Adele isn’t super-active on social media, but on Monday, she logged onto Twitter to talk about postpartum psychosis, an illness that impacts thousands of new mothers every year.
In her tweet, the singer praised one of those women, her close friend Laura Dockrill, for writing about her personal experience.
"This is my best friend. We have been friends for more of our lives than we haven’t," Adele wrote. "She had my beautiful godson 6 months ago and it was the biggest challenge of her life in more ways than one. She has written the most intimate, witty, heartbreaking and articulate piece about her experience of becoming a new mum and being diagnosed with postpartum psychosis."
More: Summer or Fall Baby? Risk of Postpartum Depression Is Higher, Study Says
Adele also urged all mothers to start a dialogue about their emotional and mental experiences. "Mamas talk about how you’re feeling because in some cases it could save yours or someone else’s life x."
Dockrill heeded that advice and didn’t hold back in her blog post, offering a brutally honest look into what it’s like to live with postpartum psychosis during what many say is supposed to be one of the happiest times you’ve ever experienced.
"It’s not easy to admit that the worst time of your life was when your baby was born," Dockrill wrote. "Social media gives a very shiny exterior of life to be frank and it’s not the full picture, so I wanted to unlock some doors and be honest- I’ve been somewhere I can’t unsee and- in case there is anybody out there struggling – to open up a dialogue and say it’s ok."
More: What to Know About Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
Though she said her "pregnancy was a dream," Dockrill added that her labor was one of the most traumatic experiences she’s ever had, which "could be what triggered my illness."
"I was totally prepared to be unprepared and have no history of mental illness and yet this cruel and savage sickness completely and unexpectedly swallowed me smashed me and my family against the rocks."
In the weeks following her delivery, Dockrill wrote that she had suicidal thoughts and severe anxiety. At one point, she said she had even completely forgotten who she was. Despite all of this, she said she still felt compelled to act like everything was fine in public.
"I tried to hide my illness from my family and friends because I was so full with shame and guilt because there is a huge expectation on women to be perfect beautiful glowing mama queens that are all encompassing wonderbeasts that can manage anything," she wrote.
More: Symptoms of Postpartum Depression Can Show Up Much Later Than Moms Expect
Soon after, she was hospitalized and received the treatment and attention she needed. Because of that experience, Dockrill now wants other mothers experiencing postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis to know that there is nothing wrong with seeking help.
"You don’t have to brave it alone," she wrote. "You don’t have to act like a hero, you already are one."
Other celebrities, such as Adele and Chrissy Teigen, have been vocal about having postpartum depression following the births of their children.
"It frightened me…I was obsessed with my child," Adele told Vanity Fair in 2016. "I felt very inadequate; I felt like I’d made the worst decision of my life."
It’s great to see such influential figures speaking out so we can hopefully destigmatize mental health issues and focus on providing new parents with resources and support.
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