Washoe County Library System

A spotlight has been shone on postpartum depression with high-profile celebrities speaking out on their stories. However, anxiety & depression can also strike during pregnancy, and the effects can be just as devastating. Here, the author explores her own and others experiences with prenatal and postpartum depression, offering insight and guidance.

My name is Pamela Zimmer, and I beat Postpartum Depression. It was a long, hard journey, but I did it. And I have one message for you, whoever you are: Everything's going to be okay.For one in five women, the joy of motherhood is a mirage that seems further away with every step you take toward it. Postpartum Depression (PPD) is the #1 complication of childbirth, yet millions of women suffer through it alone. You are not alone! And no matter how it...

"From "the most captivating voice to come out of the West since Annie Proulx" (Vogue), the furious, hilarious, soul-rending story of one woman's reckoning with marriage, work, sex, and motherhood. Since my baby was born, I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things. a) As much as I ever did. b) Not quite as much now. c) Not so much now. d) Not at all. Leaving behind her husband, Theo, and their young daughter, Claire, a writer, gets...

Ever since her husband's death collided with the birth of her daughter, postpartum depression has taken hold of Veronica Shelton. she can't sleep, can't work, and can't bear to touch her beautiful baby girl. Her emotional state is whispering lies in Veronica's ear. But not everything can be reasoned away by Veronica's despair. After all, the break-in at her house happened. The disturbing sketches she found in her studio are real. So is the fear for...

While trying to deal with her depressed mother and her pious father in a small Midwest town in the 1960s, eleven-year-old Grace struggles with inherited psychic powers that her aunt calls "The Knowing." Grace Carter has the Knowing. It offers glimpses of people's pasts and futures, and allows Grace to talk to Isaac, her twin brother who died at birth. To Aunt Pearl, the Knowing is a family gift; to Grace's strict Evangelical pastor father, it's witchcraft....

"In this intimate and moving graphic memoir, Teresa Wong writes and illustrates the story of her struggle with postpartum depression in the form of a letter to her daughter Scarlet. Equal parts heartbreaking and funny, Dear Scarlet perfectly captures the quiet desperation of those suffering from PPD and the profound feelings of inadequacy and loss. As Teresa grapples with her fears and anxieties and grasps at potential remedies, coping mechanisms,...

"No one said motherhood would be easy. For Adiba Nelson, the journey to parenthood started with a big bang and continues with a breakdown (or two) and several 'why?' questions for God. Witty and bold, Afro-Latina Adiba grew up in survival mode. Her sometimes complicated relationship with her strong-willed, vibrant, religious mother marked her views of mothering and love. When a chance encounter with a tall-ish, brown-skinned brotha at Ruby Tuesday's...

"Since her brother took his life after WWI, Ruth Emeraldine has had one goal: to help those suffering from mental illness. Then she falls in love with charismatic Robert Apter--a brilliant doctor championing a radical new treatment, the lobotomy. Ruth believes in it as a miracle treatment and in Robert as its genius pioneer. But as her husband spirals into deluded megalomania, Ruth can't ignore her growing suspicions. Robert is operating on patients...