to what extent were those responses helpful? In what ways do you think social media, with so many staged images of “perfectly happy moms,” may make it even harder for women to admit feelings of anxiety and depression?   WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MATERNAL DEPRESSION? ❉ MATERNAL DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY: ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT INCIDENCE, IMPACT AND TREATMENT. It’s important for all of us to understand the signs of maternal depression and anxiety, safe and effective treatment options and how family and friends can help. Psychiatrist Michelle Wiersgalla and psychologist Gabrielle Mauren join Marti & Erin for an informative and candid discussion everyone should hear.