Ivana Poku: Postnatal depression survivor reveals why Lindsay Clancy is a victim and not a murderer
DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS: Ivana Poku, a survivor of postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, has decided to share her personal experience in light of recent news reports about Lindsay Clancy killing her children by strangling them as a result of postpartum depression. Poku revealed that she had postpartum depression, but fortunately, "common sense" won in her case.
Poku brought up how Clancy had stated to a psychotherapist that shortly before her children died, she had heard a voice in her head urging her to kill them. Talking about her experience, Poku claimed to have experienced postnatal depression after giving birth to twins in 2016 and to have heard voices in her head telling her to hurt her children. Poku stated, "Luckily, in my case, common sense prevailed at that moment but this is not the case for everyone," according to Mumsjourney. Clancy, who is currently charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of suffocation and strangling, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, is, in Poku's opinion, a victim rather than a murderer.
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'New mom is automatically expected to be happy'
Poku mentioned statistics that claim one in seven women experience postpartum depression, although these figures only include cases that have been documented. She highlighted that there are many more cases of unreported mental illness, so "The real numbers are even more alarming," and she desires to alter that for mothers.
Poku stated, "Most antenatal courses focus too much on birth, which is surely needed, but the problem is that they give only minimal or no information about postnatal mental health and depression. Even if they do, it is rather on a theoretical level which leaves many new parents feeling like it does not concern them. The problem is that a new mom is automatically expected to be happy. However, the reality is often different."
Talking about her own experience, Poku stated, "After our twins were born, I stayed in the hospital for a few weeks during which I had regular midwife checkups. They held a questionnaire in front of them and asked me a series of questions, one of which was: 'How are you feeling emotionally?' However, it felt like they just needed to tick off the box and get on. There was no sense of compassion, care, or genuine interest."
Why does Lindsay Clancy strike Ivana Poku as a victim?
Poku stated from her own experience that she believes the way things are set up may trap many women in a cocoon of silent agony and leave them without knowledge of their situation. She believes it contributes to a fear of being judged or having their children taken away. Furthermore, she says that mothers worry that sharing their feelings would hurt their loved ones. When mothers seek help, Poku says that they "Are often not taken seriously, have to wait months for treatment, or/and are prescribed antidepressants and that is where it ends."
Poku mentioned that Clancy's defense attorney contends the case reveals a deficient mental health system. She quoted Clancy's lawyer as saying that "Our society fails miserably in treating women with postnatal depression postpartum psychosis." Poku stated, "Lindsay now faces life in prison which is proof that the system urgently needs a change. Her deed is not a crime, it is an illness. She is not a murderer, she is a victim."
'Postnatal depression is an illness like any other'
Poku is adamant that postpartum healthcare facilities need to transform immediately. She stated, "Postnatal depression is an illness like any other that can happen suddenly, without any warning signs, and can happen to anyone regardless of one’s mental health history."
Poku believes that the severity of postnatal depression's effects and what it actually is must be understood by society. She also believes that doctors should take every precaution to prevent tragic events by paying closer attention to PND symptoms.
Poku wants society, medical professionals, midwives, health visitors, and others to foster an environment where new mothers can express their emotions without worrying about being misunderstood. "They need to start taking it seriously like any other treatment and stop failing to provide relevant help and support. If this doesn’t change, the number of postnatal depression cases and lost lives will only rise," she declared.
