Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
While it is common for many new moms to experience postpartum depression or anxiety, postpartum psychosis is another mental health issue that one advocate says is often overlooked.
Patricia Tomasi, co-founder of the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative (CPMHC), says she began to experience paranoia and delusional thinking after giving birth.
“The thing about postpartum psychosis is that you don't realize that it's actually happening to you,” she told CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday.
“I was having religious delusions. I thought I was sent by God to heal people and I've never been religious before.”
Postpartum psychosis is a rare condition where new mothers can begin to have episodes of hallucinations and paranoia; 1 to 2 in every 1,000 new mothers have experienced this condition. In some cases there have been suicides or infanticides by mothers experiencing irrational judgment.
This was the case for Flora Babakhani, a mother from Toronto who died by suicide after experiencing postpartum psychosis earlier this year.
In honour of Babakhani’s memory, the CPMHC created a walk across Canada to raise funds for perinatal mental health resources. The group has so far raised more than $75,000 and will be hosting a walk in Yellowknife over the summer.
Tomasi says it’s imperative to recognize the signs of a mother in distress. Some signs include becoming out of touch with reality, rapid mood swings, reacting out of character and difficulty communicating.
In the event of a postpartum psychosis episode, it must be treated as a medical emergency and 911 should be called immediately.
Additionally, seeking help from a health care provider is essential to connect those struggling with perinatal mental health issues.
“Make sure that you have a health care provider that listens to you and can help you with resources in the community,” Tomasi says
Currently there aren't enough resources or screenings offered to Canadian mothers experiencing this disorder, Tomasi says. However, after a recent talk with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, she's hopeful more perinatal services will be introduced in the future.
"We're very encouraged to see that the federal government has perinatal mental health on its radar," she said.
For now, Tomasi encourages other new moms struggling with perinatal mental health issues to not be afraid to share their experiences in order to find help.
“We just have to keep talking about it and not be afraid to share our stories."
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.