Severe Mental Illness in Mothers: Impacts and Support
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with Dr. Joanne MacDonald
Reproductive Mental Health Service
IWK Health Centre
Halifax, NS
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
•
Severe mental illnesses include Schizophrenia,
Bipolar Disorder and Postpartum Psychosis
K
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:
•
Mothering is an important social role for many women
•
Mothering with a previously known or new more severe
mental disorder can be challenging
•
Support from partner, family and community is critical to
how the affected woman will function as a mother
•
Women with severe mental illness can mother safely
and effectively with treatment and support
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
•
Schizophrenia occurs in less than 1% of the general population
•
Schizophrenia is a partially understood illness but thought to be
a vulnerability from early life that presents usually in early adult
life
•
It is a brain illness that has a spontaneous onset
•
Prominent symptoms include loss of initiative, lowered attention
to real life experience and reduced thinking generally and
planning and decision-making particularly, unusual sometimes
suspicious ideas, abnormal sensory experiences such
hallucinations, and change in personality or behaviour from
usual
•
The impact on usual function is great
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
•
Women suffering with Schizophrenic Illness are often disadvantaged
regarding their education level, social opportunities, employment
and housing by the onset of a severe illness early in life
•
They experience poorer physical health than unaffected women
•
Family support is critical to parenting potential and stability
•
Pregnancy is not always planned but mothering may be a very
wanted role
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
T
r
e
a
t
m
e
n
t
s
?
•
Key to recovery usually are antipsychotic medications
•
Safety in pregnancy and use when breastfeeding
must be carefully assessed
•
Outcomes for infants exposed in pregnancy can be
very good
•
Parenting education and support may be needed
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
•
Family and Community Support is Key
Determinant of Outcome
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Bipolar Disorder
•
A disorder of cycling changing mood and behaviour
from ‘low’ depressed presentations to ‘high’ over
energized states
•
Highly variable severity
•
Symptoms can vary from woman to woman and in
same woman over time
•
Difficult to diagnose; typically months to years delay
in firm diagnosis
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Bipolar Disorder Spectrum:
•
Cyclothymic Disorder
– mild, fluctuating mood
states, minimal triggers, less impact function
•
Bipolar I
– typical illness, highs and lows of equal
severity
•
Bipolar II
– more depressive phases, of more
severity, minimal highs that can be brief
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Key Concept #1:
•
Women with known Bipolar Disorder at high risk
of relapse in first 3 months after a baby is born
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Key Concept #2:
•
Bipolar Disorder can be very influenced by
women’s hormonal changes, for example pre-
menstrually or after a baby is born
•
Postpartum is a period of high risk for a woman
vulnerable to Bipolar Disorder
•
Family history can be a key risk factor
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Features of Bipolar Disorder:
•
High or Up phases marked by increased speed of
thinking and sometimes actions, impulsive ideas, rapid
shifts in attention and thought connections, mood can
be very excited to irritable, decision-making or
judgement often off
•
Depressed or Down phases marked by slowed thinking,
sometimes deep fatigue and sense of heaviness
physically, very low mood and initiative, hopelessness
and very negative thinking
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Interventions?
•
Expert mental health assessment is important
•
Minimize stress
•
Improve self-care, particularly sleep and daily routines
•
Stabilizing medications may be necessary
•
Family involvement, education and support key to
recovery
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Bipolar Disorder Outcomes:
•
With effective treatment, recovery can be solid
•
Medication long term can be necessary for stabilization
•
Self-care strategies and social support enhance ongoing
stability
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Postpartum Psychosis
•
1 in 1000 women delivering a baby are at risk for
Postpartum Psychosis
•
Rare but severe illness that can present rapidly over 1-3
days
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
What are warning signs of Postpartum
Psychosis?
•
Sudden change in awareness, attention and memory
•
Can be preceded by excited sleepless confused period
•
Behavioral change dramatic from that woman’s usual
•
Will seem clearly out of character, thinking and behavior
not making sense, not connected to the current situation
•
May have unusual or suspicious ideas and hallucinations
suddenly
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Key Concept #3:
•
Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency
requiring urgent psychiatric assessment
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Postpartum Psychosis Treatment:
•
Often requires initial inpatient treatment
•
Typically need antipsychotic medications
•
Should have ongoing mental health care and follow-up for
monitoring
•
Safety of infant or other children should be considered
•
Most women recover fully with treatment
•
Treatments may not be safe for infant in breastfeeding
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
•
Severe illness interrupts the mothering role and
adjustment; these mothers need particular support
and hopefulness for their full recovery
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Learning Points:
Roles of community support providers include
•
continuing support to mothering adjustment
•
despite illness, reducing stigma and providing inclusion
•
self-care support and strategies over a longer time are key
in recovery from severe illness
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Key Resources:
www.cmha.ca
: The Canadian Mental Health
Association is a patient and family advocacy
organization with information on a wide variety of
mental health problems
www.postpartum.net
: American based patient
advocacy site where stories and information are
shared
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers
Thank You!
Mothers with severe mental illnesses like Schizophrenia face unique challenges in parenting. Support from partners, family, and the community is crucial for their well-being. Despite the difficulties, with proper treatment and support, women with severe mental illnesses can effectively fulfill their roles as mothers. Understanding the key concepts and impacts of severe mental illnesses on motherhood is essential for providing the necessary support.
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Presentation Transcript
Severe and Persistent Severe and Persistent Mental Illness and Mothers Mental Illness and Mothers A Mothers Mental Health Toolkit Project Learning Video with Dr. Joanne MacDonald Reproductive Mental Health Service IWK Health Centre Halifax, NS
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Severe mental illnesses include Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Postpartum Psychosis
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Key Concepts: Mothering is an important social role for many women Mothering with a previously known or new more severe mental disorder can be challenging Support from partner, family and community is critical to how the affected woman will function as a mother Women with severe mental illness can mother safely and effectively with treatment and support
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Schizophrenia occurs in less than 1% of the general population Schizophrenia is a partially understood illness but thought to be a vulnerability from early life that presents usually in early adult life It is a brain illness that has a spontaneous onset Prominent symptoms include loss of initiative, lowered attention to real life experience and reduced thinking generally and planning and decision-making particularly, unusual sometimes suspicious ideas, abnormal sensory experiences such hallucinations, and change in personality or behaviour from usual The impact on usual function is great
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Women suffering with Schizophrenic Illness are often disadvantaged regarding their education level, social opportunities, employment and housing by the onset of a severe illness early in life They experience poorer physical health than unaffected women Family support is critical to parenting potential and stability Pregnancy is not always planned but mothering may be a very wanted role
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Treatments? Key to recovery usually are antipsychotic medications Safety in pregnancy and use when breastfeeding must be carefully assessed Outcomes for infants exposed in pregnancy can be very good Parenting education and support may be needed
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Family and Community Support is Key Determinant of Outcome
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Bipolar Disorder A disorder of cycling changing mood and behaviour from low depressed presentations to high over energized states Highly variable severity Symptoms can vary from woman to woman and in same woman over time Difficult to diagnose; typically months to years delay in firm diagnosis
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Bipolar Disorder Spectrum: Cyclothymic Disorder mild, fluctuating mood states, minimal triggers, less impact function Bipolar I typical illness, highs and lows of equal severity Bipolar II more depressive phases, of more severity, minimal highs that can be brief
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Key Concept #1: Women with known Bipolar Disorder at high risk of relapse in first 3 months after a baby is born
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Key Concept #2: Bipolar Disorder can be very influenced by women s hormonal changes, for example pre- menstrually or after a baby is born Postpartum is a period of high risk for a woman vulnerable to Bipolar Disorder Family history can be a key risk factor
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Features of Bipolar Disorder: High or Up phases marked by increased speed of thinking and sometimes actions, impulsive ideas, rapid shifts in attention and thought connections, mood can be very excited to irritable, decision-making or judgement often off Depressed or Down phases marked by slowed thinking, sometimes deep fatigue and sense of heaviness physically, very low mood and initiative, hopelessness and very negative thinking
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Interventions? Expert mental health assessment is important Minimize stress Improve self-care, particularly sleep and daily routines Stabilizing medications may be necessary Family involvement, education and support key to recovery
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Bipolar Disorder Outcomes: With effective treatment, recovery can be solid Medication long term can be necessary for stabilization Self-care strategies and social support enhance ongoing stability
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Postpartum Psychosis 1 in 1000 women delivering a baby are at risk for Postpartum Psychosis Rare but severe illness that can present rapidly over 1-3 days
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers What are warning signs of Postpartum Psychosis? Sudden change in awareness, attention and memory Can be preceded by excited sleepless confused period Behavioral change dramatic from that woman s usual Will seem clearly out of character, thinking and behavior not making sense, not connected to the current situation May have unusual or suspicious ideas and hallucinations suddenly
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Key Concept #3: Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency requiring urgent psychiatric assessment
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Postpartum Psychosis Treatment: Often requires initial inpatient treatment Typically need antipsychotic medications Should have ongoing mental health care and follow-up for monitoring Safety of infant or other children should be considered Most women recover fully with treatment Treatments may not be safe for infant in breastfeeding
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Severe illness interrupts the mothering role and adjustment; these mothers need particular support and hopefulness for their full recovery
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Learning Points: Roles of community support providers include continuing support to mothering adjustment despite illness, reducing stigma and providing inclusion self-care support and strategies over a longer time are key in recovery from severe illness
Severe Mental Illness and Mothers Key Resources: www.cmha.ca : The Canadian Mental Health Association is a patient and family advocacy organization with information on a wide variety of mental health problems www.postpartum.net : American based patient advocacy site where stories and information are shared
