Nikki:  Great post about depression.  I have so often heard that depression
is anger turned inward, and I really think it is true.  There are style
differences in the way people manage deep conflict in life.  Some turn
outward with aggression, others become self-destructive.  I think depression
is quietly self-destructive.  Lots of people are living lives filled with
"shoulds"; I should think this, I should do that.  They spend a lot of time
agonizing about the past, living in a victim mode.  Or they spend a lot of
time in the future, where all their worst fears have already been realized.
Consequently, the time they spend in the present isn't very much fun.   I
agree that this shouldn't be self-medicated.  Frankly, I think a lot of drug
and alcohol use stems from trying to self-medicate feelings such as these.
The good news is that there are therapies for such problems.  These may
include short-term or long-term use of anti-depressants, but I am firmly of
the opinion that some sort of counseling should accompany medication.
Because so many of these depressions start as reactions to dysfunction in
families of origen, I strongly suggest Al-Anon. It's free, it's effective,
and it teaches new tools for how to live in the present.

And don't forget that there is NOTHING like child birth (except maybe the
death of a family member) to kick up a dust storm of powerful, unresolved
psychological issues.  While there is hormonal componant to PPD, I'd bet
money that most of the women I see with it are struggling with real,
concrete tasks, and they ought to be helped through them so they can give
birth to an adult self who is able to model what being a grown-up is all
about to their own children.  Because the LC in the community is in a
perfect position to have an on-going relationship with the woman, and
because of the fact that our work takes into account family dynamics, we can
facilitate this process by using counseling and listening skills,
maintaining a referral base of competent helpers in the professional and lay
counseling communities, and by directing lonely women to mother-to-mother
support groups.

Breastfeeding empowers women!  Empowered women save their own lives, and
often the lives of their children!

Barbara


Barbara Wilson-Clay, BS, IBCLC
Private Practice, Austin, Texas
Owner, Lactnews On-Line Conference Page
http://moontower.com/bwc/lactnews.html