The importance of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Equality in Maternal Mental Healthcare

We share a mother’s perinatal journey through a cultural lens and the challenges she has come across along her journey and how accessing support has really been beneficial for her health and well-being despite it not being the cultural norm.

My experience

I have always been an anxious person, and it started when I was a teenager. My background contributed to this as well. I am a first-time mum, and I was diagnosed with Anxiety and depression.
I am an African from Zimbabwe, and I had a difficult time a few months after giving birth. I love my baby and would give anything for him, he is so precious to me, and I thank God I have him. My family said I was too clingy to him. Covid has made me even more anxious for my baby and other people close to me.

When I realized that something was wrong with me, it was a bit late because I was having anxiety attacks one after another already. I could not sleep or concentrate, I did not like associating or going out. All I did was care for my baby at home and worry myself about whether I am doing things right or not.

Where I come from, Mental health is not really diagnosed. When I had an attack, a close family member urged me to pray and get closer to God. This made me think that maybe I am not praying enough. They were offended when I told them that I had to seek medical help.

I am really glad I took that route because at that time, l thought I was going to die and that there was no tomorrow, but Dr Hashmi, Dr Singleton and their team helped me to recover.

With Mental health stigma back home, many people think that you were involved in witchcraft or used black magic etc, and there is no adequate help; most end up consulting traditional healers. This has had a bad impact on most mothers, and their mental health is not prioritized. One close friend back home described depression as a white man’s illness that does not affect black people. She denied the fact that everyone is prone to having depression.

Growing up in a society like this did not help me and my anxiety; that’s why I never got treated since I was young. But today, because of the help I got in the Mother and Baby unit and the medication, I feel so much better.